Tell us about yourself and your creative background
I grew up on a farm in Lledrod in Ceredigion in the middle of nowhere! This meant that I had the freedom to play outside, to write and to be creative from a very young age. Later, I started playing the harp and enjoyed traveling the world competing and performing. I decided not to continue with the harp as a career, but instead to study Law and Welsh at Cardiff University and I enjoyed four special years there. The extracurricular opportunities during my time there were valuable; from presenting radio programmes to performing with the choir of Aelwyd y Waun Ddyfal, and winning the drama medal at the Eisteddfod T in 2020.
So, what is your Creative First?
For me, a series of small steps have led to where I am today, rather than one big step! I am very fortunate that an opportunity arose in my job with ITV Cymru Wales to present an arts programme 'Backstage' - the first of its kind on the channel. As the opportunities to discuss art and culture are getting less and less in Wales, I am grateful that ITV sees value in such a programme and gives a national platform to Welsh talent. On a personal level, being able to present a whole programme and meet so many people is an experience I really treasure. We are currently recording the second series - and are already looking for contributors for the next series!
What was the biggest challenge?
The biggest challenge for me when presenting Backstage was working in English. This is the first job where I work entirely in my second language, and finding the balance between being natural but energetic was a challenge to begin with. As I rehearse and record more episodes, I feel much more comfortable. But I don't believe that fear of accidentally saying a word in Welsh will ever go away!
Would you approach it differently if you were starting all over again?
Looking back, I regret not keeping more of a record of things I did when I was younger, especially from my days of playing the harp. At that time, social media wasn’t used for promotional purposes, so I would never post about my adventures. But now, I'd love to be able to browse through the archive and see my development!
Why choose Cardiff for your Creative First?
As my job is based in Cardiff, it was only natural that Backstage would be recorded here too. I am very fortunate that I can work in Wales, on a programme that celebrates Welsh artistic talents. And I love living in Cardiff too and I'm glad that things have reopened and that the buzz is back!
Creative Firsts feature
Want to be featured? Email us at creativecardiff@cardiff.ac.uk if you have a Creative First (first time industry experience) to share with our community.
