FILMS made by aspiring creatives from North Wales are now being screened in Vue and Odeon cinemas across the UK – and Clwyd North MP Gill German says it proves local talent can thrive when given the right opportunities.
Gill is highlighting the success of TAPE Community Music and Film’s Supporting Shorts project, a cinema-focused initiative led by the Old Colwyn-based community arts charity, as an example of how investment in creative industries can transform lives and strengthen communities.
The project reflects the ambition behind the UK Government’s 2025 Creative Industries Sector Plan, which includes £150 million over three years to grow the arts outside London and the South East. Gill says organisations like TAPE show exactly why that investment matters.
Supported by the University of Leeds, Supporting Shorts is designed to break down barriers in the screen industries and bring new voices to the big screen.
Two films are already screening before mainstream features: Race to the Start Line, a comedy following a young man’s journey to a mountain bike race, and The Return of James Vincent, a mysterious horror story set in a hotel.
Gill has supported TAPE since visiting the organisation’s Hope Productions team at the Supporting Shorts launch, where she met cast and crew and saw first-hand the difference the charity is making to young people and aspiring creatives across the region.
She recently met with them again to discuss progress and wider opportunities ahead for North Wales.
Gill said:
“It is really important we look at developing skills for everybody, particularly those with abundant creativity but who perhaps cannot tap into that potential.
“TAPE provides the perfect spaces for this. I cannot wait to see their hard work pay off in these new films, where these brilliant stories will be platformed and heard.”
She added:
“The creative industries are not just culturally important, they are economically vital to communities like ours. They create jobs, drive local growth and give young people real pathways into exciting careers.
“Talent exists in every community, and organisations like TAPE show what is possible when we invest in people and remove the barriers that stop them from participating. Everyone should feel that a creative career is something they can aspire to, regardless of their background.”
TAPE was founded in Old Colwyn in 2008 and has since supported more than 20,000 people across Wales and the UK through opportunities in filmmaking, audio production, virtual reality, design, podcasting, creative writing and more.
Its work focuses on inclusion, with tailored training, flexible entry points and long-term support helping to break down barriers for people traditionally excluded from creative opportunities.
Steve Swindon, Founder and Creative Director of TAPE, said:
“Genuine co-creation can inform and inspire change in the most meaningful of ways for individuals and communities.
“This work requires proper funding in order for the screen industries to make the changes it is sighted on. Having Gill’s support for the Supporting Shorts initiative has been hugely impactful in amplifying the project and the voices of those involved, for whom lasting change is most needed.”
The UK Government’s Creative Industries Sector Plan aims to increase investment in creativity and innovation by 2035.
With 67% of the UK’s creative industries concentrated in London and the South East, Gill believes ensuring places like Clwyd North have a real route into the sector is central to long-term growth.
The plan supports growth in other regions through partnerships with devolved governments and organisations such as Creative Wales.
In Wales, this includes production funding for film, TV and games, alongside the Welsh Government’s Creative Skills Action Plan, which supports entry-level opportunities and upskilling across the sector.
Gill added:
“When we invest in Welsh talent, we invest in the future of our communities. TAPE is proving that creativity can be a powerful route to confidence, skills and employment, and I’m proud to support the incredible work they do here in North Wales.”
