What is the name of the person who called the session?

Jennifer Lunn

Who attended the session? (You can pass this piece of paper round and ask people to write their name on it.)

Jack Hammett, Chelsey Gillard, Catriona James, Daniel S, Ken Griffin, Mari H, Ceriann Williams

Summary of discussion: (Notes, ideas, further questions, conclusions, recommendations for actions to take, contact details of relevant people / organisations etc)

• Doesn’t seem to have been much Queer Theatre, especially growing up in the last 25 years.
• Queer Arts Collective set up last year and one of the big discussions was around whether there was much Queer work being made. The answer seemed to be that there was more than we thought but there was no listings for it and therefor a lack of visibility which led to a lack of attendance which led to a feeling from venues that there is no audience for Queer work.
• Story told about a trans show which had had its copy changed by a venue (without permission) to remove the trans aspect of the storyline. (Not in Wales)
• There is a sense that Queer histories don’t get held onto and so young queer people and artists often feel they are reinventing the wheel as there is very little celebration of Queer work.
• Queer work is often thought of or labelled as about sex. Why? Is it because the Queer work that is being produced is made by those who have found a way to be loud and empowered and that tends to be the lavish and grungy, more sexualised work? Where is the nuanced understated stuff which just happens to feature queer characters.
• Is it okay to be quiet and shy about being Queer?
• Recognition that much of the Queer/ LGBTQ+ work is mainly G. The gay man’s story of shame to acceptance. The Lesbians are unattractive and the Bisexuals have been erased and Trans is too difficult, complicated??
• Writers have written characters who just happen to be gay but then been asked by venues or producers “Why does that character have to be gay?” “Having a gay character is one thing too many” There is a sense that by having a queer character, the play then needs to tackle a queer issue. Are producers wary of getting it wrong and so choose not to represent those characters at all.
• What is Queer Theatre?? Is it work with a queer focus, work made about queer issues or storylines, work made by queer artists?
• If a show is made by a queer team of artists, how does anyone know? Do I need to somehow announce it? How much of my identity do I need to be bringing to my work?
• There is sometimes a pressure on Queer artists to make predominantly queer work. We feel that pressure ourselves to represent. We feel responsible for improving representation but does that mean we compromise our own creativity?
• How do we better represent the fluidity and spectrum that LGBTQIA+++ now covers. LGB and/or Trans. Gender and sexuality are different things.
• Recognition that WMC are proving to be an incredibly positive force in Queer programming. How can we use that as a springboard to encourage others?

Rhai syniadau ynghylch cofnodi eich sesiwn

Beth yw teitl eich sesiwn?

Theatr Cwiar?

Beth yw enw'r person a alwodd y sesiwn?

Jennifer Lunn

Pwy ddaeth i'r sesiwn? (Gallwch basio'r darn hwn o bapur o gwmpas a gofyn i bobl ysgrifennu eu henwau arno.)

Jack Hammett, Chelsey Gillard, Catriona James, Daniel S, Ken Griffin, Mari H, Ceriann Williams

Crynodeb o'r drafodaeth: (Nodiadau, syniadau, cwestiynau, casgliadau, argymhellion ar gyfer camau i'w cymryd, manylion cyswllt pobl/sefydliadau perthnasol ac ati)

• Nid yw'n ymddangos y bu llawer o Theatr Cwiar, yn enwedig wrth dyfu i fyny dros y 25 mlynedd ddiwethaf.
• Sefydlwyd Queer Arts Collective y llynedd ac un o'r trafodaethau mawr fu a oes llawer o waith Cwiar yn cael ei greu. Mae'n ymddangos mai'r ateb yw bod mwy nag yr oeddem yn credu ond does dim rhestr ar ei gyfer ac felly diffyg gweladwyedd sy'n golygu diffyg presenoldeb ac felly teimlad ar ran lleoliadau nad oes cynulleidfa ar gyfer gwaith Cwiar.
• Adroddwyd stori am sioe draws y newidiwyd ei chopi gan y lleoliad (heb ganiatâd) i ddileu agwedd traws y stori. (Ddim yng Nghymru)
• Ceir teimlad na delir gafael ar hanesion Cwiar ac felly yn aml mae pobl ifanc ac artistiaid cwiar yn teimlo eu bod yn dechrau o'r dechrau gan y ceir ychydig iawn o ddathliad o waith Cwiar.
• Yn aml ystyrir neu labelir gwaith Cwiar yng nghyd-destun rhyw. Pam? Ydyw oherwydd bod y gwaith Cwiar sy'n cael ei gynhyrchu'n cael ei wneud gan y rhai sydd wedi dod o hyd i ffordd o fod yn uchel ac wedi eu grymuso ac mai dyna'r gwaith afradlon, grynji a mwy rhywiol? Ble mae'r sdwff mwy cynnil a phroffil isel sy'n cynnwys cymeriadau cwiar fel mater o drefn.
• Ydyw'n iawn bod yn dawel ac yn swil am fod yn Gwiar?
• Cydnabyddiaeth bod llawer o'r gwaith Cwiar / LHDTC+ yn H yn bennaf. Hanes y dyn hoyw o gywilydd i gael ei dderbyn. Mae'r Lesbiaid yn anatyniadol ac mae'r bobl Ddeurywiol wedi eu dileu ac mae Traws yn rhy anodd, cymhleth??
• Mae awduron wedi llunio cymeriadau sy'n digwydd bod yn hoyw ond wedyn mae lleoliadau'n gofyn iddynt "Pam bod yn rhaid i'r cymeriad hwnnw fod yn hoyw?" "Mae cael cymeriad hoyw yn un peth yn ormod" Mae ymdeimlad os oes gan ddrama gymeriad cwiar y mae angen iddi daclo mater cwiar. Ydy cynhyrchwyr yn gofidio am gael pethau o chwith ac felly yn dewis peidio â chynrychioli'r cymeriadau hynny o gwbl.
• Beth yw Theatr Cwiar?? Ydyw'n waith sydd â ffocws cwiar, gwaith a wneir am faterion cwiar neu linellau stori, gwaith a wneir gan artistiaid cwiar?
• Os caiff sioe ei chreu gan dîm o artistiaid cwiar, sut mae unrhyw un yn gwybod? Oes angen i mi gyhoeddi'r ffaith rhywsut? Faint o fy hunaniaeth y mae angen i mi ddod â hi at fy ngwaith?
• Weithiau mae pwysau ar artistiaid cwiar i wneud gwaith sy'n gwiar yn bennaf. Rydym yn teimlo'r pwysau hynny ein hunain i gynrychioli. Rydym yn teimlo'n gyfrifol am wella cynrychiolaeth ond a ydy hynny'n golygu ein bod yn cyfaddawdu ein creadigrwydd ein hunain?
• Sut ydym ni'n cynrychioli'r hylifedd a sbectrwm y mae LHDTCRhA+++ bellach yn ymdrin â nhw. LHD a/neu Draws. Mae rhywedd a rhywioldeb yn bethau gwahanol.
• Cydnabyddiaeth bod Canolfan Mileniwm Cymru'n profi i fod yn rym anhygoel o gadarnhaol mewn rhaglenni Cwiar. Sut allwn ddefnyddio hynny fel sbardun i annog eraill?
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DS - Cyhoeddir yr adroddiad hwn ar wefan NTW (gan gynnwys unrhyw gyfeiriadau e-bost a manylion cyswllt yr ydych yn eu cynnwys ynddo). Os hoffech chi i NTW drosglwyddo unrhyw gwestiynau y cânt am yr adroddiad hwn, nodwch eich cyfeiriad e-bost yma (ni fydd eich cyfeiriad yn cael ei gyhoeddi na'i ddefnyddio at unrhyw ddiben arall).