As 2022 draws to a close, we look back at some of our best loved articles from the past year. From discussion of what nationalism means, to debate on the future of publishing in Wales and reflections on the passing of a monarch, our articles have – as ever – enquired far and wide with intellectual curiosity and passion. Here are our top 10 most read articles of 2022!
Horatio Clare | Anna Versus Vladimir – Wales Arts Review
As part of our Notes of Solidarity series of mini-essays, poems, and reflections on the Russian war on Ukraine, writer and broadcaster Horatio Clare writes on the remarkable Anna Politkovskaya, a Russian journalist, and human rights activist who was murdered by order of Vladimir Putin in 2006. Read more.
How Welsh Writers Can Help Redefine Wales
In this first article in partnership with The Western Mail, novelist, critic and Wales Arts Review editor Gary Raymond lays out an impassioned call to arms for Welsh writers to play a central part in mainstream debates about the top issues of the day. Read the article here.
Matthew Mathias pays tribute to Eddie Butler, who died on September 15th, a former captain of the Wales Rugby Union side and British and Irish Lion who went on to add his stylish commentary to the memories of a generation of the game’s fans. Read the full piece here.
Deafening Silence: The Weakness of Wales
Gary Raymond reflects on National Theatre Wales’ recent production, Galwad, and asks what we can learned about the weakness of Wales in the critical silence that followed it. Read more here.
Should we Mourn the death of a Monarch?
Brad Evans contemplates the death of Queen Elizabeth II, asking whether we should mourn the death of a Monarch. Read the full article here.
Galwad: Is the Future Calling for Theatre in Wales?
As National Theatre Wales prepared to lead a Collective Cymru production for Galwad, a combination of drama and live-action theatre performed on location across Wales over the course of a week, Emma Schofield wondered what it all meant for theatre and drama in Wales. Read more here.
How Welsh Were the Velvet Underground?
Gary Raymond ponders the Welsh credentials of the greatest rock n roll band of all time, asking how Welsh were The Velvet Underground? Read the full article here.
‘Anghofiwch Dryweryn’ – Time to Forget?
Ceri Subbe explores a national obsession with memory through the lens of the ‘Cofiwch Dryweryn’ mural, making the case for a form of cultural amnesia which might enable Wales to formulate a more positive sense of national identity. Read the full article here.
Welsh Independence without Nationalism? Is there such a thing?
Can you be for Welsh independence while still rejecting the nationalist ideology often associated with it? Gary Raymond charts his own journey and warns against the insidious nature of nationalism in its most potent form. Read more here.
Professor Mike Pearson Dies: A Tribute
May saw the announcement that prominent theatre practitioner and academic Professor Mike Pearson had died and Wales Arts Review paid tribute to his life and career. An Emeritus Professor at Aberystwyth University, he had a long and distinguished career in theatre spanning back over half a century. Read the full piece here.
