Digidol Dyfi Digital 12 Months On!

A Year of Digidol Dyfi Digital: Celebrating Our Community Project

Read in Welsh Here

Introduction:

Digidol Dyfi Digital has had a transformative impact on the UNESCO Dyfi Biosphere community, bringing about positive changes in various ways.

The project successfully addressed the challenges presented by Covid-19, serving as a vital platform for community members to connect digitally. In an era of limited physical interactions, dx3.cymru emerged as a beacon of connectivity, allowing individuals across the Dyfi Biosphere to engage, share, and collaborate with just a few clicks. The website's live radio and video exhibition space facilitated dynamic interactions through chat and comment sections, enhancing a sense of togetherness.

The commitment to digital skills development has resulted in tangible benefits for individuals of all ages and backgrounds. Regular workshops in DJing, music production, journalism, playwriting, and video making equipped community members with valuable skills, fostering a culture of lifelong learning. The secure and well-equipped studio space, democratised access to digital tools, ensuring inclusivity for those lacking technical knowledge or confidence initially.

Digidol Dyfi Digital has become a hub for creative expression, enabling local talents to reach audiences locally and globally. The radio and video projects supported by the initiative provided a platform for established professionals and unearthed hidden talents within the community. The global reach of creative outputs contributed to a sense of local identity and pride.

The project's collaborative approach, involving steering groups and local boards, ensured diverse voices were heard in decision-making processes. Inclusivity empowered community members, fostering a sense of ownership and active participation. Events and engagement activities across the Dyfi Biosphere, with fundraising initiatives supporting the project's sustainability and serving as opportunities for the community to come together.

Digidol Dyfi Digital has bridged digital divides, empowered individuals through skill development, nurtured creative talents, and fostered a strong sense of community pride and identity. The project stands as a testament to the power of digital connectivity in enhancing the well-being and resilience of the Dyfi Biosphere community

Radio Dyfi - Community Radio Station

Jamming at Radio Dyfi!

Picture this: a funky community radio station, all run by enthusiastic volunteers, situated at the Taj Mahal Community Hub in Machynlleth. With over 50 locals in our crew, Radio Dyfi is the place to be, no matter your age or tech skills.

So, what's the scoop at Radio Dyfi? We're on the airwaves every Wednesday from 1 pm to 10 pm, and we've got a Saturday radio club where you can dive into the equipment, create your radio show, and have a blast. We've rolled out over 50 workshops, teaching folks how to master the gear and cook up their own radio magic.

Our mission is simple: we're all about accessible and fun radio. It's a place where like-minded folks meet, connect, and cook up shows that mean something to them. If you're curious, tune in or get in on the action at linktr.ee/radio_dyfi. We've got the National Lottery Community Fund backing us up, plus some love from the UK Community Renewal Fund, and we're managed by the awesome team at Stiwdio Dyfi CIC.

Successes:

• We've racked up over 1,000 hours of radio magic, thanks to 60 different DJs. It's been a blast!
• High level of community engagement with over 2000 followers online and hundreds of weekly listeners.

Learnings:

• Here's the inside scoop: consistency is key. We started as sporadic special events, but our audience loves having us around every week, even if it's just for a few hours. So, we're now your regular radio hangout.

Get started with Radio Dyfi here: https://linktr.ee/radio_dyfi

Sos Coch Sinema - Film Nights in our Community

Movie Nights in Our Community!

Time to chat about Sos Coch Sinema. Our mission is to bring the cinematic experience to our lovely community within the Dyfi Biosphere. With the nearest cinema a bit of a trek, we decided to roll up our sleeves and make movie nights happen.

Over the past year, we've hosted a whopping 60 screenings, and more than 900 folks joined us in 15 different venues – from village halls to chapels and concert halls. We've showcased 35 indie films from around the world, creating a diverse and exciting program that's just what our community needed.

Our community's response? Well, it's been nothing short of spectacular:

"I miss city cinema, but this is a great local substitute."

"I love cinema and it’s one of the very few things I miss most about city living. I would love to get involved in a community cinema project. "

"Er mwyn cael noson allan yn lleol, i weld ffilmiau gwahanol, am adloniant, well na aros adre ar ben fy hun"

"I am enjoying the range of selection so far, it's great you have such a broad Outlook bringing different opportunities "

"I have only just found out about this and would love to attend in future. "

"The films you've been choosing seem great. "

"Hoffwn weld ffilmiau Cymraeg, hefyd hen ffilmiau eiconeg. "

"The opportunity to watch with friends, acquaintances and strangers in small local venues provides common experience in that moment and strengthens community links with people talking with each other and others about the film and experience "

"Spend less time travelling to venues so more time to enjoy myself "

"It offers a way to unwind and something totally different to my day to day job "

"I’m enjoying the programming so far - loving some of the new releases like elvis and little Richard "

"A time/space/focus where people can meet without expectations of each other."

"Makes films accessible to me "

"Brings people to together through a common purpose and enjoyment "

"Braf gallu trafod ar ol ffilmiau hefyd beth mae pobl wedi eu gweld a sut mae hyn yn effeithio ar yr ardal."

"Drawing connections, source of inspiration, celebrating what is currently happening "

"Less travelling "

"Any type, films that have a Welsh connection in anyway"

"Meetings, or even films, that are inclusive, show that there is a way in other communities and then a bit of a chat to share our vision, skills and make a better future locally."

"It’ll help us to have something nice and good to look forward too "

"Mwy o gyfle i weld ffilmiau "

"To share experience and know how of groups doing similar things elsewhere. To get conversations going."

"more of the same, unusual, real life, current affairs, gentle, challenging"

"What a fantastic thing to be offered in our community. We are well out of the way of cinemas (where I am, 45 mins drive) around mach is perfect, only 15 mins to get there. It offers a chance to get together, to socialise, and engage in screening content. Thank you "

"The programme is excellent - I rely on you to choose the best films!"

"Really interesting film choices, great community project"

"Continue & expand what you’re doing"

"Type of affordable activity that draws communities together - which is still much needed following covid. Reawaken the spirit of doing fun things together."

"Our village is deprived and very depressing for some of us this would be amazing to have for sure"

"Wonderful experience nice to have it"

"Cyfle i bawb ddod at ei gilydd. "

"inspiring, down to earth films. Time out experiencing something different.

We're bringing people together by making movies accessible for our community, and we love it.

Successes:

• We're reducing loneliness, increasing social connectedness and giving our locals a regular cinema experience, and ticket sales are keeping the lights on! The portable cinema equipment we bought with the lottery funding has meant we can take cinema to village halls which has meant people all over the Dyfi Biosphere people have been able to walk to their local film screening.

Learnings:

• Behind-the-scenes work isn't a cakewalk. Licensing, marketing, and programming? More work than we bargained for, but absolutely worth it!

Find out about our latest screenings here: https://soscochsinema.org/

Swn Dyfi Sound responded to a consultation carried out by Stiwdio Dyfi, where young people expressed a desire for more high-quality events in mid-Wales that are not only fun but also provide opportunities for skill development and making new social connections. In response to this local need, Stiwdio Dyfi initiated a new project called Swn Dyfi Sound.

Swn Dyfi Sound began as a WhatsApp group, with an open invitation to those interested in music equipment and wanting to get involved with a collective organising regular events. Twenty-four people responded to the advertisement, and the first meetup took place at Derwenlas Village Hall on Saturday, 11th November 2023, from 1:30 pm to 10 pm.

As most members lacked experience in events or music equipment, the initial hours were dedicated to knowledge-sharing and testing various ways of setting up equipment. Following this informal training session, six DJs from the group took turns performing 45-minute sets covering various genres, from Disco to Techno, Reggae to Psy Trance. Between each set, there was a 15-minute break for group discussions, additional technical testing, and planning for future activities.

Throughout the day, 16 out of the 24 members attended the event. This number was considered satisfactory, allowing people the opportunity to ask questions and get involved while ensuring enough audience members for each performance.

Derwenlas Village Hall, a lovely community building located a 30-minute walk (or a 5-minute bus ride) from Machynlleth, was chosen for its proximity and good public transport connections—important considerations as many of the young adults who attended do not drive. Trustee Ian and other committee members were very supportive, and the collective would like to express gratitude for allowing the use of the space for the day and also all who attended the meet :)

The collective now comprises 25 individuals, and the next meetup is scheduled for January. After the event, Stiwdio Dyfi collected feedback from participants through a form to assess the event's quality and improve future activities based on the responses received.

Successes:

Swn Dyfi Sound's inaugural event achieved remarkable success in community engagement, bringing together 24 participants and creating a vibrant hub for music enthusiasts in mid-Wales. The initiative effectively addressed the identified need for high-quality, skill-building experiences, fostering skill development in events management, sound engineering, DJing, and photography. Attendees fulfilled personal aspirations, explored new sounds, and initiated their journey into DJing with vinyl, showcasing the initiative's role in inspiring and enabling creative pursuits. Post-event feedback underscored a strong sense of welcome, social engagement, and a high likelihood of continued participation, affirming the initiative's resonance with the community.

Learnings:

Insights gathered from the event highlight key areas for improvement and future planning. Practical considerations such as acquiring missing equipment and providing more refreshments emerged as crucial logistical aspects to enhance participant experience. The emphasis on securing funds for sustained operations and organizational growth emphasized the need for careful financial planning. Improved communication, wider promotion efforts, and replay availability were identified as essential for effective outreach and community engagement. Suggestions for enhancing event ambience underscored the importance of considering the overall participant experience for future iterations of Swn Dyfi Sound. These learnings form a valuable foundation for refining and ensuring the long-term success of the initiative.

Read the full Swn Dyfi Sound Blog here#

Clwb Fideo - Digital Video Making

Clwb Fideo is a voluntary run video making club which is open to all ages, abilities and experience. The club pools together material and labour resources to make videos about the things that matter most to it's members. The Clwb spawned out of the realisation that the nearest centre for borrowing equipment for community video projects was in Cardiff, over 3 hours drive away!

The project has spawned from the Digidol Dyfi Digital Lottery Community Funded project that aims to bring people together through digital workshops, collaborative opportunities and events. The lottery funding helped purchase two editing monitors and speakers. The group currently borrows video equipment from Visual Impact in Cardiff as part of  Visual Impacts community outreach. Camera Accessories distributor Videnum have also supported the club through donating a tripod and video lights.

Clwb Fideo was recently awarded £3000 split into two chunks over two years by the Powys Association for Voluntary Organisation's young person led group award to purchase equipment and to make a website.

The collaborative nature and diversity of skills required to make a video makes community video making a great way of increasing social connectedness, upskilling and employment opportunity. Whilst many of the current members are experienced video makers, the collective is open to all levels and encourages the participation of enthusiastic individuals who want to try something new, meet likeminded individuals and work on ambitious projects about the things that matter most to them.

We've got a fantastic steering group of 18 young adults who are all about video work for online, TV, and cinema. In the past year, we've run 24 workshops, partnering with the local secondary school, scout groups, and even our very own film school-style workshops. We've made a cool 10-minute documentary about our community gardens and some short films that we screened at our Sos Coch Sinema events, creating a buzz around locally made films.

Successes:

• Our community engagement is off the charts, and we've got seven short films under our belt, all screened locally. Oh, and we've got a solid group of members ready for more action!
• The Clwb Fideo is still in it's early stages, however some notable outcomes have been achieved. Several short films have been produced over the last 12 months as seen in the showreel above. We also ran a workshop series with Ysgol Bro Hyddgen making a music video with their LGBTQI+ group (still in production).

Learnings:

• Originally, we planned to buy video equipment with our lottery funds, but turns out quality video equipment doesn't come cheap. We partnered with Visual Impact Cardiff, an equipment rental company to borrow equipment which worked great for a while, but the 8-hour road trip to collect the equipment is just too far to travel! So, we're on the hunt for funding to buy our own gear. Screen Works is gaining steam, and we want to take it to the next level. The equipment we borrow from Visual Impact is worth approx £30,000 so a significant funding drive is needed to replace this.
• We haven't documented the activity we have been doing very well. We need to take more photos and do more surveys to get better feedback as we have with the other DX3 projects.

To get involved and join the project fill in our membership form here

To explore the project in further depth check out our Clusta collection: https://app.clusta.live/clwb-fideo

Conclusion

Our first year at Digidol Dyfi Digital has been a thrilling ride. We began with a grand plan to operate through a central website but quickly learned that our community preferred focused digital activity.

In response to consultation we developed 4 strands to Digidol Dyfi Digital: Radio Dyfi, Sos Coch Sinema, and Swn Dyfi Sound and Clwb Fideo each with its steering group.

Radio Dyfi has become our community radio hub, offering over 50 workshops, creating 1,000 hours of content, and making radio a regular part of our community life.

Sos Coch Sinema filled the cinematic gap in our remote community with 60 screenings in 15 venues, bringing people together and reducing loneliness. Thanks to lottery funding, we now take our portable cinema to village halls.

Swn Dyfi Sound's debut at Derwenlas Village Hall successfully met local demand for high-quality music experiences, fostering community connections. Participant enthusiasm signals potential for regular attendance, while identified areas for improvement guide the initiative's growth in mid-Wales.

Clwb Fideo has taken more time to develop than Digidol Dyfi Digital's other projects, however it is quickly developing into the most in demand project as there is a clear shortage of available equipment in Mid Wales for community video projects. The nearest place to borrow equipment is a 3 hour drive away in Cardiff. The project requires more funding to truly flourish.

We're grateful for our community's support and partnerships. If you want to join us in the future, reach out at [email protected]. Here's to another year of celebrating our community through Digidol Dyfi Digital!

Thanks for being part of our journey! And thank you to the National Lottery Community Fund for having faith in our project!

If you've got questions or want to jump in with us, just drop us a line via the contact form, we look forwards to hearing from you :)