Gwrello Glaw

Tanya Brittain describes herself as a cultural ambassador, Cornish language student, writer and tea drinker. Tanya was born and raised in South Yorkshire, England but has Breton ancestry. She graduated from Art college in the 80s and her first job was in the mining industry as an illustrator of specialist equipment for technical publications. She progressed rapidly through the ranks into general management and marketing. Working in the publishing, food and music industries over a period of twenty years, she ended up in Cornwall working on a six-month project. Six months became six years, six years became twelve, etc.

Working actively with other Celtic nations and connecting with Cornish diaspora worldwide, Tanya has made an outstanding contribution to the promotion of Cornwall's traditional culture, heritage and language over the past decade. Tanya has commissioned and produced many live performances, short films and vox pops featuring famous faces speaking or singing in Cornish. The Artistic Director of a large music festival for over five years, Tanya was responsible for designing and delivering several projects involving the creation of new music in both English and Cornish language, including the Big Cornish Sing - a live broadcast which took place in 2017 and which attracted a digital reach of almost two million viewers.

An award-winning writer, songwriter and touring musician, Tanya formed folk band, The Changing Room, with vocalist Sam Kelly in 2014. Her original music in Cornish language has been broadcast live on BBC Radio 4, BBC Radio 3 and BBC Radio 2 and recordings by The Changing Room are afforded regular airplay worldwide. The Changing Room's debut album is listed in The Telegraph's 'Best Folk albums of 2015'.

Tanya has been writing a monthly bi-lingual column for international cultural lifestyle magazine Cornwall Today for over two years and has now turned her attention to writing full-time.