Eisteddfod yr Urdd provides amazing cultural experiences for 75,000 children and young people every year. With over 400 competitions, from singing to cooking, dancing to designing websites, and writing stories to staring on stage – there’s something here for everyone!

The competing journey usually starts in February in the Eisteddfod Cylch (Local) and Rhanbarth (Regional), and the winners go on to the Urdd National Eisteddfod – one of Europe’s largest travelling festivals which attracts over 100,000 visitors, held during May half term. Competing in the Urdd Eisteddfod is also one of the Siarter Iaith’s targets, which inspires children to use the Welsh language.

The Urdd Eisteddfod in Denbighshire was postponed twice in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid-19. During this time the Eisteddfod adapted by offering thousands of competitors and viewers a chance to enjoy our digital festival ‘Eisteddfod T’.

The Urdd welcomed the highest number of visitors back to the Eisteddfod in 2022 after Covid-19 as 118,000 people attended the Urdd Eisteddfod in Denbighshire. There were over 100,000 registrations to compete at Eisteddfod yr Urdd Maldwyn 2024, where thousands of competitors from across Wales were given the opportunity to perform on stage in one of the three pavilions as we offered a ‘Stage for All’ once again.

The work of the Urdd Theatre Company continues, and in 2014 they performed ‘Cysgu’n Brysur (Sleeping Busy’) in Aberystwyth to large audiences and following extremely successful performances of Les Misérables in the Millenium Centre in 2015, the cast performed at the Les Misérables 30th anniversary concert in the Queen’s Theatre West End and sand with the original cast for the ‘finale’! The original show ‘Aberhenfelen’ was a joint project between the Urdd and Theatr Bara Caws, which was performed at Galeri Caernarfon and the ATRIuM in Cardiff in 2019. Since re-launching after Covid in 2022, Y Cwmni has performed ‘Deffro’r Gwanwyn’ in 2023, a brand-new production in 2024 (‘Ble mae trenau’n mynd gyda’r nos a chwestiynau mawr eraill bywyd’) and ‘Ceridwen’ will be staged in 2025.

Our Sports department offers a range of specialist provisions to the youth of Wales and has developed into one of the main providers of sport through the medium of Welsh. The department provides opportunities across Wales for every child and young person to embrace sport, through our clubs, competitions, training, and regional and national sports festivals. Our inclusive provision is operated by a network of skilled and motivated staff, apprentices and volunteers who enable us to offer activities of the highest quality across Wales. 250 sports clubs are held weekly across the country, which are attended by 3,500 members.

Every year 103,000 visitors and over 850 primary and secondary schools in Wales attend the Urdd’s residential centres. 2019 marked the beginning of a £9.5million capital project to expand and develop the Urdd’s residential centres. The investment would support our vision to offer pioneering, modern centres to increase the organisation’s wellbeing and outdoor learning opportunities for children, young people and schools across Wales. Thanks to the support by the Welsh Government’s Sustainable Communities for Learning Programme and Big Lottery Fund Wales, the capital development project includes: the opening of the self-contained accommodation Glan-llyn Isa’ in 2021; a complete modernisation of parts of the Llangrannog Centre, including increased accommodation and a new multi-purpose hall and central hub which opened in 2022; and a new water sport centre with modern facilities at the Glan-llyn site to open Summer 2023. We also opened Wales’ very first environmental centre, Pentre Ifan in Pembrokeshire, in 2023.

Since 2014 the Apprenticeships department has been committed to bridging the gap between education and employment and has helped over 1,000 individuals to gain hands-on experience and acquire industry-recognised qualifications. We work with several partners to develop a range of Welsh-medium apprenticeships and training that offer new opportunities to learn, develop and increase confidence in the workplace. From sports, outdoor activities and youth work apprenticeships to qualifications and accreditations, we offer a range of opportunities for all ages and abilities.

Our Community Department focuses on providing arts opportunities to our members across Wales, support for volunteers and arranging activities to encourage and enable children and young people to socialise through the medium of Walsh outside the classroom. We also support schools to compete in the Urdd Eisteddfod as well as developing the Urdd’s adrannau and aelwydydd (junior and youth clubs).

The Urdd has ambitious plans to celebrate and share the cultural richness of Wales and exemplify how Wales’s youth are pivotal in shaping a globally connected, conscientious future. We stand as a key organisation in Wales working with partners such as Welsh Government, British Council, BBC, FAW, WRU, Commonwealth Games, S4C, Wales Arts International to name a few. Partnerships with these organisations have helped expand our work and reach internationally through projects in the USA, Ireland, France, Germany, Kenya, New Zealand, India, Patagonia, Hungary, Brussels, Cameroon, Australia, Japan and elsewhere.

Since the beginning, our aim has always been to bring the Welsh language alive for children and young people in Wales and to increase their use of Welsh. To do this is our Strategic Objectives for the next 5 years are as follows:

• Urdd for All – a consistent and equitable provision that welcomes diversity
• Our offer – engaging, current and flexible
• Our volunteers – the support and upskilling pathways
• Our workforce – which is competent, flexible and inclusive
• Our environment – Urdd that is environmentally responsible
• Our premises – that are appealing and suitable for future needs

To read our 2023-2028 Corporate Strategy in full, click here.