CIC vs Charity, Meta Glasses & AI Panic: Pain in the Arts Takes on the Big Questions Shaping Welsh Creativity

Written By Donna Slee

Some weeks in Welsh arts feel gentle. This one felt like a long walk through Cardiff — sun, dust, bookshops, panto villains, legal structures, and a surprising amount of existential dread about AI. In the latest episode of Pain in the Arts, broadcaster Chris J Birch and artist‑writer‑editor Jak Rhys Birch unpack a week that moves from quiet summer wandering to some of the biggest debates facing creatives right now.

It’s grounded, funny, and full of the sector insight listeners have come to expect.

This Episode of Pain in the Arts Podcast, Chris and Jak talk so much more about Welsh Arts Funding including Company setup and which setup they'd pick, plus they debate Meta Glasses for Theatre and so much more


Summer Walks, Bookshops & Brother Thai: Creativity in Motion

This week’s rhythm was shaped by movement. Jak has been clocking 10K walks across Cardiff — discovering new routes, parks, and pockets of green space that are slowly fading in the heat. Chris, meanwhile, has been glued to his laptop in joggers, living the classic “professional from the waist up” lifestyle.

Together they wandered through Penarth, browsed bookshops, and enjoyed a long‑overdue meal at Brother Thai on Whitchurch Road — a restaurant so popular it took three attempts to get a reservation.

These quieter moments matter. They’re the soft arts of summer: the walks, the food, the conversations that refill creative energy.


A New Panto Villain & Backstage Gossip at the New Theatre

Christmas arrived early when Chris interviewed Jo Osmond, who returns to the New Theatre Cardiff this year in Beauty and the Beast. But she’s not Gaston. She’s not the Beast. She’s not even Belle.

She’s playing a brand‑new villain, created specifically for this production — the kind of joyful chaos only pantomime can deliver.

Jo hasn’t even read the script yet (“I’ve no idea who I’m playing!”), but she has perfected her evil laugh. And she’s flown in from California to do it — a full‑circle moment after performing at the New Theatre 16 years ago as one of the seven dwarves.

A backstage tour is coming soon, featuring Steve Speirs, Mike Doyle, Gethin Jones, and the yet‑to‑be‑announced Belle and Beast.


The Big Question: CIC, Charity or Limited Company?

Ben from Newport asked the kind of question that every emerging theatre maker eventually faces:

“We’re freelancers starting a theatre production company. Should we be a CIC, a charity, or a limited company?”

Chris and Jak break it down with clarity and honesty:

Limited Company (Ltd)

  • Best for commercial ventures

  • Profit can be shared between founders

  • Easier to attract investors

  • But: may limit access to certain funding pots


Charity

  • Opens doors to major funding

  • Strong public trust

  • But: heavy regulation, strict governance, and founders lose some control


CIC (Community Interest Company)

  • Sits neatly between charity and commercial

  • Allows founders to stay involved

  • Designed for community benefit

  • Can convert into a charity later

  • Often the best fit for grassroots theatre spaces


Their verdict? If they were starting a theatre company tomorrow, they’d choose a CIC — flexible, community‑focused, and founder‑friendly. But strongly encourage you do your own research and seek professional advice on your specific idea and circumstances before committing to anything.


Meta Glasses: Should Venues Ban Them?

Jude asked another timely question:

“Should venues ban Meta glasses to protect privacy and IP?”

Chris and Jak don’t hold back.

Meta glasses are increasingly used to secretly record performances — often for rage‑bait content on social media. The tiny white recording light can be turned off. The angle is unmistakable. And audiences don’t always know they’re being filmed.

The duo argue that:

  • Covert recording undermines performers

  • Spoilers ruin productions

  • Consent matters

  • Curtain‑call filming is fine — full‑show filming is not

  • Venues have every right to protect their artists and their IP


AI vs Writers: Does Creativity Still Have a Future?

Jacob from Newport raised the week’s biggest existential question:

“Take a Break is now using AI to write short stories. Do writers still have a future?”

Jak’s answer is sharp, reassuring, and rooted in lived experience:

Yes — writers absolutely have a future.

AI can:

  • Generate text

  • Remix existing content

  • Produce quick drafts

But AI cannot:

  • Create lived experience

  • Understand nuance

  • Replace human emotion

  • Capture cultural specificity

  • Write with soul

And as AI becomes more common, “100% human‑written” will become a badge of honour — the creative equivalent of “organic” or “fair trade.”


A Week That Shows Welsh Arts in Motion

This episode of Pain in the Arts captures everything shaping Welsh creativity right now:

  • Summer walks

  • Bookshops

  • Panto villains

  • Theatre start‑ups

  • Legal structures

  • Meta glasses

  • AI anxiety

  • And the ongoing joy of discovering new corners of Cardiff

It’s thoughtful, funny, and full of the sector insight that makes the podcast essential listening for anyone who cares about Welsh arts.

Donna Slee
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Is Arts Journalism Losing Its Integrity?