Innovative project helps people
AN INNOVATIVE project which seeks to bring young and old together and build a strong community spirit is proving a hit in Llanelli this summer.
The Llanelli Voices project is being organised by the People Speak Up social arts and wellbeing enterprise.
And the most visual part of the project has been the creation of sand art on Llanelli Beach.
Youngsters involved with the project have been working with renowned West Wales sand circle specialist Marc Traenor.
They have also been working with different visual artists, storytellers, poets and rappers to express themselves, talk to each other and create conversations around how they feel about their own identity and the town they live in.
So far, they have created a pop-up arts and story space in Llanelli Market and street art around the town centre, with kind permission from Carmarthenshire Council leader councillor Emlyn Dole and Llanelli Town Council.
The group are also visiting Bryn Illtyd Care home to gather their ideas for street art and are attending Cilymaenllwyd care home in Pwll to gather stories and share stories.
The People Speak Up project already has a strong foundation in Llanelli, being based in Ffwrnes Fach, The Old Zion Chapel, adjacent to Ffwrnes Theatre.
The idea is to create healthy, resilient communities through storytelling, spoken word, creative writing and participatory arts. The social enterprise offers creative workshops, volunteering, training, events and conversations.
Eleanor Shaw, the artistic director for People Speak Up, said: “I am totally empowered by the passion of the people of our town, the kindness they have for each other in our sessions and the quality of the artistic work that is being created.
“Our team has been planning this project with the guidance of the youth