Results from the questionnaires can be found HERE.

WHAT WE DID

Cathays & Central Youth & Community Project (CCYCP)’s ‘Graffiti in Health’ project ran from April 2024 to November 2025. The original plan was for it to be a six month project but unfortunately, we faced some challenges with our partners and so it ended up being spread over a year and a half.

The project was focussed on exploring how the existing peer support system for graffiti writers could be strengthened by partnering with specialist organisations.

MAY-JUNE 2024

We held two sketch sessions to shape the project. These were attended by 12 graffiti writers – a mixture of ages and abilities, mostly from Cardiff, following a post about the project and reaching out to people in our network. The sessions were informal, with vinyl decks and a mic set up for DJs and MCs.

JULY 2024

Our health partner ‘Arts For Health & Wellbeing’ (Cardiff & Vale University Health Board) sadly folded.

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2024

We were happy to secure a new partnership with Adferiad and they came to a sketch session with 5 graffiti writers, to find out more about the project. They also attended a jam in Glebelands Park, Newport where 21 people signed up to paint together.

JANUARY 2025

7 graffiti writers met with Adferiad to find out how they could support what we are doing. The main outcome was a request for safeguarding and other training. Adferiad were keen to receive help with engaging with young people.

Laurel MacCormac (Sociology, Social Anthropology & Statistics BA Joint Hons) helped design questionnaires to gain a better understanding of the motivations for people to paint graffiti, and the gaps in accessing health and other service providers.

FEBRUARY-JUNE 2025

Questionnaires were asked by Cheryl Medway (Youth & Community Work BA Hons), at four paint jams:

Ein Stryd (partnership with She Paints Our Streets and New Era Talent)

Jungle Jam (partnership with Cardiff Council and New Era Talent)

Bridge Street Jam (organised by Making Places Beautiful)

Sevenoaks Park (organised by an independent graffiti writer)

Results from the questionnaires can be found HERE.

We supported two graffiti writers into work placements with Cathays Community Centre and New Era Talent.

We began developing a project idea for people affected by poor dental health, which can impact on confidence, particularly relevant for people in recovery from addiction. The ‘Bare Grills’ project would see dental work carried out in exchange for creation of murals.

SEPTEMBER-NOVEMBER 2025

We had no further communication from Adferiad and so we continued with New Era Talent partnering with us to deliver a Safeguarding training session.

CCYCP’s safeguarding lead Russell Munton delivered a session with Gemma Smith (New Era safeguarding lead), which was attended by 5 graffiti writers, four of whom are involved in delivering youth projects. Two New Era youth mentors who were involved in running the Ein Stryd jam also attended. A follow up session was held, to begin working on a street-based safeguarding policy and guidelines. New Era are now supporting Alicia Gil-Cerventes (She Paints Our Streets) to do a Youth Work Level 2 qualification.

PHOTOS: KRIS WEBSTER

TRIGGER WARNING: domestic violence and abuse

It’s kinda hard to believe that Dick Dastardly (real name Dean Thomas), a staple player in Cardiff’s Hiphop scene for the last 18 years, only released his debut solo EP in 2021 via Bard Picasso. His follow up track ‘Give Me Love’ was aptly released on Valentines Day this year, with a video featuring Lady AB (Annabelle Johnson) and shot by Charlie JPEG.

Produced by Raph Stormwalker, the track includes a sample of a woman’s voice ‘Give me Love so that I can kill’… which provides the anchor for Dastardly’s lyrics, which he describes as ‘an anti-love song within a love song’. The track is about abuse – both physical and mental, portrayed in the video through using S&M imagery and tightly shot in an attic space, giving the video a claustrophobic feel. When writing to the track, Dean wanted to capture the desperate feeling of wanting to be loved, but also a dark undertone which was reflected in the music. He had pictured the video throughout the writing process and enlisted Charlie JPEG to co-direct, film and edit what Charlie says was the hardest shoot he has done to date.

Because of the subject matter, the three artists, while not professionals in dealing with trauma, had to ensure that they approached the shoot in a trauma informed way. Pushing personal boundaries portraying something that sits uncomfortably close to home, they were conscious to create an environment where they could fully support one another throughout the process. Capturing the content in an honest and open way, whilst also protecting themselves was a tough job, but one which most definitely brought them closer together. Music can be a healing process, but a process which brings up things that are often buried extremely deeply and supporting one another through this is an important part of collaborating with others on creative projects.

The close relationship that Dean and Annabelle have in real life is what makes this video possible. They were able to explore the blurred lines between abuse and kink, sexualisation and normal, through Annabelle’s portrayal of a fantastical character sucking the soul from the other person in an abusive relationship. The tricky question of how to visualise trauma creatively is one that Annabelle was able to bring to life through approaching the project in a playful way. She was able to find a balance in the love/hate nature of the character she was playing through using humour within the darker content of the track and visuals, with the sci-fi element of the whip giving an extra layer to the overall fantasy.

Once the video was shot and edited, there began the problematic process of promotion. Facebook’s ban on sex and nudity, and the choice of the thumbnail image with the ball-gag, mean that the promo was removed from the platform, making it difficult to get the video seen. Charlie JPEG’s private story about the project was also flagged. A whole other conversation could be had around algorithms dictating how we express ourselves through music videos, but also how the choices we make in our content can affect others and how this can be approached. Annabelle being aware of the possibility of children seeing the video was something to be carefully thought about because as we all know, once something is out there it can be seen by anyone. Representing sexually empowered material, with a realisation that the intention behind the project is bigger than any one person, combined with the potential for the video to impact positively on somebody, means that Lady AB is proud they had the strength to give it a go.

Watch ‘Give Me Love’ on youtube:

Catch Lady AB at Fractal, 20^th May in Bristol

Lady AB and Dick Dastardly both feature on Dirty Alex’s recent single ‘Built to last’ 

Purchase Great Ape Fist by Dick Dastardly: Great Ape Fist | Dick Dastardly (bandcamp.com)
Look out for his new project ‘8 Billion People in the World & I’m Stuck Here With You’, due out this summer, as well as an EP with well-respected producer DJ Alkemy and a spoken word EP.

As well as networking and taking bookings for shows outside of Wales, Charlie J is editing together footage filmed on a recent trip to Australia. He’s also working on an album so keep your eyes peeled for that!

 

Last weekend I painted a mural of the amazing Cardiff singer/songwriter Saint Bernadette. Turns out the timing was pretty fortuitous because on Saturday I had the pleasure of performing alongside Saint Bernadette and some fellow Ladies of Rage (LOR) members, as part of Trishna Jaikara’s DJ set for the BBC6 Music Festival.

When the festival was announced I was very late to get on the hype-wagon… nowhere in my head was this going to be a space where I would perform, or have that performance played on the radio! The main conversation in our house was about how mean it was to bring these amazing artists to Cardiff but not to let under 18’s go to any of the gigs…

Immersed Fringe Festival (Tramshed)

I was grateful to be included on the Immersed fringe festival line-up as a visual artist. Because I was painting I didn’t catch much music, but I did see Monique B kicking off proceedings. Accompanied by her Baby Queens bandmates Cara Elise and Leroy Rahman, with some solid collabs with Reuel Elijah, Monique’s beautiful vocals and easy crowd interaction cement her as a solo artist who I look forward to seeing again.

I was gutted to have missed Miss Faithee, who smashed her set for the LOR IWD celebrations last month. This woman has an amazing stage presence and strong, catchy tracks – there is simply no reason for her name not to have been in large font alongside the other Immersed headliners.

The only other artist I did manage to catch was my Bard Picasso label-mate the Honest Poet. I’ve seen him a few times and his performances always blow me away – lush vocals, deep lyrics and an honest, poetic, heartfelt delivery.

Big up to Bard Picasso for securing a last-minute takeover and offering half of it to Ladies of Rage. Bard Picasso aspire to have gender equality on their future line-ups, and Immersed was the beginning of this. The bar area takeover was an intimate affair, where we were blessed to have two legends from Cardiff’s Hiphop scene hosting. Dregz is probably Cardiff’s most experienced Master of Ceremonies, and Cara Elise’s band Baby Queens were one of my first inspirations in the Cardiff scene. I was lucky enough last week to hear Dregz speaking on a panel discussion about black music in Wales hosted by Dionne Bennett – an overdue conversation, and one that needs to continue.

BBC6 Music Festival

Another discussion panel that Dionne was on, as chair of LOR, in conversation with Afrodeutsche. Myself, Trishna Jaikara, and Teifi joined Dionne to speak about LOR and parts of the conversation were played back on Afrodeutsche’s show with Huw Stephens (2:09). Trishna Jaikara followed up the discussion with a DJ set with live tracks, some of which was AIRED LIVE! (0:54)

The festival has definately shone a light on the Cardiff music scene – Missy G was interviewed by Mary Anne Hobbs (0:36), and I also heard Leighton Wall speaking about the Welsh Ballroom community. It was great to hear DJ Jaffa on Huw Stephens’ show (2:13), dropping some Hiphop history and playing tracks including Juice Menace, who I’m so glad I caught at Porters. Alex Jones has been absolutely smashing it at her events role for Porters, creating a lively, exciting melting pot of Cardiff’s musicians and students. In true Hiphop fashion, Juice brought on a couple of unknown artists for her set, and I am very excited to see more of Mercy Rose in particular.

A coupla gigs that would have broken me if I had tried to cram in, were The Shutdown Show’s Moon gig with Eadyth and Izzy Rabey headlining, and Sound Progression’s Fringe takeover at CultVR where I was hoping to catch a young rapper called Truth – look out for him…

I have to give props to Minty who I’m pretty sure went to every single event over the festival! He was also interviewed on Politics Wales, BBC One Wales! Please take a few minutes to have an explore of his online gig guide map, which is a stunning piece of digital art, and will only serve to enhance and grow our blossoming music scene.

I rounded off the week with a long overdue night out with my husband, where I discovered Jam Supernova – HYPE!!! Much love to BBC6Music for bringing such an eclectic mix of music and people to our city – I met people who I was surprised to hear had travelled from Liverpool and as far up as Edinburgh, how lush to show our city off in this way. Onwards and upwards – let’s keep building together!!

Catch me painting:

Her Mark launch event: April 9^th, Spit & Sawdust (also catch Missy G, Mercy Rose & Teifi here!)
(7) Her Mark launch event | Facebook

Bring The Paint, Leicester: 28-29^th May
HOME | bringthepaint

Cheltenham Paint Festival: 30-31^st July
Home | Cheltenham PaintFest (cheltenhampaintfestival.co.uk)

My solo exhibition runs at the HeARTh Gallery, Llandough Hospital until April 18th.

And performing:

Supporting Lazy Habits: 22^nd April, Tramshed, Cardiff
(4) Lazy Habits – Vermillion Sands Album Tour | Facebook

Supporting The Scribes: 29^th April, Le Pub, Newport
(4) The Scribes / Blue City CDF / Unity – Newport | Facebook

Focus Wales: May 7^th, 4pm, 7Bar, Wrexham
FOCUS Wales 2022 » Unity

Ci Annwn (Bard Picasso): 11^th June, Moon Club, Cardiff

EVENTS TO LOOK OUT FOR:

Baby Queens at Focus Wales: May 6^th, 7pm, Penny Black Room2, Focus Wales, Wrexham
FOCUS Wales 2022 » Baby Queens

Monique B at Focus Wales: May 6^th, 11.40pm, Penny Black Room1, Focus Wales, Wrexham
FOCUS Wales 2022 » Monique B

Honest Poet at Focus Wales: May 6^th, 8.45pm, Old No7, & May 6^th 11.20pm, Penny Black Room1
FOCUS Wales 2022 » The Honest Poet

Bard Picasso Presents: Barred#1: May 14^th, Moon Club
(7) Bard Picasso Presents: Barred#1 | Facebook