Intergenerational Mentoring in Welsh Folk Arts

Across Wales, local eisteddfodau are much more than competitions. They are gathering places where children learn songs, families share customs, and communities give public space to Welsh language and creativity. Folk dancing, folk singing and cerdd dant all depend on this living exchange between people who carry experience and those beginning to find their own artistic voice.

This case study follows a fictionalised community eisteddfod project based on common experiences among local organisers. It shows how an intergenerational mentoring programme can connect older performers with young participants while strengthening the wider event. The focus is less on a single performance than on the relationships, confidence and practical knowledge developed along the way.

The project was supported by a local organising committee working with community musicians, dance tutors, parents and volunteers. Its purpose was clear: make traditional Welsh folk arts accessible to a new generation without treating heritage as something fixed or distant. The programme also gave experienced practitioners a meaningful role in shaping the future of their tradition.

The Community Setting

The eisteddfod took place in a village where participation had become uneven. Primary school children still entered recitation and singing competitions, but fewer teenagers stayed involved after moving to secondary school. Older members of the community had a strong knowledge of local melodies, social dances and cerdd dant, yet many were no longer regularly invited into youth activities.

Organisers identified several reasons for the gap. Young people often saw traditional performance as something associated with school or special occasions rather than as a creative activity they could influence. Older performers were willing to help, but some felt uncertain about working with teenagers or using unfamiliar teaching methods. The committee therefore decided to create a structured mentoring scheme rather than rely on occasional volunteering.

Twelve young participants aged between eleven and seventeen were paired with eight mentors aged from their early fifties to their late eighties. Some mentors were singers or harpists; others had experience in folk dance, costume, stage management or adjudication. Each pair or small group chose a Welsh folk song, dance sequence or cerdd dant arrangement to develop for the annual eisteddfod.

Designing A Two-Way Partnership

The organisers began with listening sessions. Young people discussed the music they enjoyed, the situations in which they felt confident, and the parts of the eisteddfod they wanted to understand better. Mentors shared memories of local performances, noson lawen gatherings and family traditions. These conversations helped prevent the project from becoming a one-directional lesson in which older people simply passed down information.

Each partnership had a manageable rhythm: one meeting every two weeks for four months, followed by group rehearsals. Sessions took place in a school hall, a community centre and, when appropriate, mentors’ homes. A typical meeting included warm-up exercises, practical tuition, time for questions and a short reflection. Young participants kept audio notes or written records of melodies, stories and new Welsh vocabulary.

The committee established clear safeguarding arrangements before activities began. Parents and carers gave consent, meetings were held in suitable public settings, and volunteers received guidance on boundaries, communication and reporting concerns. The programme also considered accessibility. Large-print lyrics, seated dance options, transport support and flexible rehearsal times enabled more people to take part.

Learning In Both Directions

The strongest outcome was the change in how knowledge moved between generations. Mentors taught breathing, phrasing, footwork, harmony and stage discipline. They also explained why a particular dance belonged to a local area or how a song had travelled through families. These details gave the young performers cultural context rather than a list of techniques to copy.

Young participants contributed their own expertise. They introduced mentors to digital recording, online rehearsal tools and contemporary arrangements. One teenager helped create a simple video archive of rehearsal extracts, while another supported a mentor in preparing lyrics for projection. These contributions made the relationship feel reciprocal and helped older participants see technology as a useful aid to preservation rather than a threat to tradition.

There were moments of friction. Some mentors initially expected punctual, formal rehearsals, while a few young people wanted to experiment before learning the original version. The committee addressed this by agreeing on a “heritage and possibility” approach: each group first learned the traditional form accurately, then discussed what could be adapted. This protected the integrity of the material while leaving room for creative ownership.

Area Mentor Contribution Young Participant Contribution Evidence Of Progress
Folk singing Local repertoire, pronunciation and vocal technique New arrangement ideas and digital recording Confident group performance
Folk dancing Steps, social context and rhythm Choreographic variations and promotion More young dancers joining rehearsals
Cerdd dant Musical interpretation and performance practice Research, notation support and presentation Completed ensemble arrangement
Event skills Stage etiquette and volunteer knowledge Social media, design and audience engagement Higher attendance and wider publicity
Community memory Personal stories and family history Audio documentation and editing Shared local archive

From Rehearsal To Public Performance

The public presentation was designed to avoid placing all the pressure on the youngest participants. Instead of entering a high-stakes competition immediately, the groups appeared in a showcase before selected competitions. Mentors joined some performances, while others watched from the audience and contributed short explanations about the pieces.

This format changed the atmosphere in the hall. Families who had come to support children stayed to hear local stories and watch unfamiliar forms. Audience members saw an older singer perform beside a teenager, or a young dancer lead a section learned from a mentor. The performance demonstrated continuity without suggesting that one generation owned the tradition.

The event also improved the visibility of the eisteddfod itself. A short series of bilingual social media posts introduced the mentors, explained cerdd dant and showed preparation for the showcase. Local shops displayed posters, and the school newsletter included a feature written by participants. Promotion became part of the learning process, helping young people understand how cultural events are built and communicated.

Measuring Cultural And Community Value

Success was assessed through more than competition results. Before the project, participants completed a short confidence survey and described their familiarity with Welsh folk arts. The same exercise was repeated after the showcase. Organisers also gathered feedback from mentors, families, teachers and audience members.

The results showed several patterns. Young participants reported greater confidence performing in Welsh and a stronger understanding of the stories behind the repertoire. Mentors valued having a regular role and said the questions from younger people encouraged them to revisit memories they had taken for granted. Several parents noticed that children began asking about songs and dances at home.

The project also created practical benefits for the organising committee. It developed a group of young volunteers who could help with ushering, publicity and backstage tasks. Two teenagers later joined the junior planning group, while three mentors agreed to support another round of workshops. The eisteddfod gained an informal succession plan rather than waiting until experienced volunteers were no longer available.

There were limitations. Transport remained difficult for families living outside the village, and not every mentor felt comfortable teaching alone. The project required coordination, room bookings, safeguarding checks and modest funding for travel, refreshments and materials. Recognising these pressures helped the committee plan a more realistic second year rather than assuming enthusiasm would cover every cost.

A Practical Model For Local Organisers

An intergenerational arts programme does not need a large budget or a professional production team. It does need a clear purpose, reliable communication and enough time for trust to develop. A small pilot with four or five partnerships can reveal what works before an organiser expands the scheme.

Matching should consider personality, availability and artistic interests, not age alone. A young person interested in rhythm may work well with a dancer, while someone fascinated by local history may benefit from a singer who can share family repertoire. Where a direct match is unsuitable, small-group mentoring can offer greater comfort and reduce pressure on individual volunteers.

Training is equally important. Mentors may know their art form deeply but still need support with youth engagement, inclusive practice and constructive feedback. Young participants should also learn how to ask questions respectfully, document material accurately and acknowledge the people who shared it. These skills turn informal learning into responsible cultural participation.

Funding applications can connect the project to several priorities: Welsh-language development, youth engagement, community wellbeing, cultural heritage, volunteer development and digital inclusion. A simple budget might include tutor expenses, mentor travel, room hire, refreshments, printing, recording equipment and access support. Keeping accurate records will make it easier to demonstrate value to funders and partners.

Actions That Strengthen The Next Step

The most sustainable programmes make room for continuation from the beginning. A final showcase should lead to another invitation, such as a workshop at the next eisteddfod, a school visit, a community singing session or a youth-led performance. Mentors can gradually move from leading every activity to advising young volunteers, allowing responsibility to develop naturally.

Documentation also matters. Recordings, photographs, repertoire notes and participant reflections can become a community archive, provided permissions are clear and materials are stored responsibly. Such records preserve more than finished performances; they capture pronunciation, personal memories, teaching methods and the small adaptations that make a tradition meaningful in a particular place.

For Cymdeithas Eisteddfodau Cymru, this kind of project offers a practical way to support local committees while nurturing the cultural forms at the heart of their work. Guidance on planning, funding, community engagement and volunteer development can help organisers turn a promising idea into a safe and lasting programme. Shared learning between eisteddfodau can also prevent each committee from having to start from the beginning.

A local eisteddfod becomes stronger when every generation can see a place for itself within it. By pairing lived experience with youthful curiosity, organisers can protect Welsh folk arts while allowing them to grow. Committees across Wales can begin with one art form, a small group of participants and a clear commitment to meet, listen and learn together.