Nicola Heywood Thomas talks to the artists utilizing digital space during the lock-down. She is joined by Lee Johnston, from National Dance Company of Wales, who have released a series of digital events, creating a community for dance online. Poets, Zillah Bowes & Jonathan Edwards, discuss their new project ‘Night Riders’, supported by the Royal Society of Literature. Plus Isabel Freer & Alison Hargreaves introduce Nicola to ‘The Uncertain Kingdom’, a collection of 20 short films...

Events all over the country are being cancelled or postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak. Nicola Heywood Thomas asks what these sudden closures mean for the arts across Wales.

Nicola Heywood Thomas discovers new artwork inspired by the diaries of Gwen John and discusses touring theatre productions in Wales. She catches up with the award winning, Daf James, whose new play, Tylwyth, is touring Wales. Writer, Seiriol Davies and actor, Kate Galston discuss Milky Peaks, a new musical comedy coming to Theatre Clwyd in Mold. Artist, Anna Falcini, joins Nicola to talk about her new exhibition at Aberystwyth Arts Centre. And as they celebrate their 20th anniversary,...

Nicola Heywood Thomas explores a Welsh play in America, a St David’s Day Concert and a zombie apocalypse! She is joined by BBC National Orchestra of Wales' first female musical director, Lisa Tregale. Patrick Rimes from the Welsh folk group; Calan discuss five new compositions inspired by traditional Welsh songs. Fresh from a performance in New York, Owen Thomas and Gareth John Bale discuss their play, ‘West’. And Imitating the Dog Productions head to Theatre Clwyd to re-create one of the...

For Valentine’s Day, Nicola Heywood Thomas explores a marriage of musical styles as electronic meets classical in composer Sarah Lianne Lewis’ work for new music ensemble UPROAR. There's also a love letter to Hollywood as the North Wales music theatre star, Rebecca Trehearne,, talks about her role in the West End revival of the musical 'City of Angels'. Lydia Bassett from Mid Wales Opera tells Nicola about their new touring production of Mozart’s 'The Marriage of Figaro'. And Michael McCarthy...

On the first Arts Show of 2020, Nicola Heywood Thomas finds out what art organisations across Wales have planned for the year ahead. Nicola chats to four key players in the arts in Wales... Aidan Lang, Director of Welsh National Opera. Tamara Harvey, Artistic Director of Theatre Clwyd. Feargus O’Conchuir, Artistic Director of the National Dance Company of Wales and Joe Murphy, Artistic Director of the Sherman Theatre in Cardiff.

Nicola Heywood Thomas meets professional fight director Kevin McCurdy. For over twenty five years Kevin has been responsible for choreographing fights for stage and screen – from tiny studio theatres to big budget Hollywood productions. He trains actors in the combat skills they need in theatre, TV and film, whether it’s how to handle themselves in a fist fight, work with firearms or wield a sword. Kevin was the first black Equity Professional Fight Director in the UK and he’s co-founder...

As the year draws to a close, Nicola Heywood Thomas, casts a spotlight on festive music, radio theatre & Swansea, which this year celebrated its golden jubilee: 50 years as a city. Nicola is joined by Adrian Metcalfe from the Lighthouse Theatre Company in Swansea, to discusses their current tour: ‘It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play’ and Glynn Vivian Art Gallery present their exhibition, 'Swansea Stories', the largest selection of their permanent collection ever displayed. In North...

Nicola Heywood Thomas explores the innovative and the new. She is joined by Sherman Theatre’s new artistic director, Joe Murphy, who discusses his plans for 2020. Matt Wright from 4Pi Productions CultVR Lab also joins us, exploring the boundaries between art, design and VR technology. Musical director, Eilir Owen Griffiths talks about the future for Cor CF1 and Ali Shone, director of the Strike A Chord Choir, explains how the choir is working with new research, bringing stroke survivors...

Today, Nicola Heywood Thomas is joined by two poets... Emily Hinshelwood, whose new, spoken word album sees her team up with Leading Celtic harpist, Delyth Jenkins and Jonathan Edwards, whose poem, 'Bridge' – was nominated for this years Forward Poetry Prize. Artist, Sarah Jane Brown, also stops by to discuss, 'Shifting Edges', her new solo exhibition in Cardiff. Plus Caryl Lewis, whose novel, 'The Jeweller', has recently been published, joins Nicola for a chat.

Nicola Heywood Thomas visits the studio of Shani Rhys James, one of Wales’ most significant and celebrated artists. Born to a Welsh father and Australian mother she moved to London, from Melbourne, as a child but for the past 30 years has called Wales home. Her work explores the role of women in domestic spaces and there’s a strong focus on self.

Nicola Heywood Thomas discusses comedy, new musicals and meets Wales’ first Children’s Laureate, Eloise Williams. ‘Tic Toc’ is based on historic interviews with factory workers from the Women’s Archive Wales. Writer and director, Valmai Jones and the shows musical director, Catrin Edwards, join Nicola for a chat. Also on the programme is Rosey Cale, who plays Emmie Price in Theatre Na'Nog's, ‘Eye of the Storm’, which follows Emmie as she chases scientific dreams. Gareth John Bale also...

Ed Thomas is best known as co-creator of the international hit TV crime drama 'Hinterland'. But now he returns to the theatre with his first stage play for 15 years. 'On Bear Ridge' mixes autobiographical detail with his recurring interest in the power of memory and issues of loss. Co-producing the play with National Theatre Wales is the Royal Court – one of the UK’s most prestigious venues for new writing. In this programme Nicola Heywood Thomas talks to Ed about what drives him, explores...

This week, Nicola Heywood Thomas is exploring location, character and identity in art. She is joined by the curator of this year's Llandudno Arts Weekend (LLAWN Festival), Megan Broadmeadow and participating artist, Adam James. Plus actress, singer and famed voice impersonator, Christina Bianco, joins Nicola for a chat. Her show 'First Impressions' comes to the Sherman Theatre in Cardiff on the 10th of September. Nicola also catches up with Feargus O’Conchuir, the artistic director of the...

Nicola Heywood Thomas and guests from the worlds of opera, theatre and art discuss homecomings. Aidan Lang, the new General Director of Welsh National Opera talks about his plans for the company where he started his career. Dame Anne Evans, one of the greatest operatic sopranos of her generation, looks forward to the Machynlleth Festival where she'll be leading a series of masterclasses. Also at Machynlleth is artist Clive Hicks-Jenkins who's receiving the Glyndwr Award for an Outstanding...

Nicola Heywood Thomas looks to some of this months best festivals, happening across Wales and beyond. She catches up with famous harpist, Catrin Finch, who is being honoured at the National Eisteddfod next week - and talks the blues with singers, Elles Bailey and Kyla Brox. Plus some of the Welsh performers at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe join Nicola for a chat.

Nicola Heywood Thomas explores lyric, language and literature in Wales. She looks ahead to this year’s 50th Fishguard International Music Festival and hears from the chair of the festival, Gillian Green and participating artists, Professor Mererid Hopwood and Christine Kinsey. Nicola also catches up with Welsh writer and film director, William McGregor, to discuss his critically acclaimed film, set in Wales, 'GWEN'. Plus Nicola talks to Professor Helen Fulton and Geraint Evans, the editors of...

Nicola Heywood Thomas looks ahead to the Welsh Proms with the events founder, Owain Arwel Hughes. She also catches up with Sean Mathias about his play, 'A Prayer For Wings' at Volcano Theatre, Swansea and as well as exploring this years Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, Nicola speaks to recording artists, Emmanuel Jal, who is headlining at this years Llangollen Fringe Festival.

Nicola Heywood Thomas talks about Freedom Season, currently running at the Welsh National Opera. She also finds out more about the Cardiff Singer of the World Competition and hears from award-winning author, Clare Mulley.

In front of an audience at the 2019 Hay Festival, Nicola Heywood Thomas and guests discuss the variety of ways that artists, writers and musicians reflect landscapes. Nicola's guests include Gillian Clarke, Richard King, Mary-Ann Constantine and Celia Johnson - with live music from King Charles.

Nicola Heywood Thomas is joined by storyteller Daniel Morden, flautist Victoria Guise, and artist Marion Cheung, to discuss their work and how the arts can benefit the lives of patients and staff in the health sector. We also hear from Sian Tomos from the Arts Council of Wales, who explains the wider impact this work has and what it means to map arts in health.

Nicola Heywood Thomas explores the art of sound from original composition, to sound art in the wetland environment, to poetry capturing Merthyr dialect. Nicola talks to composer, Kirsten Evans and violinist, Rakhi Singh, about their part in 'Atmospheres', a three day festival at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff from 3rd - 5th May. She also catches up with Bouke Groen, to talk about his Soundlands installation, 'The Bell', at the Llanelli Wetland Centre in Carmarthenshire...

Nicola Heywood Thomas attends Diffusion Photography Festival in Cardiff. She meets the Festival's founder, David Drake and composer John Rea who's piece, Atgyfodi, is one of the centrepieces of the Festival, The Bureau of Lost Culture (artists Stephen Coates and Paul Heartfield) and Stanza discuss this year's theme, sound and vision. Nicola also talks to Natalie Rudd, about 'In My Shoes', a touring exhibition from the Arts Council Collection, currently at Aberystwyth Arts Centre, which...

This week a new writing festival, a new Artistic Director at Wales’ national dance company and an Olivier nominated artist.

On Wales’ National day the focus is music and the positivity it brings to all who participate.