One of the most popular Christmas events in Cardiff this winter will be the display of a new piece of art with an important message. Visitors to this year’s Christmas in Bute Park event can look forward to the unveiling of a new installation by Welsh artists, as well as being the first in Britain to see a new rainbow ball of light.

Christmas in Bute Park, which starts on November 24, will bring a new design and more than 2km of lighting to the capital this festive season. It will feature a Christmas village and surround sound created by young local composers, as well as live music by students from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (RWCMD).

This year, Molara Adezigbin, an artist from Preseli Hills in Pembrokeshire, has joined the show, joining forces with Cardiff-based designer Grace Priest to create a stunning installation that promises to shed light on the lives of people in Wales in these festivities. Station. Keep up to date with the latest happenings in Wales by signing up to our What’s New newsletter here

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In the new installation, Molara aims to celebrate different voices, capturing stories of people who have fled in different ways, such as asylum seekers and those who have abandoned their homes for various reasons. The installation will include a spectacular set of eight-metre angel wings painted by RWCMD set design students. These wings will incorporate fabric patterns from nations affected by war and persecution.

Molara shared her vision for the piece, explaining: “I always try to bring multiple voices to any project I participate in. We need to highlight the positive aspects of the different types of people who live in Wales and how this enriches us. from the point of view of our global perspective.”



Molara Adezigbin is one of two new Welsh artists chosen for Christmas at Bute Park to design and create one of their new installations



The Christmas Lights Trail in Bute Park last year

Molara, along with Grace, will work with lighting designer Elanor Higgins to create new installations as part of a completely revised and expanded trial this Christmas in Cardiff city centre. You can read more about what to expect here.

Christmas at Bute Park has grown in popularity since its debut in 2021, attracting almost 300,000 visitors. It is set to remain a much-loved part of the city’s Christmas tradition until at least 2025. The event has also increased its commitment to providing training and employment opportunities through its Ignite Cymru initiative, with more than £160,000 worth of training planned over the next three years. .

Ignite Cymru is a Welsh Government initiative supported by Arts Council Wales. Its aim is to develop the skills of local creatives by providing training and mentoring support to emerging creatives in Wales.



It promises to be a spectacle




Roxie Robinson, creative director of From The Fields, producers of the event, expressed her admiration for Molara and Grace’s contribution, saying: “We are delighted to have the invaluable knowledge and creative contribution that Molara and Grace brought to Christmas in Bute Park Trail. as creative professionals here in Wales.

“As a team, we were completely impressed with the ideas and vision they both presented in the application process for Ignite Cymru and we are all really excited to see their ideas come to life for Christmas 2023 in Bute. Try the park.

“We are also very grateful to the Welsh Government for their support in ensuring that the Ignite Cymru programme, which we first launched in 2022, continues to help us develop the relationships we have established for the benefit of young people, students, volunteers and creatives. practitioners. in Wales.”

As Wales embraces the festive spirit, Molara and Grace’s installation is sure to act as a beacon, illuminating the lives of people from all walks of life in the heart of Cardiff.