In the first financial year of activity, The Muse Agency has had an impact on the community in a number of positive ways, working with people from across Brecon, and in partnership with a variety of arts, culture and wellbeing organisations. New community led art has been created, presented in Brecon, produced and promoted and The Muse Agency has worked with an enthusiastic audience from the local area and beyond. The ambition of The Muse Agency was supported by a grant from the Media Cymru programme facilitated through University of Cardiff. This grant enabled the directors to develop skills and experience of facilitating audience and stakeholder consultation. It built understanding of the process of feasibility research, and provided better understanding of audiences and participants from Brecon and the surrounding community. A result has been the development of a draft business plan for a digital arts programme, Brycheiniog Digital Biennale, that is hoped to be realised in the future in partnership with other local culture organisations, showcasing innovative Welsh digital artwork, and offering impressive, fun artwork as an access point to the arts for a wide and diverse community . From the Brycheiniog Digital Biennale research came an understanding of how the local public might engage more in both digital and traditional arts activity, spurring The Muse Agency to programme a number of small community arts projects. This included an Anti-Poverty focused programme of art sessions with Brecon Youth Club, and has brought a focus on young people who are currently poorly served in the local area. During this first year of operation, The Muse Agency has spent time and resources piloting programmes that could potentially engage target audiences: -Participation in Art Studio (young people) - 15 young people, 15 events, 4 artists -Schools - 4 (over 135 pupils) -Local organisations – 5 -Artists / producers undertaking paid work - 10 -Events and workshops – 49 -Exhibitions mounted – 3 -Curriculum Resources – 1 -People reached - 4856, estimate (4000 is Theatr Brycheiniog Summer Programme) -Media Cymru Consultation - 56 adults, 15 artists, 70 school pupils, 25 organisations -Programme audiences via Theatr Brycheiniog Summer Programme - 4000 (estimate) -Local artists / producers via Theatr Brychiniog Summer Programme - 60 (estimate) Working in collaboration with local organisations in Brecon has proved beneficial and enabled The Muse Agency to reach an audience of 4856 (estimate) through a wide range of programming. A goal of engaging local artists and producers in paid work has seen around 70 paid opportunities for local creatives in 49 events and workshops. The Muse Agency has delivered in collaboration a programme that enables the community to learn, appreciate and be involved in arts and culture by enabling access, presentation opportunities (exhibitions, performance space), production, creation, promotion and participation in a high-quality program of creative activities, in line with company objective and facilitating public benefit to the Brecon community.

A grant from Media Cymru supported a process of consultation with stakeholders including the public, the artist community, other local organisations, Powys County Council, Brecon Town Council, y Gaer Museum and Library, Brecon Story, Brecon Buzz (and choir festival), Brecon Jazz Festival, Brecon Frazz Parade, Black Mountains College, Bannau Brycheiniog National Parks Authority, Tantrwm. These are a mix of learning and cultural organisations and private companies. From outside of the Brecon area: Wales Millenium Centre, Bocs, 4Pi, CultVR, Bristol Light Festival, Cardiff University, artists from across the UK. Through producing programmes locally, The Muse Agency has collaborated with Theatr Brycheiniog, Found Gallery, Brecon High School, Ysgol y Bannau, Ysgol Penmaes, Ysgol Golwg Pen y Fan, Brecon Story, Brecon Buzz, Brecon Cathedral, Brecon Youth Club, Brecon Jazz Festival, Dance Blast, Fetch Theatre, Impelo, South Powys Youth Music, y Gaer Museum and Library. Arts programmes delivered by The Muse Agency: -Brycheiniog Digital Biennale -Anti Poverty Youth Club Project (Powys County Council funded) Services provided by The Muse Agency -Gwenllian Morgan Educational Resource -Choir Festival Schools Art Project -Theatr Brycheiniog Summer Programme Partnerships formed: Theatr Brycheiniog - an informal relationship has been established to work together towards engaging young people, and potentially programme a digital arts programme. The Muse Agency and Theatr Brycheiniog worked together to enable the hosting of an Immersive Arts showcase and workshop at the theatre for artists and technologists in October 2025. A positive and productive relationship has been formed with Brecon Youth Club (Powys County Council Youth Service), who provide youth services two evenings a week from The Muse where The Muse Agency CIC is also located. It’s recognised that the Art Studio offer for young people is a slow process of building engagement with its audience, and consistent funding is now sought to enable this to happen. The Muse Agency has largely served the immediate geographical area of Brecon in Powys. It’s stakeholders reach around Mid and South Wales, and into the English Border area. The Muse Agency stakeholders include artists, the public, arts and culture organisations and community organisations, volunteers, local town and county council, youth services, health and wellbeing organisations, schools and local business.

Directors remuneration to Ruth Gibbs and Ruth Lloyd is set out in the accounts. Directors received payment for project work where funding allowed, though an amount of work was undertaken with no remuneration and on an in-kind basis.

Two ipads from Digital Communities Wales (Cwmpas) were received by The Muse Agency.