The Past, Present and Future of the Welsh language Music Video

This landmark project brings together academics, archivists, musicians and leading industry figures to establish the history of the Welsh language music video. The central research question is: To what extent do Welsh language music videos have a cultural, political, industrial and aesthetic identity that is distinct from Anglo American productions?

What impact have Welsh language music videos had on Welsh language culture? What impact did these videos have on the Welsh language music scene? To what extent did the music videos reflect or create the scene? To what emerging talents did it afford opportunities?

Significance

In 2022, as S4C celebrated 40 years of broadcasting and with its future as a public service broadcaster constantly in the media spotlight, this project directs attention specifically to its unique contribution to Welsh language music videos. The Welsh music video has been a consistent, almost uninterrupted presence on television, and later, digital platforms since the launch of S4C in 1982. Despite its central presence in Welsh broadcasting, and in the political and cultural history of Wales, this significant body of work is little-known and unacknowledged. This project will form a definitive comprehensive study of the Welsh language music video, tracing its origins from a four channel, linear broadcasting world to it’s dissemination into the digital domain, considering how digital media and social media have come to re-invent forms and functions of the music video beyond the traditional confines of television.