Untitled - Literature Wales

The Welsh AcademyAnnual Report17Fieldworkin the WestWest Wales – west of a line drawn fromSwansea to Aberystwyth – has a lively butwidespread literary scene. Academi worksclosely with organisers in the region to try toensure that, despite the relative lack of majorarts venues, there can be a thriving writingand performance scene. Word Up Poetry’sregular sessions in the Cellar Bar, Cardiganfeatured Rachel Pantechnicon, Ifor Thomas,Mab Jones, Maggie Harris and SusanRichardson. Teifi Writers’s creative writingsessions were helped to employ RichardMarggraf Turley, Paul Henry, Tiffany Atkinsonand Julie Rainsbury as tutors.In May Gŵyl Bedwen Lyfrau at Ysgol yPreseli and Theatr y Gromlech in Crymych,Pembrokeshire had readings from MaureenRhys, Caryl Parry Jones, Gwenda Owen andAneurin Jones. Later in the year, as part ofGŵyl Bro’r Preseli, Y Taeogion ran an eveningof rigorously cheerful hardline verse at ClwbRygbi Crymych.Pembrokeshire County Council’s programmeat Haverfordwest Library brought Elin apHywel, Phil Carradice, Carol Rumens andMererid Hopwood to lead sessions in thetown. And a parallel set of workshops inFishguard had visits from Jasmine Donahaye,Christopher Meredith and Hilary Llewellyn-Williams. Narberth Museum Bookshop hostedevents for younger writers with MarciaWilliams, Francesca Kay and Chris Stephens.Merched y Wawr, Llanbedr Pont Steffan hada lively lecture reading from Bethan Gwanas.The midsummer Storywrights Festivalattracted almost two hundred visitorsand the literature component includedreadings, lectures and writing workshopsfrom Nicky Herriot, Marion Oughton andAnnabel Pribelszki.Festival goers will have spotted that Wales’sleading cult literature extravaganza, TheLaugharne Weekend, took place in March2008 and again in April 2009, apparentlymissing 2008-2009 completely. Expect to seethem well covered in this report next year.Development Worker -GwyneddGwen Lasarus James continues as GwyneddLiterature Promoter, working for Academi andGwynedd Council for three days a week andbased in the Library in Caernarfon.Some Gwynedd highlights for 2008-2009included a Squad workshop with Twm Morysin the round house at Felinuchaf RhoshirawenCentre in Aberdaron. A Stomp to celebrateSt David’s Day was organised with GaleriCaernarfon, and Hei Hogia, a scheme aimedat reluctant readers in schools, continuedits success with award-winning writer andstoryteller Cath Aran.Regular events included the Cerddi yn yCwpwrdd Cotiau (Poems Under the Staircase)series at Galeri, a Poetry Café / Caffi Cerddiseries in Theatr Harlech, and events atNeuadd Dwyfor Pwllheli. Food and prosewere joined in a popular new venture wherepassages from well-known novels were readout, with the audience invited to try samplesof food relating to the writing. The GwyneddClassical Writer’s Festival continued and atour was held in Dyffryn Nantlle with IwanLlwyd and Karen Owen.