Key Points
- Mentera, an independent business development agency, is introducing a new series of events to help Wales’ creative industries.
- The new programme has been named Creative Industries Wales: Creative Contacts.
- It will kick off with events in Wrexham, Carmarthen and Cardiff.
- The events will involve bringing together businesses, entrepreneurs and freelancers from the creative industries.
- They will include areas such as music, film and television, design, digital, games, publishing, animation, visual arts and content production.
- These events will not be conferences but rather open discussions.
- Attendees will discuss existing support, challenges, opportunities, skills, infrastructure and support for growth of creative businesses.
- Results of these events will be used for developing a practical support package which will consist of resources, guidance and advice.
- The Wrexham event will take place on Tuesday, November 10, between 2.15 pm and 4.30 pm; Carmarthen on Tuesday, November 24, between 2 pm and 4.30 pm; Cardiff on Wednesday, November 25, between 2 pm and 4.30 pm.
- Speaking about the events, Mentera’s Chief Executive Llŷr Roberts said that Mentera intends to listen to the sector and to make sure that any future support will be designed according to the industry knowledge.
Wales (Wales Times) November 4, 2026 — Mentera has launched a new series of events designed to bring together Wales’ creative businesses, entrepreneurs and freelancers and help shape future support for the sector, as reported by Nation.Cymru and Business News Wales.
The initiative, titled Creative Industries Wales: Creative Contacts, will begin with events in uk/local/wrexham/">Wrexham, Carmarthen and Cardiff. According to Business News Wales, the programme is intended to help the creative sector develop and thrive by creating space for people working across the industry to share experiences and influence the support available to them.
What will the Mentera events cover?
Mentera will hold open conversations with professionals working across a broad range of creative fields. As reported by Nation.Cymru, these fields include music, film and television, design, digital, gaming, publishing, animation, visual arts and content creation.
The company says the sessions will not be formal conferences. Instead, they will be structured as open discussions, giving attendees the opportunity to discuss the support, skills, infrastructure and opportunities needed to strengthen the sector and support the growth of creative businesses in Wales.
Business News Wales reports that participants will also be able to discuss support that already exists, identify challenges and opportunities, and give their views on the type of assistance needed to help creative businesses thrive.
How will feedback shape future support?
Mentera says information and insights gathered during the event series will be used to shape a practical support package for creative businesses and entrepreneurs. According to Nation.Cymru, the package will include resources, guidance and advice developed directly from feedback gathered from the sector.
The stated aim is to ensure that future support responds to the real needs of Wales’ creative businesses. Business News Wales describes the programme as reflecting Mentera’s wider commitment to strengthening Wales’ creative ecosystem and creating opportunities for businesses, entrepreneurs and freelancers to collaborate, develop and thrive.
What did Mentera’s chief executive say?
Llŷr Roberts, Mentera’s Chief Executive, said Wales is home to “an incredible wealth of talent, creativity and entrepreneurial spirit”.
As reported by Nation.Cymru, Roberts said: “Through these events, our aim is to listen to the voices of the sector, understand the challenges and opportunities facing creative businesses today, and ensure that any future support is shaped by the people who have first-hand experience of working in the industry.”
He added: “This is an opportunity to bring the sector together and identify what will contribute to its success, enabling it to grow and thrive sustainably. We believe the creative sector has a key role to play in the future of the Welsh economy, and we look forward to building this journey in partnership with the sector.”
When and where are the events taking place?
The first round of Creative Industries Wales: Creative Contacts events will take place across three Welsh locations. Nation.Cymru lists the following dates and times:
- Wrexham: Tuesday, November 10, 2:15pm to 4:30pm.
- Carmarthen: Tuesday, November 24, 2pm to 4:30pm.
- Cardiff: Wednesday, November 25, 2pm to 4:30pm.
Tickets for the events are available through Mentera, with further information available on the organisation’s website.
Background of the development
Mentera is an independent business development company that says it supports businesses and communities across Wales. Its wider work includes programmes intended to nurture enterprising thinking and help businesses and communities generate prosperity, according to the company’s profile published by Business News Wales.
The new creative-industries programme follows Mentera’s stated focus on supporting Wales’ wider business ecosystem. Business News Wales describes the organisation’s mission as building “a prosperous and sustainable Welsh economy driven by a movement of thriving and innovative businesses”.
The launch comes as creative-sector professionals are being invited to contribute directly to the design of business support. Rather than announcing a completed support scheme, Mentera has positioned the events as a consultation and engagement process, with the resulting package to be informed by feedback from people working in the sector.
Prediction: What could this mean for Wales’ creatives?
For freelancers, small creative businesses and entrepreneurs in Wales, the events could provide a direct route to influence the design of future business support. If Mentera follows through on its stated plan, feedback from attendees may shape resources, guidance and advice intended to address sector-specific needs.
For people working in music, film and television, design, digital, gaming, publishing, animation, visual arts and content creation, the sessions may also create networking opportunities across creative disciplines and locations. The three initial events in Wrexham, Carmarthen and Cardiff give professionals in north, west and south Wales separate opportunities to take part.
The practical effect will depend on the issues raised during the discussions and on how Mentera converts that feedback into support. The company has said the resulting package will be developed directly from sector feedback, which places creative professionals’ participation at the centre of the process.
