In giving her enthusiastic backing to the Swansea Bay bid to be City of Culture in 2017, Nia Griffith MP for Llanelli has stressed the need to make sure that Llanelli is an integral part of the bid, so the town will share in the benefits that will ensue if Swansea Bay is chosen as the 2017 City of Culture.
Swansea Bay is a developing city region, with a population of approximately 667,700 covering an area from Neath and Port Talbot in the east to Llanelli and Carmarthen in the West. A range of indoor and outdoor venues will be included in the bid, from large venues such as Llanelli’s Parc Y Scarlets and Swansea’s Liberty Stadium to smaller venues of pubs, clubs and bars. Other possible venues are the National Botanic Gardens and Ffos Las Racecourse as well as the theatres and art centres such as Y Ffwrnes and the Dylan Thomas Centre.
Nia commented “We need to be backing this bid enthusiastically, because it is another opportunity to put Llanelli on the map and showcase what we have got to offer. Following on from hosting the National Eisteddfod here in 2014, the chance to be part of the City of Culture in 2017 would give real momentum to the arts in Llanelli. The bid highlights our industrial heritage, so when I spoke up in Parliament, I said that Copperopolis, Swansea’s nickname, is well supported in its cultural bid by Tinopolis, the name we give Llanelli. We have a tremendous tradition in south Carmarthenshire of cultural and industrial heritage. Llanelli’s latest venture, the state-of-the-art Furnace theatre and associated venues, offer fantastic opportunities for a whole range of events. We have so many outstanding choirs, and talented theatre groups whose performances range from the traditional opera and musical favourites to Llanelli Musical Players’ stunning performance of “Little Shop of Horrors” and very avant-garde theatre, such as Llanelli Youth Theatre, performing, ‘Tomorrow I’ll Be Happy.’ As well as speaking up in Parliament, I am also lobbying Maria Miller the Secretary of State for Culture, to get her backing for Swansea Bay’s bid”