FAIR SATURDAY
The day after Black Friday, Cardiff will be putting on something a little different to the hectic day of deals. Katie Duffin speaks to the Lord Mayor Dan De’Ath, and councillor Caro Wild to find more about it.
On Sat 30 Nov 180 cities over the world, including Cardiff, will unite for Fair Saturday: an event that aims to combine the power of art and culture with social change. Founded in Bilbao, the idea is for artists to work together with local organisations of their choice to deliver entertainment whilst raising awareness for their causes. Led by a collaboration between Cardiff City Council, No Fit State and British Council Wales, venues will be hosting music and dance performances, film screenings, poetry workshops and more. To top it off, the Lord Mayor Dan De’Ath will be transforming the top floor of the Old Library, on the Hayes, into a night-time rave for anyone who’s up for a party.
What do you hope Fair Saturday will do for Cardiff?
Dan De’Ath: Other big cities like Bristol and Glasgow are involved, and as the Welsh capital we’re keen to be part of something that’s really positive and anti-commercial [as opposed to Black Friday]. I think it’s all about showcasing what the city has to offer culturally.
Caro Wild: The big thing is that there are so many amazing small organisations around here that are often a little bit disconnected from the city as a collective, so it’s really about bringing us together. It’s about being part of something bigger – not only in Cardiff, but also as a global movement.
So what exactly can we expect from the Lord Mayor’s rave?
DD: The rave in the evening is just to say thank you to those people who have put in so much effort to make the day, I’m sure, a huge success. It’s to close the day on a high. It’s also an opportunity to raise money for my two charities as Mayor, Welsh Women’s Aid and BAWSO.
Can you tell me a little bit about BAWSO?
DD: BAWSO is a Wales-wide charity based in Cardiff that provides support to mainly ethnic minority communities around issues like domestic abuse, human trafficking, that kind of thing – which is in keeping with the values of Fair Saturday.
Will we be seeing you perform personally, Dan? We’ve heard you were once in a band with Pete Doherty…
DD: I was, yes, in my formative days! You might well be seeing me do a short set.
Councillor Wild, you’re also doing a DJ set. What kind of music can we expect from you?
CW: Hopefully stuff people will like! Some dance music, electro, maybe some techno. We’re aiming to have an eclectic mix of music building up throughout the evening. It might get a bit heavier later on in the evening, but people can come whenever they feel like it.
As Mayor and Councillor, what do you think has been the most rewarding part of your jobs so far?
CW: As councillor, the big thing for me is improvement in the schools. I represent Riverside, and we’ve got three primary schools that are all achieving excellent results. I’m also a governor at Kitchener primary school, and that school has 40 different languages as first languages coming into the school. You go in there, and the work they’re doing spreads out through those young people and their families into the community. That’s the most heartwarming stuff – it really lifts our city.
DD: I think the most rewarding thing for me is bringing a fresh take to the role. Being Cardiff’s youngest ever mayor, I’m trying to carry out the role in a different way, and you never know how that’s going to go down with people. I’d like future mayors to have the space to do it a bit more creatively. Usually, the Lord Mayor’s fundraising involves coffee mornings and raffles, not raves! So I’m pleased that people have liked what I’ve tried to do so far.
Fair Saturday will take place in multiple venues across Cardiff on Sat 30 Nov.
Ticket prices vary. Info: www.fairsaturday.org