Arts from The Armchair: Gwernymynydd local makes life changing 5 year Theatr Clwyd investment

Dr Sarah Caddick, CEO and founder of Thalamic LTD and Theatr Clwyd board member, has committed funding for five years to support Theatr Clwyd’s arts and health project Arts from The Armchair.

These positive and empowering programme of sessions explore a range of creative activities to help to stimulate brain and memory function, build self-confidence and give a shared joyful experience, creating new, meaningful memories with participants and their carers.

Sarah has been a long-time supporter and lover of the arts around the world.

Early memories of Theatr Clwyd include an interactive session with the Rambert dance company, youth theatre and many other workshops; she continued to attend performances whenever she was in town.

She has since gone on to an incredible career in science and philanthropy, living and working across the UK and America.

Over the last two decades she has advised individual philanthropists and organisations on strategy and investments in research and has been responsible for the development of a range of academic centres and institutes across the globe.

Returning to North Wales to be closer to family, Sarah rekindled her connection with Theatr Clwyd, becoming a board member in 2020. 

She was keen to ensure that Arts from The Armchair continued to grow and shared the following:

I am delighted that Theatr Clwyd is embarking upon an exciting new journey to create more dynamic spaces and programs, and I hope another young person discovers it and it enriches their life, just like I did. The project has my absolute support, but it was important to me to highlight the heart of the Theatre; its commitment to the community and bringing art into peoples lives to help them while science pushes harder to get them the answers and interventions they need. I also want to encourage other people and companies who call this area home, to consider investing in this amazing resource we have on our doorstep!

As Theatr Clwyd enters an exciting stage of its redevelopment, many of its community groups, classes and workshops are being re-located to alternative venues. This investment ensures the future of the project, providing it with stability throughout this time. Hester Evans, Creative Engagement Associate at Theatr Clwyd who leads on the Arts from The Armchair project said:

Thalamic’s 5 year financial pledge to support Arts from the Armchair enables us to engage with more people in our community living with memory loss and extend our reach. This support will provide us with more options for the health and wellbeing activities we can offer our groups and enable more enrichment for the participants and family members. It also affords us the ability to ensure that there are more stable options for participants once they have completed their Arts from the Armchair course. Timely financial support ensures the project can keep on running and offering joy to the members of the community who are living with memory loss.  

Theatr Clwyd would like to thank Thalamic and Sarah for this incredible support and the vital stability provided for the years to come. Liam Evans-Ford Executive Director said: 

The support from Sarah and Thalamic LTD is significant, not just because it will ensure this specific strand of our work continues and grows, or because it will have a positive impact on the lives of people within our local communities, but also because it is one of the first major financial gifts to Theatr Clwyd as a newly formed charity. We deliver a huge amount of work that positively impacts peoples lives, and over the coming years as we deliver a transformational capital redevelopment, we hope Sarah’s support will encourage others to support our wide ranging and important charitable work. 

To find out more about how you can support Theatr Clwyd please visit www.theatrclwyd.com/give