Wales and South West England Office

Our team supports members by organising events and professional development opportunities, and through political engagement with the Welsh Government and Senedd. We also work with Welsh specific funding pots and grants, and with the Wales TUC and CULT Cymru.

Contact us

We are your first point of contact for anything and everything to do with your career as a musician across Wales and the border regions. We also cover Cheltenham, through Salisbury, Weymouth, and all the way down to Penzance.

Contact info

0292 045 6585 Send an enquiry Office hours: Monday to Friday, 10:00am - 5:30pm

Transport House 1 Cathedral Rd Cardiff CF11 9SD

Andy Warnock

Regional Organiser

Wales & South West England

wswe@theMU.org

Ruth Ballantyne

Regional Officer

Wales & South West England

wswe@theMU.org

Calliope Cooper-Russell

Membership Services Assistant

WSWE Regional Office

wswe@themu.org

Get involved with your Region

Members’ Day Events 2025

Members in Wales and South West England will be able to attend local and regional Members’ Day events throughout 2025. While more information will be released in the new year, here are some key dates to help you plan ahead.

Meet the Wales & South West England Regional Committee

The Wales and South West England region has a dynamic Regional Committee made up of activist members who help to deal with issues and policy in the region. Meet the members, find out what they do and how you too can be involved.

Watch: An Overview of the Wales & South West England Regional Committee

In this short video clip, hear from Wales & South West England Regional Committee members about why it's important to get involved and what issues, whether they be local or national, are typically discussed at Committee meetings.

South West England news

The Creative Census 2025: Help Make the Case for Creative Industry Funding in Cornwall

The annual Creative Census, run by Cornwall Council, is your chance to help make the case for funding and investment, and to share what support you think creative sectors in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly really need. Survey closes on 6 March.

Published: 27 January 2025

Naomi Pohl at Labour Party Conference 2024 holding a placard that says 'Labour's New Deal for Working People'.

MU Celebrates Employment Rights Bill – A Major Win for Trade Unions

We welcome the Labour Government's new Employment Rights Bill, introducing measures that strengthen the collective voice of workers across the UK.

Published: 10 October 2024

Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaking at Labour Party Conference 2024.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer Backs Access to Music Education for Every Child

The Prime Minister shared how music has improved his life, and why he supports access to music education for every child.

Published: 25 September 2024

A photo of orchestra musicians wearing campaign t-shirts and holding placards, with one speaking into a megaphone.

Welsh National Opera Orchestra Take Industrial Action Over Proposed Pay Cuts

Musicians in the Welsh National Opera orchestra took Action Short of Strike on Saturday 21 September.

Published: 24 September 2024

Highlights From the MU at Tolpuddle Festival 2024

At this year’s Tolpuddle festival - which celebrates the trade union movement with a joyful range of workshops, performances and more - the MU’s Campaign & Organising Support Official took to the stage for a panel on Creative Arts, as well as joining members in the traditional banner march.

Published: 30 July 2024

WNO musicians holding up placards to support the Protect WNO campaign.

MU Welcomes £3.6m Boost for Welsh Arts Sector

Welsh National Opera is set to get the largest share of £3.6 million of new funding to support jobs and touring, following campaigning by Musicians' Union members in the orchestra.

Published: 05 December 2024

WNO orchestra players holding up placards that say 'Protect WNO'.

Protect Welsh National Opera: Email Your Political Representatives for Support

Email your political representatives to support musicians campaigning to protect Welsh National Opera jobs and secure the company’s future, including touring in England and Wales.

Published: 30 October 2024

MU Celebrates Employment Rights Bill – A Major Win for Trade Unions

We welcome the Labour Government's new Employment Rights Bill, introducing measures that strengthen the collective voice of workers across the UK.

Published: 10 October 2024

Welsh National Opera Orchestra Take Industrial Action Over Proposed Pay Cuts

Musicians in the Welsh National Opera orchestra took Action Short of Strike on Saturday 21 September.

Published: 24 September 2024

Members of the WNO orchestra stood outside the Wales Millennium Centre at a leafleting demo event in June. One person is holding a megaphone.

MU Urges Arts Council of Wales to Use Additional £1.5m Funding to Protect Welsh National Opera

We welcome the acknowledgement of the crisis facing Welsh arts organisations, and urge Arts Council of Wales to use the additional funding to protect full-time performing jobs at Welsh National Opera.

Published: 13 September 2024

Protect Welsh National Opera! Diogelu Opera Cenedlaethol Cymru!

Arts Council of Wales and Arts Council England funding cuts are putting the future of Welsh National Opera (WNO) at risk.

Mae toriadau ariannol gan Gyngor Celfyddydau Cymru ac Arts Council England yn fygythiad i ddyfodol Opera Cenedlaethol Cymru.

These cuts must not be allowed to happen on our watch.

Protect WNO

Rhaid i’r toriadau hyn beidio â digwydd tra ein bod ni wrth y llyw.

Diogelu WNO

Protect Welsh National Opera! Diogelu Opera Cenedlaethol Cymru!

Upcoming events in Wales & South West England

Last chance to book

31 Jan 2025

Feldenkrais: Move Better, Feel Better, Perform Better

Free up your playing and singing using the Feldenkrais method, a sensory-motor learning system which looks at our mind and body holistically.

Online Member only

Last chance to book

Stacked rocks on the shore against a clear blue sky.

03 Feb 2025

Guided Meditation

An extremely efficient and powerful meditation practice, based on Ascension meditation techniques that are tailored to help musicians both in their professional and personal lives.

Online Member only

Last chance to book

Woman smiling while looking at a laptop screen.

04 Feb 2025

RSM Social Networking

Meet colleagues from across the music profession for an informal gathering over Zoom.

Online

Wales and South West England Office