Pain in the Arts

This week on Pain in the Arts , Chris and Jak explore the reality of building a creative career in Wales. The conversation ranges from funding cuts and local authority support for the arts to the growing number of Welsh creatives making their mark internationally in music, television, film and theatre. The pair review Ballet Cymru's 40th Anniversary Showcase , discuss whether Wales is doing e...

This week on Pain in the Arts , Chris and Jak discuss a remarkable moment for Welsh creativity. From Cardiff actors joining the worlds of Marvel and DC , to Welsh artists topping the music charts, they explore whether Wales is experiencing a creative boom or whether the rest of the world is finally catching up with talent that has always been here. The pair review A Tidy Boy by Grand Ambition, dis...

This week on Pain in the Arts , Chris and Jak reflect on one of their busiest weeks yet across Welsh arts and culture. They review After Agincourt starring Gareth David-Lloyd, discuss the stage adaptation of Dirty Dancing , attend the Tŷ Hafan Dark Run , and look back on the closing events of the Iris Prize Festival . The episode also features exclusive interview clips from Joe Locke , Tom Cullen...

This week on Pain in the Arts , Chris and Jak are joined by a very special guest: Berwyn Rowlands , founder and CEO of the internationally acclaimed Iris Prize , as the festival celebrates its 20th anniversary. Berwyn shares honest insights into building one of Wales' biggest cultural success stories, surviving two decades of challenges, supporting emerging filmmakers, and creating opportunit...

This week on Pain in the Arts , Chris and Jak discuss a packed week across the Welsh cultural sector, from theatre and music to arts policy and the future of creativity in Wales. The pair review Dracula's Guest at The Riverfront and A Man For All Seasons at New Theatre Cardiff before diving into highlights from the Welsh Music Awards , celebrating Welsh artists past and present. The episode a...

This week’s Pain in the Arts features a major guest: Heledd Fychan, Minister for Culture, Media and Sport at the Welsh Government, joins Chris and Jak for a special Q&A session inside Cathays Park. She answers listener‑submitted questions on arts funding, creative careers, cultural strategy, community arts, and the future of Wales’ creative industries. Alongside the ministerial conversation, C...

This week’s Pain in the Arts starts with hot tea — literally — and quickly turns into a deep dive into Welsh arts gossip, sector shifts, dance reviews, and the big question: can you really build a theatre career in Wales without moving to London? Chris and Jak unpack the news that Hannah Firth is leaving Chapter Arts Centre after 25 years to join Theatre Mwldan in Cardigan, before diving into a pa...

Operation Mincemeat lands at the New Theatre, Practical Magic 2 makes a surprise appearance, Alison Lapper brings a powerful conversation to Cardiff, and we tackle two big listener questions — is the subscription model dead, and how do you actually market to artists? In Episode 32, Chris and Jak break down the week in Welsh arts with their usual mix of humour, honesty and sector insight. From cult...

Welcome back to Pain in the Arts , the weekly podcast exploring the arts and creative sector in Wales — hosted by broadcaster Chris J Birch and artist‑writer‑editor Jak Rhys Birch . This week we’re talking: 🎳 Lane Seven Cardiff — First Look   • Bowling, karaoke, pool, air hockey, golf • Why activity‑led venues are replacing traditional bars • The rise of “experience culture” in Cardiff • Explore...

Welcome back to Pain in the Arts , the weekly podcast exploring the arts and creative sector in Wales — hosted by broadcaster Chris J Birch and artist‑writer‑editor Jak Rhys Birch . After a week off, we’re back with a packed episode covering: 🎭 Burlesque at the Wales Millennium Centre   • The clickbait controversy • The technical stop mid‑show • Why the audience’s reaction changed everything • Co...

Welcome back to Pain in the Arts , the weekly podcast exploring the arts and creative sector in Wales — hosted by broadcaster Chris J Birch and artist‑writer‑editor Jak Rhys Birch . After an unexpected week off (Chris’s dad had a heart attack — he’s recovering well), we’re back with a fast‑round Q&A special , answering your biggest questions about arts careers, degrees, venues, funding, AI and...

Welcome back to Pain in the Arts , the weekly podcast exploring the arts and creative sector in Wales — hosted by broadcaster Chris J Birch and artist‑writer‑editor Jak Rhys Birch . This week we’re talking: 🕹️ Cult VR — Under the Dome   • Our first visit to Wales’ immersive dome • Pink Floyd visuals, tech, families and experience culture • Why VR venues are becoming part of the arts ecosystem 🎨 A...

Welcome back to Pain in the Arts , the weekly podcast exploring the arts and creative sector in Wales — hosted by broadcaster Chris J Birch and artist‑writer‑editor Jak Rhys Birch . This week we’re talking: 🕹️ Cult VR — Under the Dome   • Wales’ largest immersive dome • Pink Floyd experiences • Families, tech, and the rise of experience culture • Why immersive arts are booming in Cardiff • More on...

Welcome back to Pain in the Arts , the weekly podcast exploring the arts and creative sector in Wales — hosted by broadcaster Chris J Birch and artist‑writer‑editor Jak Rhys Birch . This week we’re talking: 🎭 The Karate Kid Musical at WMC   • Brilliant cast, strong vocals, great score • But… clunky staging, odd choreography, and timing issues • Why coming‑of‑age musicals feel overdone • Jak’s ful...

Welcome back to Pain in the Arts , the weekly podcast exploring the arts and creative sector in Wales — hosted by broadcaster Chris J Birch and artist‑writer‑editor Jak Rhys Birch . This week we’re talking: 🎳 Hollywood Bowl XL Opens in Cardiff   • Go‑karting under the bowling lanes • Arcade chaos • Why leisure spaces matter for creative wellbeing • Cardiff losing Vue Cinema — and what that means...

This week on Pain in the Arts , Chris and Jak dive into a whirlwind of Welsh arts, summer chaos, and big creative questions. We talk: • Annie at the Wales Millennium Centre • Oxford museums and cultural curiosities • Jellyfish‑filled beach evenings • Cadstock music festival • Graduation season in Cardiff • How creatives can stop comparing themselves to others • What the future of Welsh arts might...

This week on Pain in the Arts , Chris and Jak explore everything from TEDx speaker opportunities to at-risk theatres, from Swansea’s newest production to the arrival of Annie at WMC. Plus: should American artists move to the UK, and will AI mean job losses in the arts? We talk: • Physical Education (Grand Ambition) • TEDx Bute Street September call-out • Theatres Trust At-Risk list • Heatwaves dam...

This week on Pain in the Arts , Chris and Jak explore everything from prehistoric cave paintings to modern marketing strategies — and even the potential future of UK arts under Andy Burnham. We talk: • Old‑school vs digital marketing • Art on the Edge in Newport • Physical Education at Swansea Grand • Burnham’s cultural vision • Cave paintings and early artistic genius • Two big listener questions...

This week on Pain in the Arts , Chris and Jak battle a Welsh heatwave to bring you a packed episode covering: • Thespians at the New Theatre • Fawlty Towers at the Wales Millennium Centre • The Future Commissioners Conference • A Creative Cardiff showcase • Disabled artists & criticism • Why known IP is taking over theatre Warm, insightful, political and full of creative optimism — this is Pai...

This week on Pain in the Arts , Chris and Jak explore the future of Welsh arts — from community‑led opera to cutting‑edge immersive tech, and a major new culture announcement from Wales’ new Culture Minister, Heledd Fychan. We talk: • Fio's x Music Theatre Wales’ modern opera • The Annwn Prize and the rise of immersive art • Whether VR will replace traditional theatre • Heledd’s new culture &...

This week on Pain in the Arts , Chris and Jak somehow survive running two major events in one week — TEDxButeStreet and Barry Pride — while also squeezing in Rocky Horror, Waitress, VR art, and a mysterious Fio performance. We talk: • TEDx at the Senedd • Barry Pride’s grassroots resilience • Welsh drag icons • Rocky Horror chaos • Waitress at WMC • The Anwynn Prize and the future of immersive art...

Fresh from TEDxButeStreet — literally an hour after leaving the Senedd — Chris and Jak dive into one of the busiest, most meaningful weeks they’ve had in Welsh arts. This episode covers: • TEDxButeStreet: mentoring, organising, and platforming Welsh voices • Rocky Horror at the New Theatre • A deconsecrated church photo call • Barry Pride and the realities of grassroots organising • Queer Icons ca...

From Next Week - Available on YouTube & Spotify Exclusively Welcome back to Pain in the Arts — the podcast about the arts and creative industries in Wales, hosted by broadcaster Chris J Birch and artist‑writer‑editor Jak Rhys Birch . This week’s episode is recorded from the car , somewhere between Hay Festival and home, after the busiest eight‑day stretch we’ve had in ages. Here’s what we’ve b...

This week on Pain in the Arts:   We’ve had the busiest eight days in Welsh arts we’ve ever experienced — from ballet to Banksy, from London summits to Roath Gallery Weekend, from Choir of Man to a 10‑year photography project that floored us. Chris heads to London for the Business of the Arts Summit, Jak speaks at Cardiff University, we hit six galleries in one day, and we still find time to celebr...

This week on Pain in the Arts , Chris and Jak dive into one of the funniest, busiest and most chaotic weeks the Welsh arts scene has thrown at them yet. They head to Cabaret Cardiff for Dyke Systems Ltd , the debut production from new theatre company Fagpacket — a razor‑sharp MLM‑themed comedy that turns out to be one of the best shows they’ve ever seen at Cabaret. From perfect timing to unhinged...