A songwriting project in Port Talbot, Cân y Cymoedd (When Valleys Sing), has led to the creation of two dozen new compositions about local life. The initiative, run by Wales's national folk arts organisation Trac Cymru, involves community groups and schools in Rhondda Cynon Taf and Neath Port Talbot.
Participants work with musicians, historians, and volunteers to uncover stories from local heritage sites and museums, which are then channelled into new songs. One such story, researched by Liz Puleston-Jones, tells of Isabel Thomas, a 14-year-old girl who worked in a tin plate works in the 1940s.
Jenny Pope, a participant in Port Talbot, noted that the workshops have fostered a sense of cultural pride and belonging. At Llwyncelyn primary school in Porth, a Year 6 class is learning a song about their village composed by a previous cohort, with plans to record a music video.
The original songs are being professionally recorded for an album. Project manager Antwn Owen-Hicks stated that Cân y Cymoedd aims to ensure traditions continue to evolve, helping people explore their origins and create songs from their stories.