Today is two years since the Theatre Royal, Barry Cinema, closed its doors.
Barry used to have five cinemas, now there are none – with the Theatre Royal still standing on the corner of Broad Street and Gladstone Road, maintained by the Save Our Cinema Association (SOCA) who are fighting to re-open.
For many people, not having a cinema is a practical issue about a form of entertainment - taking a family of four to the cinema in Cardiff can cost upwards of £40.
But the loss of the cinema is something which still touches many people in Barry because of its iconic nature.
It is a clear example of Barry lacking in a facility which most people take for granted and which people think should be open here.
Fighting for facilities, especially arts and cultural facilities across the Vale, is an important part of my campaign this year. Barry needs a cinema, an arts space, somewhere that people can create and contribute, and I passionately believe that the community is enriched by people participating and generating ideas and interaction.
Back before it was trendy to do so, I started a Facebook group about the cinema, which had nearly 2,000 members within a fortnight.
Unfortunately, that was when we realised that the power of Facebook isn’t the same as a man determined to close something down.
SOCA and other groups looking to improve the cultural life of Barry and the Vale have my full support, and I hope it won’t be long before we can have the cinema back.
In the meantime, there is an exhibition at Victoria Park about the history of the Theatre Royal, open until next Saturday, 17th April.
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HOW WELSH ARE YOU? – Creative Work Contest
Prize:
Gift basket provided by National Museum Wales.
Name, picture and work will be displayed on National Museum Wales Web site.
Submissions:
All entries must be submitted to contemporarycomm@gmail.com by Thursday, April 22, 2010.
Entries can include videos, drawings, paintings, songs, poems, embroidery, clothing or any other
form of original creative work.
Judging:
Judging will take place in May 2010.
Entries will be reviewed by Contemporary Communications, the host of the “How Welsh Are
You?” contest. Entries will be judged on the following guidelines:
1. Originality, uniqueness, reflection of creative thinking, style and expression.
2. Demonstration of knowledge of Wales’ culture, customs and/or traditions.
3. Appropriateness and relationship to subject.
Criteria
1. Must be at least 18 years or older to enter the contest.
2. All video submissions must be at least 30 seconds minimum length and no longer than
two minutes maximum length.
3. Must be original work by the author.
4. Each submission must be accompanied by proper registration information. Each entry
must be clearly labeled with: entrant(s) name, school/organization/society (if available),
mailing address, main contact e-mail address, contact phone number, and creative title of
the work.
5. The works must display a general sense of Welsh culture, either in the United States or in
Wales. This contest helps those who are of Welsh culture (or enjoy Welsh culture)
express the importance of it, while demonstrating what it means to be of Welsh decent.
Rules
1. All entries become the property of the National Museum Wales and may be used in
whole or in part by the National Museum Wales at its discretion.
2. The grand prize winner additionally grants to the National Museum Wales all rights, title
and interest, including, without limitation, all copyrights and exploitation rights in any
media of his/her entry without payment or further consent.
3. All required application and entry forms must be completed in full.
4. The entry may not depict any trademarks or copyrighted materials, logos or brand names
in the creative work, on costumes, equipment and props, with the exception of any Wales
official logos, flags and /or national symbols.
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