We are proud to be working in collaboration with FIO, Hijinx and Arts Active Trust on a creative residency with the communities of Butetown and Grangetown, based at Grange Pavilion and Loudoun Culture and Media Centre (housed by Cardiff Community Housing Association). 

Throughout the Residency, currently planned to run to Autumn 2027, we will be exploring the creative and expressive potential of opera as storytelling in music for people across the community, embracing community co-creation with young and old, and sharing newly created productions by artists who are from or whose identity and experience connects with these communities.  

We began our work in January 2024 inviting Pwnc Llosg (previously The Reading Room) to read and respond to Nadifa Mohamed’s award-winning book “The Fortune Men” leading to a wider discussion about social justice and if/how creative projects might engage with resonant and relevant experiences and issues within the community. Since then, we have shown our Street Art Operas – Rahmat-Mercy-Trugaredd and Out of Time at Grange Pavilion and Loudoun Culture and Media Centre, and performed The Jollof House Party Opera at Grange Pavilion. 

We are planning the following projects: 

• Street Art Opera (see Open Call here) 

• Community Opera (February – June 2026) in partnership with FIO 

• Future Directions project for neurodiverse young people starting September 2026. A partnership project with Hijinx

• Young music creator project – Dates tbc 

• Young People’s Digital Opera Workshops – February 2027 

The residency will also link into other projects that MTW is planning during the same period: 

• The UK’s first Digital Opera Festival – March 2027 

• The Jollof House Party Opera: another chance to see this live event combining a short hip-hop inspired opera with a communal sharing of jollof rice for all the audience – 2027 

• A newly commissioned opera exploring themes of migration, integration and identity by Jazz/Afrobeat composer Renell Shaw – Autumn 2027 

In August 2025, Abena-Mintaah Mensah joined us as Community Producer to support the community’s engagement and participation. If you want to find out about how you might be able to get involved please contact her here.