Michael Salmon, Devinda De Silva, Matt Lawton and me went to Newport yesterday evening to visit The Empty Shops Project. We went on the train.

A group of independent artists, with support from Newport Riverfront and Newport City Council, have started an initiative called The Empty Shops Project.

They have taken over empty retail outlets in Newport city centre, right next to the bus station, with the aim of engaging professional and community artists and regenerating the shopping area as a space for creative happenings.

We are engaging with The Empty Shops Project for our 8th production: The Dark Philosophers in the build up to the show. We had a fantastic time yesterday, meeting artists in the SuperDragons shop, finding out all about the exhibitions and workshops they have planned and everything they've achieved so far.

If you are based in and around Newport, please get in touch with us if you are interested in helping us with our part in Newport's Empty Shops Project. You can do this by letting Devinda know and joining the Newport TEAM. You can also join The Empty Shops Project GROUP here and keep in contact with their developments.

Watch this space for how the National Theatre Wales empty shop develops!