Peter Lynn & Partners backs community project showcasing images captured by nine local photographers
A NEW photography exhibition celebrating everyday life in Ystradgynlais has opened at The Welfare after receiving support from regional law firm Peter Lynn & Partners.
The exhibition features work by nine local men who spent recent months exploring the town through photography, documenting its people, places and community spirit.
The project, funded by Engage Cymru and the Arts Council of Wales, combined guided walking sessions with photography workshops, giving participants the opportunity to develop new creative skills while building friendships and confidence.
Working alongside local street photographer Math Roberts, the group captured images across Ystradgynlais, including the Penybryn estate and surrounding areas. The resulting exhibition offers a candid portrayal of the community and has been mounted with funding from Peter Lynn & Partners, which has a branch in the Swansea Valley town.
Participant Ceri Jones, who works in IT within the Civil Service, said the project had transformed what was once a casual interest into a serious hobby.
“Photography has always been a quiet passion of mine, though my earlier attempts at more creative shots met with mixed success,” he said.
“Joining this group was my chance to meet like-minded people and finally take the hobby further. It worked rather too well – what began as a passing interest has grown into a fully fledged hobby, bordering on obsession.”
He said the workshops and additional online learning had helped him master manual photography, composition and editing, while giving him the confidence to experiment with different styles featured in the exhibition.
“It’s been a pleasure to share this experience with such fantastic company, and I hope we can continue the group,” he added.
Zoe Gealy, Community and Engagement Manager at The Welfare, said the response to both the workshops and exhibition had been overwhelmingly positive.
“We’ve been delighted by the response to the workshop and the exhibition. The participants really threw themselves into it and the resulting photographs provide a great snapshot of life in Ystrad,” she said.
“We’re currently developing a new men’s arts project for the autumn thanks to Arts Council Wales Arts Health and Wellbeing Lottery funding, and this project has been a brilliant catalyst for that. We’re really grateful to Engage Cymru and to Peter Lynn & Partners for making it possible.”
Peter Lynn & Partners said supporting community initiatives formed an important part of the firm’s commitment to the areas it serves.
A spokesperson said: “We understand the role we play in supporting the communities we serve and sport in particular forms the backbone of our corporate social responsibility strategy.
“Alongside sport, we are actively involved in local arts and have funded many independent productions in theatres across the region. We have been delighted to see the impact this photography project has had on participants and are pleased to have been able to support the exhibition of the resulting photos at The Welfare.”
The exhibition opened in The Welfare Ystradgynlais’ Lesser Hall on July 3 and will remain on display until August 26.
