Merthyr’s Black Gold Opening at RedHouse, Merthyr

in Community Group, Community Workshop, Cyfarthfa Castle, Cyfarthfa Castle Museum, Heritage Lottry Fund, Merthyr Tydfil, Red House on

The multi-media film portion of Merthyr’s Black Gold project openened at the RedHouse, Merthyr, 21st November.

 

The two screenings were attended by participants from Cyfarthfa Primary School, Edwardsville Primary School, Pantyscallog Primary School, Ynysowen Primary and Quar and Troedyrhiw Scout Groups and their relatives and teachers.

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Ben Price, Education and Interpretation Officer of Cyfarthfa Museum and Chris Parry, (r) Community Engagement Officer of Cyfarthfa Museum at the opening of the HLF funded project, Merthyr’s Black Gold, in RedHouse Merthyr, 21st November 2018. The project produced by Vision Fountain CIIC in collaboration with Cyfarthfa Museum and Art Gallery engaged with 4 primary schools, 2 x scout groups and countless relatives and friends to tell the story of Merthyr’s reliance on coal through intergenerational stories.
Photo by Vision Fountain

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The 20 minute film was made entirely from recordings of intergenerational stories,  portraits, archive photographs, drawings and animations made by project participants.

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The opening of the HLF funded project, Merthyr’s Black Gold, in RedHouse Merthyr, 21st November 2018. The project produced by Vision Fountain CIIC in collaboration with Cyfarthfa Museum and Art Gallery engaged with 4 primary schools, 2 x scout groups and countless relatives and friends to tell the story of Merthyr’s reliance on coal through intergenerational stories.
Photo by Vision Fountain

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Heritage expert and education officer, Ben Price and Chris Parry of Cyfarthfa Museum, spoke of the importance of Merthy’s Coal heritage and how the prject brought that back to life with the intergenerational story-telling aspect of the film which involved parents, grand-parents and great grand parents.

 

More about the project:

Merthyr’s Black Gold is a Heritage Lottery Funded project that use intergenerational story telling to look at the impact of coal mining on Merthyr’s communities.

The importance of coal is often overlooked as Merthyr is known as a steel town.

Over 170 children from 4 primary schools (Cyfarthfa / Pantyscallog / Edwardsville / Ynysowen) and local scouts have attended a series of workshops collecting memories and memorabilia that are used in a multi-media film based upon Merthyr’s coal heritage.

The project engaged with relatives of the children and communities from Merthyr to Treharris.

Deep Navigation Colliery, the deepest colliery in Wales, and Merthyr Vale, site of intense picketing during the ‘84/’85 strike feature heavily.

The 20 minute film, produced as part of the project, shown at Red House and then form part of the permanent coal exhibit at the museum and toured around some community centres and local schools.

Cyfarthfa Castle Museum and Arts Gallery & Vision Fountain arts organization produced the project. Funding was provided by The Heriage Lottery Fund and Ffos y – Fran Community Development Fund.