Ystradgynlais Arts, Nature & Heritage Trail Programme

Why? / Pam?

The Josef Herman Art Foundation Cymru is a charitable company working across communities and targeting young & disadvantaged people, increasing access & participation in the arts. We work in the upper Swansea Valley & SW Wales, particularly Ystradgynlais, with our collection presently hosted by The Welfare. The Foundation is dedicated to supporting human rights, education and improving access to and promoting an appreciation of Herman’s life and work and supporting wider participation in the arts.

The Covid lockdown has showed that we need to establish new inclusive and flexible ways of working, as people have not been able to socialise in person for over a year. This proposal enables us to work in partnership with the Friends of Diamond Park to develop an educational learning & workshop programme that families, young people, groups & individuals can participate in & the further development of an Ystradgynlais Heritage trail, including conducted walks highlighting the rich natural and heritage environment, referencing green connectors and developing a sense of place, especially for families and young people. This will also include supporting our digital and app development, with heritage trails available online for people to enjoy either virtually or physically.

The proposal will also support our longer term aims of applying for museum status for our collection of original artwork, and our long term vision of developing our own heritage and educational centre. The aim of the proposal is to support cultural and tourism development benefiting the local economy & bring much needed tourism to the area.

What? / Beth?

Our project supports the development of an educational programme of workshops and conducted walks including our new Josef Herman in Ystradgynlais Heritage Trail and the development of a programme of conducted nature and heritage walks in the local area, including Diamond Park. To date, we have worked with a collection of local schools in our catchment area, including Ysgol Bryn Tawe, Ysgol Gellionnen and Ysgol Bro Myrddin in June and July and we intend to welcome a further 3 schools from the Brecon and Abergavenny areas in late September and early October. Our schools programme includes engaging local artists in short residencies and bringing schools to Ystradgynlais to see our art collection and then taking part in a heritage trail. Resultant artwork produced by children during each visit has also resulted in temporary exhibitions at The Welfare in Ystradgynlais.

The project also includes several heritage walks, in partnership with Friends of Diamond Park and our first event, on 29th August included a BioBliz with specialist mycologist Emma Williams looking at coalspoil fungi in Diamond Park and on the two local nature reserves. Emma is undertaking a more general fungi walk around the park in September and is undertaking a fungi survey of the area. Other walks planned include a bat walk with Neil Price, a walk on natural park management with David Evans and a walk on the history on mining with Gerwaint Roberts. All walks will be advertised locally and in our social media Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/JHAFCymru/.

Work is also underway on improved signage for our Josef Herman Heritage Trail, with the erection of 3 large heritage plaques marking the different sites of residence of the Herman family whilst living in Ystradgynlais and a further 7 smaller plaques marking locations of specific interest to the artist. This also includes the development and printing of a new heritage trail booklet to accompany our first Josef Herman trail, but this one concentrating on the industrial and natural heritage of the area of Diamond Park, and the Werm Plemys and Ystradfawr Nature Reserves. The new booklet and map trail will encourage people to participate in more walks, increasing their local knowledge and their interest in the industrial heritage and natural history of the area.

Finally, we are also commissioning a series of 7 pop-up banners of miner’s panels by Josef Herman for use in major events such as the National Eisteddfod, which will assist us in promoting Ystradgynlais and the surrounding area.

Where? / Ble?

All workshop and conducted walks will take place in Ystradgynlais, and especially in both the Welfare and in Diamond Park, increasing a sense of place in an area with a rich natural, cultural and industrial heritage.

Who? / Pwy?

The project has involve a wide range of people to date, including several local schools, artists, University of Wales Trinity Saint David, Friends of Diamond Park, Swansea University of the Third Age, Blodau (Ystradgynlais), the Big Skill, Action for Elders, Brecknock Wildlife Trust and Credu (Thursday club, primarily for carers). All activities are free and people are warmly invited to take part in walks and talks being organised.

For more information, please visit our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/JHAFCymru/ or please contact Pete Bryan on 01269 826942 or email pbryan5294@aol.com.