Community Music Wales: Training musicians for the future

This article focuses on the development of the charity Community Music Wales (CMW), which grew from a small collective of musicians in Cardiff in the 1980s to a national organization. Although comparisons can be drawn to other UK-based organizations such as Making Music UK, CMW is unique in its broad range of activities. The article outlines key milestones in the development of CMW throughout its 28 years of operation, including the introduction of its first music mentoring scheme, its community record label and its Welsh language label – Ciwdod. The article also highlights the development of community work that engages with key themes such as mental health and the environment. By engaging with company archives, the article considers quantitative data, such as the numbers of musicians who have attended training. Most importantly, it outlines how tutor training has upskilled the workforce and supported the creative economy of Wales.