It is a remarkable and humbling experience to see that Am is now home to over 500 profiles—profiles ranging from major national cultural institutions to smaller community organisations to individuals who create and/or organise. It is a home with an open door, a home where the furniture is not uniform, and a home that must constantly adapt and expand.
There are many reasons to note reaching 500 profiles:
- 1. The 500 profiles are a testament to the growth of Am and the digital community that has formed around it. Am began six years ago with 75 profiles. Since then, growth has been organic, as one organization after another decided that we could build Wales’s first cultural digital space and audience together. There is much discussion about the importance of grassroots growth, and Am is an example of how this can work. Am started as nothing more than an idea and a digital framework; it would not exist today had 500 profiles not decided that there was mutual benefit in co-designing, co-sharing, and co-growing a dedicated digital space. That is why the success of Am belongs entirely to these 500 profiles.
- There are 500 profiles here too, thanks to support from the Welsh Government via Creative Wales and the Arts Council, which has enabled the space to be free for all profiles. The importance of this became clear during the research phase for establishing ‘Am’, as well as during the pandemic and the financial hardship that has affected the arts since then. Free access to a community and a wide audience is key to any cultural activity, and creating that opportunity free of charge ensures it is available to everyone. Public funding brings responsibility, and we clearly view Am’s responsibility as working to create accessible, free opportunities to engage with and share Welsh culture.
- Another reason for highlighting the 500 is to acknowledge the impact of the expression that comes from 500 profiles deciding to create an accessible, democratic digital space to reach an audience. At a time when securing media coverage for cultural activity—at both national and community levels—remains a challenge, the obvious solution is to create our own homegrown systems to exist alongside our ‘traditional’ media. Across these 500 profiles, the range and diversity of content reflect a culture determined to thrive despite all challenges. It serves as both an education and an inspiration: for those of us privileged to work on Am, and for an audience discovering a wealth of new culture as a result.
So, diolch to the 500 profiles for the faith, the collaboration, the sharing, the support, and for laying the foundations of something that can only grow. Want to join the community? You can create a profile here – everyone is welcome.