Pain in the Arts

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...

This week on Pain in the Arts , Chris and Jak dive into a brilliantly chaotic mix of insurance fraud stories, unstable art exhibitions, election‑day energy, and the newly released Rainbow Wales book. From bank‑holiday burnout to the realities of reviewing theatre, the pair explore the pressures, politics and pleasures of working in the Welsh arts sector. They discuss the expectations placed on rev...

This week on Pain in the Arts , Chris and Jack dive into a gloriously chaotic mix of musical parody, Cold War theatre, Welsh film premieres, and the big question of how future generations will remember the art we’re making today. Jack heads to Friends: The Musical Parody with his family — a show that takes affectionate aim at the iconic sitcom — while Chris endures a flatter‑than‑expected producti...

This week on Pain in the Arts , Chris and Jak dive into circus chaos, community celebrations, new tattoos, and the surprisingly dangerous temptation of food in paintings. They also tackle two big sector questions: Should you sack a bad member of staff in a tiny gallery? and Does Wales really need another training school? The episode opens with a deep dive into the heated debate around Arts Council...

This week on Pain in the Arts , Chris and Jack dive into community‑driven exhibitions, chaotic but charming audiences, and the ongoing frustrations around arts funding in Wales. From a powerful, people‑focused exhibition at the University of South Wales to a run of eclectic nights at Cabaret, the pair explore how creativity continues to bring communities together — even as funding structures crumb...

This week on Pain in the Arts , Chris and Jak return from a chaotic Easter half‑term with stories of immersive art, botanical obsessions, and a surprising amount of existential reflection. From Wake the Tiger in Bristol — a sprawling, surreal, immersive art labyrinth — to a beautiful cyanotype exhibition in Cardiff, the pair explore how creativity can be playful, tactile, and deeply nostalgic. The...

This Bank Holiday bonus episode of Pain in the Arts is a rapid‑fire Q&A special, answering as many listener questions as Chris and Jak can squeeze into one chaotic, caffeinated session. With over 300 questions submitted , the pair tackle everything from falling audience spending and festival safety laws to Welsh language accessibility, pottery sales, and how to get kids off iPads and into crea...

This week on Pain in the Arts , Chris and Jack dive into one of their most varied weeks yet — from contemporary exhibitions and live TV recordings to grassroots awards, cosy crime theatre, and big cultural questions about Welsh identity. They explore Kelsey Cruz-Martin’s mixed‑media exhibition at G39 , celebrate the launch of Wales’ first music talk show , and reflect on the wonderfully chaotic bu...

This week on Pain in the Arts , Chris and Jack dive into a whirlwind of Welsh theatre triumphs, queer comedy chaos, and a standout night at Newport Riverfront — all while tackling two big questions creatives across Wales keep asking. They unpack the brilliance of My Mixed Up Tape by Katie Payne, a production they describe as Welsh theatre history in the making. From there, it’s off to Cabaret for...

This week on Pain in the Arts , Chris and Jak celebrate hitting 1,000 YouTube subscribers before diving into a packed week across Wales’ creative scene — from circus‑musical mayhem to rooftop cinema and a bilingual ghost story that left them asking, “Is anybody there?” They explore the rise of analogue culture, the joy of independent Welsh literary magazines, and the upcoming Hay Festival — includ...

Fresh from the launch of the Manifesto for Music Wales , Chris and Jak dive into a packed week across Wales’ creative landscape — from policy and politics to opera, VR, comedy, and Mean Girls. This episode explores the future of Welsh music, the importance of accessible arts spaces, and why Timothy Chalamet’s viral “nobody cares about opera and ballet” comment has (ironically) reignited public pas...

This week on Pain in the Arts , Chris J Birch and Jak Rhys Birch dive into a very Welsh whirlwind: St David’s Day chaos , the upside‑down house that’s still haunting them , and the bow buns that changed their lives . From Cardiff Market’s night‑time food frenzy to Diversity’s 17‑year legacy, it’s a full cultural tour of Wales in one episode. But things get deeper fast. A listener asks whether pet...

This week on Pain in the Arts, Chris J Birch and Jak Rhys Birch dive into a whirlwind of Welsh creativity — from Cardiff’s brand‑new upside‑down house installation to pirouettes, dancing shoes, and the eternal question: does a picture really speak a thousand words? The episode kicks off with a look at what’s happening across Wales’ arts scene, including a visit to the new immersive house on Queen...

This week on Pain in the Arts , Chris J Birch and Jak Rhys Birch dive into a whirlwind of Welsh arts life — from ghost stories and horror theatre to the very real terrors of comparison culture and unpaid creative work. Fresh from seeing 2:22 A Ghost Story , the pair unpack why live horror hits differently, how escape rooms expose our overthinking tendencies, and why everyone in Cardiff suddenly ow...

Each Week, join Chris & Jak as they delve into the Welsh Arts and Creative Sector by answering Submitted Questions and chatting about the life of a Welsh Creative Support the show

A fur coat, Tina Turner, immersive theatre panic, uncontrollable cackling, six dogs, and a very emotional game of bingo… it’s been a week. In this episode of Pain in the Arts , Chris and Jak dive into a packed seven days across Wales’ creative scene. From gearing up for the iconic Tina – The Tina Turner Musical at the Wales Millennium Centre, to a surprisingly emotional one‑woman show at the Sherm...

In this Episode, Welsh Creatives; Chris & Jak tackle two Questions that really hit home with so many Creatives Worldwide; Why am I lacking Motivation to Create and; I hate putting myself out there to Promote my Work. Follow along weekly and Submit your Questions on Instagram or Anonymously at The Edit Website Support the show