THE Vale of Glamorgan Council’s Art Central gallery will host The Romani Cultural and Arts Company’s heritage exhibition, Tales From The Trailer.

This is an interactive exhibition that showcases 20 distinct stories from the cultures of two very different Gypsy and Traveller communities across Cardiff. Some of these Cardiff families once lived and came from Cadoxton, Barry.

The exhibition seeks to preserve and promote a unique culture both to the Gypsy and Traveller communities throughout Wales and also to the 'settled' community nationally. The project from start to finish has been steered and led by the Cardiff Gypsy and Traveller communities to ensure true representation of their community, values, beliefs and realities.

Despite having been part of British society for over 500 years, members of the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller community are often thought of negatively. This new project, involves residents from the Rover Way and Shirenewton sites. These communities have lived at these sites for decades and in the area for hundreds of years and the residents share their life experiences, their historic nomadic way of life and their settled life in Cardiff.

This creative heritage exhibition has been created to develop a better understanding of the life Gypsy, Roma and Traveller community in Wales.

The Romani Cultural and Arts Company was formed in September 2009 and is a ground-breaking organisation with the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller community at heart. The company is led by, is about and is for Gypsies, Roma and Travellers and the wider community.

Working specifically through the arts the company raises funds to take community development and educational arts projects onto Gypsy, Roma and Traveller sites and into Gorjer and ‘country-folk’ communities across Wales.

The Romani Cultural and Arts Company believe that this community is capable of great things and greater integration into mainstream culture.

Cllr Lis Burnett, cabinet member for regeneration and education said: “We are delighted to be hosting this heritage exhibition at Art Central Gallery. It identifies that the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller community have been living in this country for many hundreds of years and more particularly for us, in this area since the mid to late 1800s. They lived in the traditional Vardo and Bendy Tents on what was known as Cadoxton Common”.

The exhibition is open until Saturday, July 30.

Art Central Gallery, King Square, Barry, is open Monday to Friday 10am to 4pm and Saturday 10am to 3.30pm. For further information visit valeofglamorgan.gov.uk/artcentral