This exciting initiative, funded with support from Cardiff City Council through the Shared Prosperity Fund, aims to bring together communities by creating nature-rich urban environments which will support biodiversity, re-energize public spaces through creativity and allow diverse residents to connect with the natural world, and with each other.
We are delighted to be working with these brilliant local artists to deliver their ambitious proposals in Cathays as part of 'Pharmabees', find out more about the project:
Analog-Architecture and Situated Studio (Placemaking project on university-owned land at Cathays Train Station and Placemaking project at Roy Jenkins University Hall)
Analog Architecture and Situated Studio are ambitious and distinctive Cardiff-based architecture and creative practices run by Rhian Thomas and Amanda Spence respectively. Having previously practiced together as ALT-Architecture, Rhian and Amanda continue to collaborate regularly, primarily on projects with arts, community and placemaking at their heart.
Their creative practices pursue contemporary projects across a diverse range of type, scale and budget, from installation, to building, to landscape, urbanism and placemaking. Their work is always underpinned by a critical response to the site, context and brief. They approach all projects with care for the impact of their work on the environment and on the communities in which they exist. As such, they strive to create places which are beautiful, ethical, sustainable and capture the spirit of place.
They have a proven track record of creating and delivering ideas which transcend the traditional notion of architecture, and overlap with art, landscape and community. They have worked together on projects with placemaking and community at their core for 20 years, including a pop-up community orchard in Aber Valley and three place-specific artist-designed children’s playgrounds in north Cardiff. Key themes relating to community growing spaces, connecting with nature, imaginative play and social connection and well-being have characterised their most recent work.
Valentine Gigandet (Cathays and Cardiff City Centre ‘Bee Trail’ and Pharmabees pop-up exhibition)
Valentine Gigandet (she/her), is a Cardiff-based artist and designer focusing on community-engaged projects. Her practice tries to address global issues such as food justice, climate change, gender inequality, and forced migration through collaborative visual storytelling and creative workshops.
With a background in Design for Performance, Valentine creates immersive sets, displays, and structures that bring stories to life for diverse audiences. Their work, often showcased in public spaces, focuses on visual storytelling and the ways people connect with places.
She also has training in Communication Design and Brand Identity, which she uses to collaborate with ethical projects promoting environmental and social justice.
Louise Shenstone and Nancy Evans (Wellbeing and pollinator garden at Maindy Road)
Louise Shenstone has over 35 years experience of working in the visual arts as an artist, educator and manager. During this time she has worked as a public and community artist creating landmark artworks for public spaces and facilitating others in the production of artworks in schools, hospitals and community settings in Wales, England and the United States.
Nancy Evans is a community-based artist with over 20 years of facilitating workshops and residencies in education, healthcare, community and celebratory settings. She is a visual artist working in different mediums but over the last decade her interest in nature has steered her to work mainly with natural materials and environmental issues.
Wall-Op Murals (Robin) and Elin Barker (Timber planter project)
Elin Barker is a garden conservator at St Fagans Museum, where she specialises in creating wildlife-friendly gardens that honour their history while embracing sustainability. With experience developing vegetable and ornamental gardens, Elin blends heritage with innovation to meet modern environmental challenges. A Fine Art graduate from Falmouth University, she brings a creative perspective to her work. Currently studying garden design, Elin is passionate about transforming historic spaces into vibrant, biodiverse environments that thrive for future generations.
Robin Bonar-Law is the creative director at Wall-op Murals, he's passionate about creating meaningful, community-focused artwork that makes an impact. A graduate of Falmouth University, Robin specialises in designing murals shaped by the voices and stories of the people who inhabit the spaces they transform. His adaptive, client-centred approach allows him to create art that aligns seamlessly with the visual language and values of organisations, while fostering a sense of ownership and pride within communities. Robin has worked with Cardiff University, Amgueddfa Cymru, and Cardiff Council, delivering creative projects that celebrate collaboration and inspire connection.
Anna-Amalia Coviello (Keep Cathays Tidy rubbish and recycling project)
Anna-Amalia is a multidisciplinary artist, facilitator and founder of Well Wagon, a community art space on wheels where they deliver therapeutic art workshops from their tricycle across South Wales. Since completing their Creative and Therapeutic Arts degree at USW, Anna has collaborated with communities and organisations in delivering creative workshops through painting, illustration, murals, installation, creative writing and somatic movement.
They are passionate about using art to transform public spaces and connect communities, while incorporating therapeutic art practices to enhance people’s wellbeing, amplify voices and empower personal experience in people’s healing journey.
Their work is bold, bright and colourful, often feminist, political, with comments on gender representation, sexuality, mental health, with a drive for mindfulness in its process.
Keep an eye on Creative Cardiff's channels over the next few weeks, where we'll be sharing more information about the artists and their projects!
