How a Small Town Can Create Cultural Change
Cyflwynwyd y sgwrs hon yn Saesneg yn TEDxAberystwyth. Mae’r testun isod yn fersiwn ysgrifenedig, wedi’i olygu’n ysgafn, o’r sgwrs wreiddiol.
In the middle of winter, small towns can feel quiet, closed, and turned inward. But they can also be places of warmth, creativity, and unexpected connection. In this talk, recorded at TEDxAberystwyth, artist and educator Jess Baudey shares the story of Gŵyl Cariad (Festival of Love) and how a simple, inclusive idea helped bring people together, reshape the cultural landscape of a coastal town, and remind us that change does not have to start in big cities.
This is a lightly edited written version of Jess Baudey’s TEDxAberystwyth talk. It stays true to the ideas and spirit of the original, while shaping the spoken words into a clearer written form.
It’s the middle of winter in a small town on the west coast of Wales. Everyone wants to retreat, to hibernate, to keep warm. But what if there was a way to take that isolation and turn it into connection? To create something that brings people together through community?
That’s where we came in.
We started with a simple idea: a Festival of Love. A universal theme, something everyone could relate to, something that invited people to be part of something together. The aim was to reshape the cultural landscape.
The coastline of Ceredigion is rich and vibrant, full of creatives. But the arts can still feel inaccessible. Sometimes because of cultural divides, sometimes because of geography or seasonality. Art can feel like it only exists in galleries, museums, or the occasional weekend art fair.
We wanted to flip that. To redefine how people participate. To put art in unexpected places.
We didn’t have a big budget. What we did have was enthusiasm and shared values. So we put out a call. We shook the tree and saw what would happen. It wasn’t about imposing ideas. It was about inviting artists, business owners, and the wider community to collaborate.
Shop windows became mini exhibition spaces. Cafés, empty winter shops, and everyday places became venues. Art and events appeared where people already were.
Over three weeks, the festival grew organically. Businesses began working together in new ways. One of my favourite moments was inviting Aberystwyth Opera to perform a flash mob in a café. It was about colliding unexpected places with people, and breaking down the divides that can exist in the arts.
We had muralists painting live during the festival. We invited local art students to take part, placing them on a level playing field alongside established artists. They became part of a town-wide exhibition.
The impact happened in small but meaningful ways. Conversations started. Micro connections formed. The National Library placed work in a shop that had closed for the winter. People came forward to curate events and workshops themselves.
Some students created work so well matched to the businesses they were paired with that the owners asked to keep the artwork permanently. That matters.
The broader message is this: towns can be agents of change. It’s easy to feel pressure to fight who you are, or to try to be a big city. But the magic happens when you lean into your uniqueness.
Small towns have a particular power. You can open doors, knock on doors, speak to people directly, and build genuine connection. That matters, especially now.
This is a call out to creatives and communities everywhere. On the coast, in small towns across the world. You can make something happen. There is power in it.
What began as an idea became a movement. And if you ever find yourself in Aberystwyth in the bleak midwinter, come and see what love can build.
Thank you.
🎥 You can watch the original TEDxAberystwyth talk here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhY7VQBgrcY&t=21s
