Lighting up the Valley

We sure had a wonderful Christmas time, as we worked with the kids from the Bell Centre in Blaenllechau on a spectacular X-Mas project; Lighting up the Valley. The children made fabulous drawings and ProMo projected their artworks on the Bell Centre’s building. And if you haven’t seen the magical ProMo & Bell Centre digital X-Mas card yet, have a quick peek here!

What’s on in Cardiff

You’re young and you wanna know all about what Cardiff has to offer you. But where to look? That’s why ProMo launches a new website in March with the latest events, the hottest local bands and loads of other interesting stuff.

The site will contain a database of services and the latest activities and events available. Young people and organisations will be able to input info on events directly onto the site.Besides being a reference point of information, the website will offer a platform for young people’s views and self-expression. The editorial group will consist of young reporters.The site provides a focus for young people and organisations working with young people across Cardiff, to highlight what they have to offer. Ifanc – Cardiff Young Peoples Partnership funds the project.

At the moment, ProMo is consulting several groups of young people to develop the name, logo & design and ideas for the content. If you or your organisation is interested in contributing to the website, do not hesitate to contact us at 02920 462 222.

Young reporters needed!

As the new Cardiff website will be maintained by young people, this is your chance to get involved! You can become part of the editorial group and be a reporter, gathering content from your area, project or interest group. Working for the website will offer you the opportunity to learn how the site has been structured and created, and ProMo can even offer you training in web design, reporting, photographs and videos. If you are interested in getting involved, drop us a line at maaike@promocymru.org, or call the office at 02920 462 222.

Merthyr Moves

ProMo Cymru started a new project with the 8 Community First areas in Merthyr; Merthyr Moves. It aims to provide taster workshops in Afro/Carnival Drumming and to consult with all 8 areas, to provide the foundations for larger scale projects. The project is set up to stimulate artistic activities within the Communities First Areas and is funded by the Arts Council of Wales.

PiXil Cardiff

Young people across Cardiff have produced loads of videos and multi-media projects that tend to just lie on shelves and in cupboards all over the city. It’s usually shown once or twice at its official launch and then rarely seen again, except by a limited audience of family members. Brilliant work wasted forever!

To spread young people’s video materials more widely, ProMo started collecting their video and multi-media content to load it onto a touch screen video jukebox; PiXil Vision. It can hold more than 500 hours of content (!) and will spread young people’s voices and expression more widely. The PiXil Vision jukebox will be available to place in youth centres and other locations in Cardiff.

If you have any material, could be music, issues, art and so on, you can send us a copy of the work. For more information call Emo or Marco at 029 2046 2222 or look at our website: http://www.promocymru.org/pixil.html

Promotional CD for Cardiff artists

ProMo is currently working on a new project that aims to provide access to music facilities for young people in the following areas: Adamsdown, Butetown, Caerau, Ely, Grangetown, Llanrumney, Riverside and Splott. ProMo will support 5 young bands (on average 4 young people per band) and 10 individuals in producing their music. This will result in the recording and production of a promotional CD for the artists. So if you are a singer or play in a band from one of the areas mentioned above, this could be a great opportunity for you! Don’t hesitate to contact us at marcus@promocymru.org or 02920 437 233. This project is funded by Ifanc – Cardiff Young Peoples Partnership.

Your Voice Your Choice

To inspire young people to become more involved with decision-making and influencing their own futures, ProMo developed the workshop Your Voice Your Choice in partnership with Working Word PR, funded by the National Assembly for Wales and ESF.

The aims of the work will be to support, facilitate and raise awareness of the active involvement of young people from a broad range of social backgrounds and across the ability range in having the opportunity to influence decisions and have a voice in Wales.

The project will involve holding awareness raising workshops, bringing together young people within different groups in schools, Further and Higher Education, social and educational groups, ethnic minority and other youth fora.

Workshops will also signpost young people to further free training and development on specific themes that the Assembly has prioritised.

If you would like to discuss the workshops please contact:

Kath or Marco on 029 2046 2222 or email info@promocymru.org
or
Caroline or Kate on 0845 2805353 or email james.parsons@cazbah.biz

Get ready for Kristy!

New year, new album, new star! Kristy has recently finished recording her impressing debut album at the ProMo studio. Some record labels have already showed interest in her stirring mix of electronic pop, rock and r&b. To help promoting her, we organised a photo shoot with Kristy and here’s just one example of the stunning results. Want more? Be patient, a website is being created by Dimension 10 and will soon offer more info, pics and mp3s. And if you want to stay on top of the developments, be sure to check out next month’s ProMail!

The Accent in The Attic

The Accent are about to hit the Attic studios in Cardiff to record some tracks for a demo. This way ProMo helps the punkrockers from Bridgend to further develop their skills in the music industry. The recorded songs will also be used as a demo to promote themselves and to get gigs all around Wales and hopefully way beyond! Well…the teenagers HAVE been said to put Green Day and Blink182 to shame…
http://www.myspace.com/theaccent

JLD gets groovy

ProMo client JLD has recorded an astonishing track with genre mashing collective Pretty Green from Cardiff. The tune mixes the hot grooves of James Brown’s ‘Sex Machine’ with pumpin’ beats, intense ladies’ voices and JLD’s witty raps. To listen to the mp3, go to http://www.myspace.com/prettygreen3 or even better; catch them live at the Audio Parade 19 February at Clwb Ifor Bach in Cardiff!
http://www.myspace.com/mcjld

Haddonfield goes national

Haddonfield, who just released their smashing debut EP ‘Bar Brawls & Downfalls’, are going to work with press agency and plugging company S-a-M Promotion from Hartlepool. The company will assist the punkrockers from Blaenau Gwent with overall national promotion in the coming months. Their campaigns have lead to licensing and record deals for bands, national magazine coverage in the likes of Rock Sound and Kerrang! and national radio airplay with BBC Radio…so be prepared for the next media hype: Haddonfield!
http://www.myspace.com/haddonfieldaction

Kute

In the last ProMail we already gave you a taste of what’s going on, but now it’s official: Kute is signed to management/production company Right Bank Management! The London company, that also works with stars like Gwen Stefani and Katherine Jenkins, will record material with Kute to promote them to major labels in the UK and US. This can mean a definite breakthrough for the Caerphilly sisters!
www.officialkute.com

New to ProMo

ProMo welcomes new clients Robert Westall and Dominico Scarpetta! We’ll be helping Robert to develop material for an acoustic album that we’re going to record with him. Dominico wants to promote music events in areas in the Valleys where there are not many live music venues. We’ll support him to set up a new music venue for signed and unsigned acts, too. Also, ProMo and Dominico will start a tutorial school music project. We’ll keep you posted.

ProMail

Hi there! The February issue of ProMail has appeared on your computer screen, and after skipping the January edition due to busy X-Mas times, we are back with an e-bulletin that’s chock-a-block with exciting ProMo Cymru developments!

Please feel free to send in anything that you think may be of interest for the next bulletin (March 2007) to maaike@promocymru.org

Auditions Presenter Youth Programme

Do you think you've got what it takes to be the next Russell Brand or Fearn Cotton? The Pop Factory will be holding auditions to find new presenters for a brand new English language youth entertainment programme, and are inviting anybody interested to email in their personal details with a photo and a short paragraph about themselves.

Don't worry if you haven't got any experience, they’re more interested in your natural talent and character. But don't delay, as entries are required to be sent via email as soon as possible! Please send your details and picture to info@thepopfactory.com with the heading 'New Presenter Submission'.

In Association with...www.visiblenoise.com

www.thepopfactory.com

www.sonig.org.uk

International Hip Hop Master Classes

On February 16th, 17th and 18th the third international Hip Hop Master Classes will be held at the University Fitness and Squash Centre at Park Place in Cardiff. The instructors are an international group of experts; Hip Hop instructors, professional dancers (e.g. for Jamelia and Enrique Iglesias!) and choreographers, who’ll show you their hottest tricks.

These are the classes available:

Feb. 16th FRIDAY
15.00 Hip Hop
16.10 House
19.40 Street Dance

Feb. 17th SATURDAY
15.00 R&B Style
16.00 Locking
17.00 Hip Hop New School

Feb. 18th SUNDAY
11.00 Raga
12.30 Street Jazz
16.00 Hip Hop LA

Tickets for a single class are £7, for a day £18, 2 days £34 and 3 days £40. To book your tickets see Carlos in his classes at the University Fitness and Squash Centre onTuesdays (18.30), Thursdays (19.30) or Sundays (15.00) or email carlosneto007@hotmail.com or call 078 918 071 55.

Workshops College Music & Drama

The Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama is organizing several interesting events in February:

Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, Castle Grounds Cathays Park Cardiff. Box office tel: 029 2039 1391 or look online for more information: http://www.rwcmd.ac.uk/

Here to HELP Awards

Take on the challenge to help making your community healthier, more engaging and a safer place to be! Save the Children and British Gas announced the next funding round of the here to HELP Awards. Young people can get up to £1,000 for your project! The next deadline for completed applications is Friday 23 March 2007, with funded projects expected to take place between June and September 2007.

There are also a very limited number of Awards (up to 7 in total) of up to £3,000, which highlight poverty. To apply for the £3,000 Award you will need to supply more detail in your application and a full project plan.

Full details of the here to HELP Awards and application forms can be found at www.helpyourselves.org.uk. All enquiries about the here to HELP Awards can be e-mailed by clicking here.

Welsh Coalfields Bonds Awards

If you’re from the former Welsh coalfields and you aspire a career in the cultural and creative industries, the Welsh Coalfields Bonds Awards might be able to help you on your way. The awards are provided by the Coalfields Regeneration Trust and Citylife Ltd and can be used for, for example:

• Funding of musical instruments, rehearsal space or art materials
• People wishing to undertake apprenticeships to enable them to eventually contribute to the infrastructure of Wales
• People entering further or higher education that may need financial help
• Support for an individual who wants to regenerate a sense of community through a virtual or actual network
• An enterprising individual who wishes to set up their own business but needs assistance with start-up costs

For further information have a look at this webpage or call CityLife at 01223 488400.

STEP beyond

This European Cultural Foundation fund provides grants for young artists and performers to collaborate exchange ideas and networks with other young Europeans. Applications must be submitted eight weeks before travel. Further information at their website.

Youth in Action

If you want to get involved in or set up a cross-cultural project, pay attention to this! The new EU Youth in Action programme gives people aged 13-30 the opportunity to, for example, organise European youth exchanges or to volunteer abroad. A description of the programme is available on the European Commission website: which you can visit here.