Celebrating community and creativity when it matters most.
Gwanwyn is a month-long national festival held across Wales in May each year, showcasing creativity in older age. Since 2007, Gwanwyn has worked with artists and organisations of all sizes to promote a wide range of arts activities, from stand-up to stitching, from Bollywood to book clubs.
Gwanwyn Festival offers opportunities for older people to become involved in arts and creative activities, either as practitioners, organisers or audience members. Gwanwyn Festival also helps older people to recognize the benefits that being creative can bring to their health and well-being.
The theme for Gwanwyn 2025 is ‘A Compassionate Cymru’.
Compassionate communities recognise the power of people to thoughtfully support each other through ill-health, dying, bereavement and grief.
Age Cymru are the secretariat for Compassionate Cymru, a group of individuals and organisations committed to improving and supporting everyone’s experience of end of life care and bereavement in Wales.
Find out more about Compassionate Cymru on the website www.compassionate.cymru, emailing contact@compassionate.cymru or calling 029 2043 1555.
There will be opportunities throughout May to get involved in festival activities, try something new and showcase your creativity.
Part of the aim of Gwanwyn is for us to challenge stereotypes of ageing and older people and we will be highlighting activities, events, artists and groups that represent the diversity of experience of older people throughout Wales.
Age Cymru’s Kelly Barr who runs the festival says:
“Every year, we are delighted to celebrate the wealth of creativity in older people, and to promote opportunities for older people to learn a new skill, rekindle a lost hobby or to meet like-minded people. It is now widely proven that taking part in activities like this can have a tremendous impact on our mental well-being and the festival allows us to bring together communities around creativity.
“We’re also keen to promote the work of older artists, whether they are emerging or established. We want to know about your exhibitions, works in progress, performances and creations.
“If you’re hosting a creative activity or event that is age-friendly and takes place in May, please do let us know.”
To keep up to date with news and find out how you can get involved in Gwanwyn Festival, visit www.agecymru.wales/gwanwyn or call 029 2043 1555
