Press Releases

Based in a shop in Splott’s Clifton Street for six months, STAR Radio broadcast to local communities from 22 to 29 October. Local people were invited to take part in creating and producing radio programmes such as Cardiff Royal Infirmary where ladies from the ward chatted about their memories of the Royal infirmary and the NHS, and The Opening Up of Cardiff in which Ghana born Felicia Owusu-Fofie interviewed African people living and working in Cardiff. The project also organised a ‘STAR Radio Kids Club’ whch saw children working together to make a radio play and writers workshops.

Over 20 artists were commissioned to create programmes in response to the locality. ‘A Psychic Investigation’ produced by Sara Fletcher in collaboration with Jane McCarthy, a Cardiff medium, is a paranormal exploration into how traces of the STAR community’s past might continue to influence and haunt the area today. Ella Gibbs’ ‘This is not a Radio Club’ is a series of five minute radio shows created in discussion with residents on the streets of STAR. Anya Lewin and Mike Lawson Smith’s programme STEEL created a dialogue between ex and current steelworkers in Pittsburgh (USA) and Cardiff (Wales).

Artist, Jennie Savage said:

“As a collection of material, these programmes express the feelings and thoughts of people in the area. In a sense, the project has invited people to write their own history. In years to come the material will be a reference point, a unique picture of a place painted by those who live there, a process that consciously subverts the hierarchical processes associated with making history.”

STAR Radio was commissioned and facilitated by CBAT The Arts & Regeneration Agency. Based in Cardiff, CBAT is an independent public art consultancy that works with artists, architects, residents, communities, public authorities and the private sector in urban regeneration schemes. CBAT’s Director, Wiard Stark said,

“We were delighted to commission and work with Jennie on this project. STAR Radio is at the heart of CBAT’s commissioning programme, responding in particular to the concerns CBAT has of integrating art in the regeneration of post-industrial residential communities across Wales and the UK.”

Following the exhibition STAR Radio material will be housed at St Fagans National History Museum as a sound archive. It will also be kept online at www.starradio.org.uk

National Museum Cardiff is one of Amgueddfa Cymru — National Museum Wales’ seven national museums across Wales. The others are St Fagans: National History Museum, National Roman Legion Museum, Caerleon, Big Pit: National Coal Museum, Blaenafon, National Wool Museum, Dre-fach Felindre, National Slate Museum, Llanberis and the National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales is the new name for the National Museums & Galleries of Wales.

Entry to National Museum Cardiff is free, thanks to the support of the Welsh Assembly Government.

For further information please contact:
Julie Richards, Press Officer
National Museum Cardiff
Mobile: 07876 476695
Email: julie.richards@museumwales.ac.uk