From the Senedd Stage to the Time Warp: Pain in the Arts Delivers Its Most Electric Episode Yet
Some weeks in Welsh arts feel busy. This one felt seismic. Fresh from TEDxButeStreet — quite literally an hour after stepping out of the Senedd — broadcaster Chris J Birch and artist‑writer‑editor Jak Rhys Birch sat down to record what might be the most energised, emotionally charged episode of Pain in the Arts to date.
It’s an episode about creativity, community, theatre, Pride, politics, and the power of putting Welsh voices on global stages. It’s also about Rocky Horror, deconsecrated churches, and the kind of grassroots resilience that defines the arts in Wales.
In other words: classic Pain in the Arts.
TEDxButeStreet: Welsh Voices on a Global Platform
This year’s TEDxButeStreet was held in the Senedd — a venue that feels both symbolic and subversive. The seat of Welsh democracy became the stage for stories of creativity, identity, resilience, neurodiversity, community, and lived experience.
Chris and Jak, both organisers of the event, had the rare privilege of hearing many of the talks long before the audience did. But nothing compares to seeing them delivered live.
Jak mentored several speakers this year, including Caitlin Flood‑Molyneux, whose talk on art, wellness and flow state resonated deeply. Watching speakers — many of whom had never set foot on a stage before — settle into their rhythm and deliver world‑class talks was, in Jak’s words, “like watching someone step into their own power.”
One of the standout moments came from Andrew Jenkins, whose deeply personal story brought the room to silence. Long‑time listeners will remember Andrew from his early appearance on the podcast — seeing him now on a TEDx stage felt like a full‑circle moment.
TEDxButeStreet’s mission is clear: Welsh stories deserve international reach. Welsh creatives deserve global platforms.
And this year, they delivered.
Rocky Horror: Cardiff’s Annual Rite of Passage
From the Senedd to the New Theatre, the week took a sharp left turn into fishnets, glitter and audience participation.
Rocky Horror returned to Cardiff, bringing with it the usual mix of die‑hard fans, first‑timers, and people wearing trench coats over suspiciously sparkly outfits. Chris and Jak describe the atmosphere as “pantomime for adults” — but with an intergenerational twist. Grandparents, teenagers, queer couples, theatre kids, and curious newcomers all shouting callbacks in unison.
One of the most charming moments came from a teenage girl sitting in front of Jak, experiencing the show for the first time — confused, delighted, and eventually fully committed to the chaos.
Chris also attended a Rocky Horror photo call in a deconsecrated church, meeting the actors playing Brad, Janet and Magenta. Surreal? Yes. Iconic? Absolutely.
Barry Pride: A Grassroots Miracle
This Saturday marks Barry Pride, and the podcast doesn’t shy away from the realities behind it.
After several trustees stepped down last year, the remaining three board members — Janine, Lucy and Andy — were left with a monumental task: deliver a full Pride event with almost no resources, no staff, and no time.
With new security legislation, reduced market capacity, and the usual pressures of running a free community event, the challenges have been immense. But the team has pulled it off with grit, humour and sheer determination.
Chris, who is hosting the event, describes it as “a testament to what community can do when it refuses to give up.”
The episode also touches on the unexpected hostility that sometimes comes from within the LGBTQ+ community itself — a reminder that grassroots organisers often face criticism from all sides. Yet the team remains focused, united, and committed to creating a safe, joyful Pride for Barry.
Queer Icons Cabaret — and the Pain of Saying No
On the same night as Barry Pride, Cabaret Cardiff is hosting Queer Icons, a Pride Month cabaret celebrating queer performance. The team can’t attend due to Pride commitments, but they’re determined to promote it — a reminder that supporting queer arts doesn’t always mean being physically present.
Sometimes it means amplifying, sharing, and celebrating from wherever you are.
Q&A: Is UK Art Still Too London‑Centric?
This week’s listener question comes from Jane, who asks:
“Is art in the UK still too London‑centric — and why?”
The short answer: yes. The long answer: also yes, but with nuance.
Chris and Jak unpack the issue with clarity:
London is still seen as the place you “make it.”
Artists from Wales, Bristol, Manchester and beyond are often labelled “emerging” long after they’ve built careers.
The industry’s centre of gravity remains stubbornly fixed.
But they also highlight the shift happening now:
Welsh artists are increasingly choosing to stay in Wales.
Institutions like the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama give local talent world‑class training.
Michael Sheen’s National Theatre Wales work is pulling creatives back home.
Community support — sharing posts, attending shows, buying tickets — is the real engine of decentralisation.
Their message is simple: If we want Welsh art to thrive, we have to show up for it.
A Week That Defines Welsh Arts
This episode of Pain in the Arts is a perfect snapshot of what makes the Welsh creative sector so special:
Big ideas on big stages
Grassroots resilience
Queer joy
Community spirit
Theatre that refuses to age
Pride that refuses to quit
And two exhausted creatives trying to hold it all together with humour and honesty
It’s messy, heartfelt, political, joyful, and deeply human — everything Welsh arts should be.
If you want to understand the creative heartbeat of Wales, this episode is essential listening.