Maniffest 16/17 National Youth Theatre of Wales

Maniffest 16/17 | Video of the Week

Introducing Video of the Week from Wales Arts Review. We’ll be showcasing some of the best new art in Wales with a new video shared every week. From music to drama and everything in between, videos will not be limited by medium. Today we take a look at at the ‘Maniffest 16/17’ a series of monologues commissioned by National Youth Theatre of Wales that premiered on AM on the day of the Senedd elections.

Today, we have a special edition of video of the week with not one but four videos to share in celebration of 16- and 17-year-olds voting for the first time in the Senedd elections which were held yesterday on Thursday 6th May. The four monologues were commissioned by the National Youth Theatre of Wales and were made in celebration of youth democracy. The monologues – recounting both fictional and real first-person perspectives – were written by prominent Welsh writers and filmed on location in each member’s own community.

Speaking about her role in taking part in the production NYTW member Megan said: “It was important for me to express the sense of pride and identity that my home brings me. It’s time to fight for the rights of the people and place that made me the person I am today.”

National Youth Arts Wales played an important role in encouraging young people to register to vote back in April, working as a key partner to the Electoral Reform Society’s Election Engagement Working Group. This campaign included work with the Urdd and Senedd Cymru raising awareness amongst NYAW ensemble members, with activities including manifesto writing and the running of mock elections (this work is supported by the UK Democracy Fund, a Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust initiative).

The films premiered last night at 7pm and can be watched below.

Maniffest 16/17 | The Future

 

Maniffest 16/17 | Siân of Arc

Maniffest 16/17 | Manifest for Megan

Maniffest 16/17 | Fama

The full Maniffest season will be hosted in partnership with AM and can be accessed here.