Port Talbot, at the heart of my constituency of Aberafan Maesteg, is one of just 15 towns shortlisted for the UK Government’s brand-new Town of Culture Award. But with fierce competition, including from our neighbours in Ponty, we’ve got to come together to create a bid that showcases the best of Port Talbot and the Afan Valley.
There is a £3 million prize pot up for grabs. That is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Not just for the cash that would go directly to local artists, organisations and businesses but for the opportunity to leave a legacy to future generations.
However, with the clock ticking to the 30 November deadline, we’ve got just one month to build a showstopping bid and be in with a chance of winning the £3 million. That’s why I want everyone to get behind it.
Port Talbot’s landmarks tell our story. The towering steelworks dominate the skyline, synonymous with the area’s industrial heritage. The Afan Argoed is the gateway to the valleys and is home to our renowned mountain biking and hiking trails.
Yet my favourite area is where the mountains meet the sea at Aberavon Beach. It’s drawn filming crews over the years, including for productions such as Twin Town and the Rapture, but there is an inimitable calmness to the three-mile stretch.
Culture is about more than just landmarks but it’s also famously difficult to define. There is a reason why academics have argued over its definition for centuries. Yet step into a community with a strong sense of itself and you know culture when you see it.
Outsiders may say that Port Talbot is the place that gave the world Richard Burton, Anthony Hopkins and Michael Sheen or that Port Talbot is the steel capital of the UK. I think that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
Locals will also know how in 2018 Banksy propelled a former steelworker’s garage in Taibach into the international spotlight. The artist’s Season’s Greetings depicts a mitten-clad smiling young boy. His arms are outstretched in what he believes to be Christmas snow, while the viewer can see that the flakes around him are in fact burning ash.
Whilst the painting may be gone, the story it told lives on. That young boy is a graceful depiction of the people of Port Talbot. We are people who are resilient yet optimistic and who are hard-working yet generous. Through that collective spirit we are a small but mighty town that has much to be proud of.
There have been challenges. Decades of unmanaged deindustrialisation, economic uncertainty and austerity have left their mark on our community, no more than through the closure of the blast furnaces.
While construction of the electric arc furnace is underway, the transition created many job losses. Nevertheless, many residents have adapted. I’ve spoken with former employees who have retrained and started small businesses – such as Springfield Advisory – and are helping bring economic regeneration to the area.
Viva Port Talbot is another great example of our community buy-in. When high-street traders became concerned with declining footfall, they came together and founded a business improvement district. Now, the Christmas parades, vintage car shows and food festivals that pop up every few months are highlights of the year.
Last month, I headed to the high street to ask residents a simple question, “What makes you proud to be from Port Talbot?”. I heard the same answer from residents, business owners and tradies alike, “It’s the people. We look out for one another and we’d never move anywhere else”.
That is the story we need to tell, and the community spirit we need to harness in our bid to win the £3 million. We came together before, in 2013 for Michael Sheen’s legendary Passion of Port Talbot play, and we can come together again.
The Council have organised six community engagement events in October including at the Croeserw Family Fun Day on the 29 October. It’s our opportunity to come together, reflect and co-create a bid to remember.
Visit https://porttalbottownofculture.wales/whats-on/ to find out more or share your thoughts using our online survey if you are unable to make it in person.
I believe we can win this, but only if we do it together. Let’s say it proud, Port Talbot.
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/town-culture-once-lifetime-opportunity-34819664