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Recipient of a Pobl Trust Award in 2022
In June 2021, the Pobl Trust was very pleased to award a grant of £673 to Welsh National Opera towards their new opera “The Shoemaker”.
The work was co-created by artists, musicians and writers from Iran, Zimbabwe, Morocco, El Salvador and Nicaragua who are all part of Oasis Cardiff’s diverse community of people seeking sanctuary in Wales.
The Pobl Trust offered financial support to buy three electro-acoustic guitars for the artists to use in creative workshops, rehearsals and the eventual 2 performances at the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff. Not only will these instruments be used to help “The Shoemaker” artists fulfil their musical potential and feel confident, but they will also be shared between WNO’s other Programmes & Engagement work which includes work in schools, care homes and with other marginalised groups.
The Trustees were thrilled to hear from WNO about the entire project, but also to hear details of the experience of one of the artists; Tony Córdoba -ca Nicaraguan multi-instrumentalist and song writer, with a passion for social activism.
Tony recalls how this was ‘a really good experience’ as he was able to use his skills ‘on the writing and also on the music.’ It was his ‘first time in touch with the Opera world’ and it helped him to gain experience ‘from the professional musicians and also the singers who were performing this piece of opera.’ Tony said he had a ‘really good time playing the songs along the guitar provided by the Welsh National Opera,’ which was made possible with the support of the Pobl Trust. The guitar bought with this funding was his ‘incentive to have the best sound.’ Tony Córdoba
"Funding from the Pobl Trust helped these artists to fulfil their musical potential and feel confident in the sound quality of the production. We will now be able to use these guitars in future WNO Programme & Engagement work, including work in schools, care homes, and with other marginalized groups.
Welsh National Opera would like to thank the Trustees of The Pobl Trust once again for their support of WNO’s collaboration performance with Oasis, The Shoemaker".
Welsh National Opera
For more information on the brilliant work of WNO and the Oasis Centre, visit their websites here:
WNO
Oasis Centre
