Search for new artists to join Horizons scheme in its third year
The Horizons project, a collaboration between BBC Wales and the Arts Council of Wales to support and encourage new Welsh musical talent, is about to enter its third year and is looking for applications from new artists.
Published: 4 January 2016
Supporting new music is at the heart of what the BBC does across the whole of the UK, and internationally, and we are making a real difference to the diversity of the music breaking through. We look forward to seeing what new fresh talent is coming through from Wales to a wider audience.
The Horizons project, a collaboration between BBC Wales and the Arts Council of Wales to support and encourage new Welsh musical talent, is about to enter its third year and is looking for applications from new artists.
The 12 successful bands and solo singers will be supported in various ways, which includes a platform at events across Wales and on BBC Wales’ national radio services - BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio Wales.
Musicians and bands who want to be considered should send in a recording of their original work, and fill in a form online. Horizons acts will be selected by a panel of music industry and radio music experts.
The scheme aims to showcase the most exciting unsigned acts with the potential to make a real breakthrough in Wales and beyond.
In 2015, the Horizons scheme helped 12 artists from around Wales in many different ways – from mentoring to showcasing at festivals.
Lisa Matthews, Portfolio Manager at the Arts Council of Wales, says: “We’re proud to support Horizons for a further year and see another 12 artists have a creative and potentially career-changing 2016. There’s been some incredible opportunities created so far and we’re looking forward with excitement to more incredible music experiences.”
Jason Carter, Head of International, Commercial and New Music for BBC Music, says: “Having supported the artists on Horizons in the first few years with major festival slots at T in the Park and Glastonbury, BBC Introducing is happy to support Horizons as it enters into the third year of the project. Supporting new music is at the heart of what the BBC does across the whole of the UK, and internationally, and we are making a real difference to the diversity of the music breaking through. We look forward to seeing what new fresh talent is coming through from Wales to a wider audience.”
Violet Skies, one of the artists from the 2015 scheme says: “It’s been a mad year for me as part of the Horizons scheme. I’ve been lucky enough to tick off a lot of things from my musical bucket list - The Great Escape, Festival No.6, Sŵn, Maida Vale and now, I’m looking forward to Eurosonic and SXSW festival in 2016. It's been a lovely little Welsh family of talented musicians and a really good support team - it's nice to turn up at festivals or a show knowing you have people there to help you. Writing and collaborating with other artists has been a highlight too, and having so many others going through the same as you is so reassuring. It's going to be weird leaving everyone next year but it's going to be exciting to see everyone go their separate ways and watch what they all do.”
Kevin Moore, General Manager of The Great Escape, says: “We’re delighted to be welcoming back Horizons to The Great Escape 2016. We’re already in talks with the project as to how we can build on and improve the festival partnership we initially forged in 2015. We get lots of artists from Wales applying to play TGE and it’s fantastic that we can work with BBC Wales and Arts Council of Wales to showcase the best emerging new talent to the international music community and new music fans who attend the festival each year. The 2015 Horizons showcase had a brilliant atmosphere and buzz around each of the performing artists and we can’t wait to see who will be representing Wales in 2016.”
The closing date for receiving applications is midnight on 1 February 2016.
The final 12 successful bands will be announced from 22 February 2016 on BBC Radio Wales and BBC Radio Cymru.
Notes to Editors
To apply, acts will need to send their music to BBC Wales via the BBC Introducing Uploader at bbc.co.uk/introducing with an accompanying form, available on the Horizons website bbc.co.uk/horizons, to horizons@bbc.co.uk by 25 January 2016.
Horizons is now moving into its third year of partnership between BBC Cymru Wales and the Arts Council of Wales to develop new music talent and give it a platform to reach audiences.
For information, two Horizons programmes looking back at the highlights of 2015 will be on BBC Two Wales in the New Year.
Also, S4C will broadcast a one-off special recalling the artists’ sessions at Maida Vale called Gorwelion: Sesiynau Maida Vale on 8 January 2016.
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Welsh-language version
CYNLLUN GORWELION YN CHWILIO AM DALENT CERDDOROL NEWYDD
Mae prosiect Gorwelion, partneriaeth rhwng BBC Cymru a Chyngor Celfyddydau Cymru i gefnogi a hybu talent newydd o Gymru, bellach yn ei drydedd flwyddyn ac yn edrych am geisiadau gan artistiaid newydd.
Bydd y 12 artist newydd yn cael eu cefnogi mewn ffyrdd gwahanol sy’n cynnwys platfform i berffomio mewn digwyddiadau ar draws Cymru ac ar orsafoedd radio cenedlaethol BBC Cymru - BBC Radio Cymru a BBC Radio Wales.
Mae gofyn i gerddorion a grwpiau sydd am gael eu hystyried ddanfon recordiad o’u gwaith gwreiddiol, llun a bywgraffiad byr a chwblhau ffurflen arlein. Bydd artistiaid Gorwelion yn cael eu dewis gan banel o arbenigwyr o’r diwydiant cerddoriaeth radio.
Fe fydd y cynllun yn cefnogi’r artistiaid mwyaf cyffrous, sydd heb arwyddo i label recordio, sydd â’r potensial i dorri tir newydd yng Nghymru a thu hwnt.
Yn 2015, gwnaeth cynllun Gorwelion helpu 12 artist ar draws Cymru mewn ffyrdd gwahanol – o fentora i berfformio mewn gŵyliau.
Dywedodd Lisa Matthews, Rheolwr Portffolio Cyngor Celfyddydau Cymru: “Ni’n falch o gefnogi Gorwelion am flwyddyn arall a gweld 12 artist arall yn cael 2016 creadigol ac un gall newid eu gyrfa. Hyd yn hyn mae cyfleoedd ffantastig wedi cael eu creu a ry’n ni’n edrych ymlaen at fwy o brofiadau cerddorol arbennig.”Dywedodd Jason Carter, Pennaeth Cerddoriaeth Rhyngwladol, Masnachol a Newydd, BBC Music: “Ar ôl cefnogi artistiaid Gorwelion yn y blynyddoedd cyntaf gyda chyfleoedd i chwarae yn T in the Park a Glastonbury, mae BBC Introducing yn hapus i gefnogi Gorwelion yn y drydedd flwyddyn. Mae cefnogi cerddoriaeth newydd wrth wraidd popeth mae’r BBC yn ei wneud ar draws y DU, ac yn rhyngwladol, a ry’n ni’n gwneud gwahaniaeth mawr i amrywiaeth y cerddoriaeth sy’n torri trwyddo. Ry’n ni’n edrych ymlaen i weld pa dalent newydd ffres fydd yn dod i’r amlwg o Gymru i gynulleidfa ehangach.”
Dywedodd Violet Skies, un o artistiaid Gorwelion 2015: “Bu eleni yn flwyddyn arbennig i mi fel rhan o’r prosiect Gorwelion. Dwi wedi bod yn lwcus iawn i gyflawni llawer o bethau oedd ar fy rhestr bwced – The Great Escape, Gŵyl Rhif. 6, Sŵn, Maida Vale a nawr, rwy’n edrych ymlaen at Ŵyl Eurosonic a SXSW yn 2016. Dwi wedi teimlo fel rhan o deulu bach Cymreig o gerddorion talentog a thîm cefnogol iawn - mae’n neis i droi fyny mewn gŵyliau yn gwybod bod pobl yna i fy helpu. Mae ysgrifennu a chydweithio gydag artistiaid eraill wedi bod yn uchafbwynt hefyd, ac mae cael gymaint o bobl eraill yn cael yr un profiad â chi yn eich cysuro chi. Mae e’n mynd i fod yn od gadael pawb blwyddyn nesaf ond yn gyffrous hefyd i weld pawb yn mynd ffordd eu hunain a gweld beth fydd ar y gorwel iddyn nhw.”
Dywedodd Kevin Moore, Rheolwr Cyffredinol The Great Escape: “Ry’n ni wrth ein boddau croesawu’r criw Gorwelion yn ôl i The Great Escape yn 2016. Yn barod, ry’n ni mewn cysylltiad gyda’r prosiect i weld beth allwn ni wella a datblygu ein partneriaeth a ddechreuodd yn 2015. Ry’n ni’n cael llawer o artistiaid yn ymgeisio i berfformio yn TGE ac mae’n ffantastig ein bod ni nawr yn gallu gweithio gyda BBC Cymru a Chyngor Celfyddydau Cymru i arddangos y talent newydd gorau o Gymru i’r gymuned gerddorol rhyngwladol a chefnogwyr cerddoriaeth newydd sy’n dod i’r ŵyl bob blwyddyn. Roedd perfformiadau Gorwelion 2015 yn atmosfferig iawn a da ni methu aros i weld pwy fydd yn cynrychioli Cymru yn 2016.”
Y dyddiad cau i dderbyn ceisiadau yw 1 Chwefror, 2016.
Fe fydd y 12 llwyddiannus yn cael eu cyhoeddi ar 22 Chwefror 2016 ar BBC Radio Wales a BBC Radio Cymru.
Nodyn i Olygyddion
I wneud cais, mae gofyn i’r cerddorion anfon eu cerddoriaeth at BBC Cymru trwy’r BBC Introducing Uploader bbc.co.uk/introducing gydag e-bost, llun a bywgraffiad at gorwelion@bbc.co.uk yn dweud pam y dylen nhw gael eu hystyried ar gyfer Gorwelion.
Mae Gorwelion yn bartneriaeth, ynei thrydedd flwyddyn rhwng BBC Cymru a Chyngor Celfyddydau Cymru i ddatblygu talent cerddorol newydd ac i roi llwyfan i gyrraedd cynulleidfaoedd.
Er gwybodaeth, bydd dwy raglen Gorwelion, yn bwrw golwg dros uchafbwyntiau 2015 yn cael eu darlledu ar BBC Two Wales yn y flwyddyn newydd.
Hefyd, bydd S4C yn darlledu rhaglen arbennig yn edrych yn ôl ar sesiynau’r artistiaid o Maida Vale ym mis Rhagfyr llynedd sef Gorwelion: Sesiynau Maida Vale ar 8 Ionawr 2016.
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