Tanio - Valley and Vale Community Arts

Who we are

Since the early 1980s - when Valley and Vale Community Arts was set up to help people in the Garw Valley document their experiences of the miners’ strike - we have championed the power of community arts to change lives.

From those early days, our aim has always been to offer safe environments where we provide a range of creative activities to help a diverse range of people develop new skills, confidence and self-esteem. These opportunities for people to enrich their lives through creative self-expression have been key to our overall vision.

In recognition that the world is changing and so must we, we recently rebranded from Valley and Vale to Tanio.

We remain committed to the communities we already serve in Wales, but we also want to consolidate and develop our work across Wales, the UK and other countries, to share creative insights and help spark new ways of thinking.

Our new brand very much reflects our journey; it also sums up where we are now, and where we are heading.

Our decades of delivering arts-based interventions to communities in need has shown us the power of art to create positive change. At an individual level, our work builds self-esteem and confidence, while at a community level, our work nurtures and strengthens groups, empowering people to support each other. Our new brand conveys that idea of sparking change and progress.

The people we work with sometimes have complex lives and needs. But the one thing that will never change is our determination to give people the very best community arts opportunities and experiences.
Our work will become more vital than ever in the months and years ahead. As an organisation, we were born during a national crisis to help people in the Garw Valley cope with a time of great upheaval and change. As we look ahead to the aftermath of the global Coronavirus crisis, we will be here to help our communities rebuild, giving them opportunities to express their hopes and fears through the power of art.

Our Artistic Mission
Tanio strives for all community members to have access to, experience and participate in high quality arts that are inspiring and aspirational.

Tanio:
Ignites Creativity
• By ensuring all of our work is of the highest artistic quality, working with trained professional artists with a person-centred approach
• By opening doors to raise aspiration
• By giving people access to inspiring experiences
Ignites Community
• By creating inclusive and supportive opportunities for all
• By nurturing a safe, respectful and collaborative environment
• By building trust through bringing people together
Ignites Change
• By using community arts as a vehicle for exploration and change
• By having a positive impact on the individual, their families and wider society
• By improving health and wellbeing so that an individual can lead a happy, curious and more productive life