Councillor Shortlisted In The 2022 Hearts For Arts Awards
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The shortlist has been announced for the National Campaign for the Arts' (NCA) Hearts for the Arts Awards 2022. The awards celebrate the unsung heroes of Local Authorities who are championing the arts against all odds.
Cyngor Tref Criccieth Town’s Councillor Ffion Meleri Gwyn has been nominated for Best Arts Champion – Councillor for her work providing inspired leadership to a range of creative and innovative projects, contributing massively to the well-being of the Criccieth community during a very testing time.
This year’s winners will be selected from the shortlist by a judging panel of key arts industry experts and practitioners, including:
Andy Dawson, Inspire Youth Arts, winner of the 2021 HFTA award for Best Arts Champion– Local Authority or Cultural Trust Worker Krishnan Guru-Murthy, journalist and presenter of Channel 4 News Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason, author, speaker and supporter of music education Shaparak Khorsandi, stand up comedian, writer, all round delight Anna Lapwood, organist, conductor and broadcaster Deborah Meaden, businesswoman and TV Dragon Jack Thorne, screenwriter and playwright
Samuel West, actor and director, NCA Trustee
Despite the pandemic, creative people and projects have been supporting and producing local arts all around the nation this year – helping to ease the pressure on the NHS and other UK organisations responsible for care and rehabilitation, and proving the benefits of creativity to mental health, and general wellbeing. The Hearts for the Arts Awards are a way to celebrate these creative efforts and to encourage local authorities and cultural trusts to prioritise arts and culture in their areas.
Nominations were received from across the UK for each of this year’s three award categories: Best Arts Project; Best Arts Champion - Local Authority or Cultural Trust Worker; and Best Arts Champion – Councillor.
The shortlist was judged by representatives from the National Campaign for the Arts and from this year’s award partners: Community Leisure UK, Creative Lives, the Local Government Association, Thrive and UK Theatre.
Discussing Cllr. Ffion Meleri Gwyn’s nomination, Hearts for the Arts Award partners said:
“Cllr. Ffion Meleri Gwyn embodies the strong community spirit which clearly exists in the Cyngor Tref Criccieth Town Council area. It is very easy for elected representatives to make speeches and lofty commitments to improving an area; it is much more difficult for them to actually make a difference, and be involved with it personally as Cllr. Gwyn has.”
In response to being shortlisted, Cllr.Ffion Meleri Gwyn said:
“I’m delighted and honoured to be shortlisted for this award which is a tribute to the amazing work and involvement of members of our community, from young to old in so many memorable projects. We are living in unprecedented times and it’s fantastic to be able to reach out through our varied creative initiatives to involve hundreds in our bilingual community. This has boosted the well-being of all of us. “
Dr Catrin Jones, Clerk of Criccieth Town Council said:
“In the time of Covid, Cllr. Ffion Meleri Gwyn, as an artist and as a Councillor, has made the case for creativity in partnership by setting an example of how, despite all the necessary restrictions, it was and remains possible and beneficial to innovate and create and make art a community adventure. She’s provided inspired leadership on a range of creative and innovative projects, working tirelessly to engage with the community, encouraging people from all walks of life to take part. To successfully launch and accomplish a Creative Strategy every Council needs a Ffion.”
The winners of the Hearts for the Arts Awards 2022 will be announced on Valentine’s Day, 14ᵗʰ February 2022.