It’s well known that the arts sector has been one of the hardest hit by the Covid 19 pandemic.

For many of us, a trip to the local theatre, the chance to see a live show or attend a live music event seems far away on the horizon. In west Wales, we are lucky to have a handful of small theatres, which have become well established within the local communities, providing a lifeline for some and much needed source of connection, entertainment and education. The benefits of theatre have long been documented, with a SAGA online article (2019) noting that,

“According to research jointly commissioned by major theatre organisations, the audience’s focus on the events on stage puts them into a state of ‘flow’, a sense of total engagement and concentration that’s associated with positive feelings such as happiness and fulfilment.”

The SAGA article also noted the positive affect of a ‘shared experience’ even for a few hours.

The Miners Theatre in Ammanford is one of three owned and run by Theatrau Sir Gar, part of Carmarthenshire County Council’s leisure department and dates back to 2001. Prior to this, the now grade 2 listed building was a Welfare hall and cinema in the 1930’s. In the 1960’s it became a social club and in the 1980’s it fell to disuse, before being bought by Carmarthenshire County Council in 1997 and being refurbished into the Theatre is it today.

Recent announcements by the council ask the local community to become involved in a renaming of the Miners, to revamp it in a time when Theatres across the UK are standing empty.

In the past, The Miners has offered a lively programme of events ranging from cosy and close-up shows with luminaries from stage, screen and literary worlds in An Audience With, plus brilliant children’s theatre, engaging dramas, fun-filled pantomime and more. The Miners is an intimate venue, also renowned for its excellent acoustics, which has been evident since the Miners’ Theatre Trust refurbished a beautiful Bechstein piano to be used in the building.

Carmarthenshire County Council is considering renaming the theatre to ‘Glowyr’, the Welsh word for Miners – to help it stand out from other theatres named the Miners across Wales.

They state that this would bring it in line with two other theatres owned by the council – Ffwrnes theatre in Llanelli and the Lyric theatre in Carmarthen, which are singular names. Once finally able to re open their theatres, Theatrau Sir Gar could then continue to fulfil their mission ‘To enrich, entertain and educate our community through exceptional performances in exceptional settings.’

The council wants to hear people’s views before making the change.

Cllr Peter Hughes Griffiths Executive Board Member for Culture, Sport and Tourism, said,

“We see this as an exciting opportunity to take the Theatrau Sir Gar brand forward and strengthen the identity of Ammanford’s theatre. Before any decision is made we would like to gather the thoughts of our local audiences.”

You can share your views online here.