People in Conwy, Llanrwst and Swansea will now have access to hundreds of thousands of radio and television programmes from the archives of BBC Cymru Wales, ITV Wales and S4C on their doorstep thanks to a new that is now open at Conwy Culture Centre, Llanrwst Library and West Glamorgan Archives at Swansea Civic Centre.
The newly fitted Clip Corners have computer terminals in a comfortable area where anybody can come and view and listen to the wealth of programmes available.
The Wales Broadcast Archive is the first of its kind in the UK, tracing almost a century of broadcasting, it brings together material from BBC Cymru Wales, ITV Cymru Wales, S4C and The National Library of Wales screen and sound collections. By preserving, cataloguing and digitising this material and presenting them on a fully searchable website, The National Library of Wales is committed to making this remarkable collection accessible to all.
The formation of these will ensure that communities beyond the the National Library itself in Aberystwyth will be able to view the entire archive in their local area. Engagement work has already begun with groups across Wales, and the provide a space to work with community groups to explore and bring the archive to life.
As part of this project, a diverse collection of 1,500 clips will also be curated and made available for anyone to view online and on social media.
The Wales Broadcast Archive project was made possible by funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund (£4.7M), the Welsh Government (£1M) and The National Library of Wales’ private funds (£1M).
“It’s a great pleasure to see these Clip Corners opening – amongst the first of many across Wales which will bring this innovative national archive closer to the public. The Library thanks Conwy and Swansea County Councils for their willing cooperation in facilitating the creation of this space which will be a big step forward for us in providing access to our collections, promoting local engagement and empowering research.”
Councillor Aaron Wynne, Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure, Conwy County Council said: “I’m very proud that Conwy Library service can host two of these Clip Corners so that the people of Conwy county have access to this fantastic archive. It is a great initiative. It allows local people to learn about the history of this area well as Welsh history more generally. It will be great to have local schools to come and visit the centre and use this facility.”
Swansea Council cabinet member Robert Smith said: “It’s so good to see this new addition to the West Glamorgan Archive Service. We’re delighted to be a part of the new Clip Corner network. I’m sure that the people of Swansea, Neath Port Talbot and further afield will make full use of this fantastic resource.”
Andrew White, Director of The National Lottery Heritage Fund in Wales said: “Broadcasting has played a major role in documenting the history of modern Wales – from heart-breaking news reports from the scene the Aberfan disaster; to inspirational lectures like Saunders Lewis’ Tynged yr Iaith, S4C’s first broadcast in 1982 and the high and lows of Wales football team at the Euros in 2016 and the World Cup in 2022.
“It has also allowed us to look back and learn about our heritage through programmes such as The Dragon Has Two Tongues: A History of the Welsh in 1985 and has put Wales on the map with popular series such as Doctor Who, Keeping Faith and Hinterland.
“It is our privilege to support this important and ground-breaking project which will preserve and share the broadcast heritage of Wales so that todays and future generations can appreciate, enjoy and learn from it for years to come.”
