Prosiect Cyfnewid Artistiad / Artists' Exchange Project

Gwnewch gais nawr am le ar Brosiect Cyfnewid Artistiaid TIR
Dyddiad Rhyddhau: 26 Tachwedd 2008

Pwrpas Prosiect Cyfnewid Artistiaid TIR yw dyrchafu gwaith artistiaid gweledol sydd yn siarad, neu gyda gwybodaeth o, iaith gynhenid Geltaidd, drwy raglen Artist Preswyl.

Mae'n ofynnol i'r artistiaid dewisedig fyw mewn ardal ble mae iaith Geltaidd yn cael ei siarad, yng Nghymru, Iwerddon neu'r Alban.

Bydd yr artistiaid a ddewisir yn cynhyrchu, wrth breswylio, casgliad o waith a fydd yn cael ei arddangos yn y tair gwlad gysylltiedig. Byddant hefyd yn cyflawni rhaglen o weithgareddau i'r gymuned yn y lleoliadau dewisol, a fydd wedi eu dylanwadu gan brofiadau diwylliannol.

Caiff bob artist lety a stiwdio i weithio ynddi am ddim, ynghyd ag ysgoloriaeth o ?5,000. Gall cyfrwng gweithio'r artistiaid gynnwys cerfluniaeth, paentio, printiau, celf ddigidol, amlgyfrwng, ffotograffiaeth a ffilm neu fideo. Bydd stiwdio ar gael i'r artistiaid yn ddyddiol a disgwylir iddynt weithio o leiaf ugain awr yr wythnos (bydd penwythnosau yn amser rhydd). Disgwylir iddynt hefyd gymryd rhan mewn rhaglen gymunedol leol gyda ysgolion a grwpiau eraill. Gall hyn olygu cynnal gweithdai neu gyflwyniadau. Caniateir o leiaf 5 wythnos rydd i'r artistiaid gynhyrchu 20 darn o waith i'r arddangosfa TIR. (Gwaith i'w gyflwyno yn barod i'w arddangos dim hwyrach na 12 wythnos ar ôl diwedd y cyfnod preswyl).

Thema'r arddangosfa yw TIR, sy'n golygu 'y ddaear' neu'r 'pridd' yn Gymraeg a Gaeleg. Deg wythnos fydd hyd y cyfnod preswyl.Disgwylir i'r artistiaid gynhyrchu gwaith o faint amrywiol. Ni ddylai maint y gwaith celf weledol fod yn fwy na 48" x 72" er mwyn hwyluso'r arddangosfa deithiol. Gofynnir i'r artistiaid sy'n cymryd rhan i roi rhodd o un darn o gelf i'r ganolfan o fewn y bartneriaeth.

Yn 2010 bydd casgliad o waith yr artistiaid yn cael ei arddangos yn yr orielau/lleoliadau celf sydd ynghlwm a'r prosiect. Bydd yr arddangosfa wedyn yn teithio i ganolfannau a ddewisir ym mhrif ddinasoedd Cymru, Iwerddon a'r Alban. Bydd arddangosfa TIR yn cynnwys y gwaith gorau gan bob artist. Clustnodir cyfraniad o ?500 tuag at gostau fframio er mwyn sicrhau'r safon uchaf bosib o grefftwaith proffesiynol.

Bydd yn ofynnol i'r gwaith a gynhyrchir tra mewn preswyl, ac a ddewisir i'r arddangosfa TIR, fod ar gael i'w werthu. Penderfynir y prisiau drwy drafod gyda'r artist. Rhennir comisiwn o 48% yn gyfartal rhwng y 3 ganolfan gysylltiedig. Bydd yr artist yn cadw 52% o'r holl gomisiwn gwerthiant. Bydd gan y prosiect yr awdurdod i rannu hawlfraint y waith celf a gynhyrchir tra mewn preswyl.

Graddfa amser, lleoliad a strwythur taluDyddiad cau i ymgeiswyr yw dydd Gwener, Rhagfyr 19eg 2008. Dyddiad cychwyn y cyfnod Artist Preswyl cyntaf fydd Chwefror 2009 (gweler amserlen fanwl isod). Bydd y cyfnod Artist Preswyl olaf yn gorffen diwedd Tachwedd 2009. Lleolir y stiwdio yn y lleoliadau cysylltiedig ond efallai bydd angen defnyddio lleoliadau eraill o fewn y rhaglen breswyl Bydd gan yr artistiaid fydd yn cymryd rhan fynediad i'w stiwdio am 6 diwrnod o'r wythnos. Byddant yn derbyn rhaglen breswyl gan y canolfannau cysylltiedig cyn eu dyfodiad. Bydd y 4 Artist Preswyl yn derbyn taliad cychwynnol o ?2,000, yna ?1,000 ychwanegol ar ôl 5 wythnos mewn preswyl, a ?2,000 ar gwblhad a chyflwyniad y gwaith i'w arddangos. Bydd yn ofynnol i'r artist dalu am ei holl gostau teithio a bwyd.

Cyfleusterau
Darperir llety i bob AP gan y lleoliadau cysylltiedig. Bydd gwybodaeth o gefndir y lleoliadau cysylltiedig wedi ei atodi i becyn ymgeisio'r AP a ddewisir.

Cymhwyster
Rydych yn gymwys i ymgeisio os:- Yr ydych yn artist sy'n byw ac yn gweithio o fewn yr ardaloedd sy'n defnyddio iaith Geltaidd yng Nghymru, Iwerddon a'r Alban ac sy'n siarad, neu gyda gwybodaeth dda o ddiwylliant ac iaith frodorol h.y. Cymraeg, Gaeleg- Yr ydych yn gallu dangos o leiaf tair blynedd o ymroddiad proffesiynol a'ch bod yn ymwneud a gwaith stiwdio yn awr- Yr ydych yn gallu darparu tystysgrif CRB cyfredol - bydd AP yn gweithio gyda phlant. (Bydd y lleoliad yn trefnu hyn os nad oes tystysgrif gyfoes ar gael)Nid ydych yn gymwys os:- Yr ydych yn cynhyrchu gwaith celf fel hobi- Yr ydych yn byw mewn ardal nad oes siarad iaith Geltaidd ynddi (gweler crynhoad ardal)

Meini Prawf
Bydd aelodau o banel yn defnyddio'r meini prawf canlynol i werthuso ymgeiswyr:- Safon gwaith yr ymgeiswyr fel y gwelir yn y gwaith gweledol a gyflwynir- Cofnod o arddangos ac adolygiad beirniadol- Arddangosiad o ymroddiad difrifol a chyson yn y maes proffesiynol o gelf gain drwy gyflwyniad o waith celf a dogfennau eraill

Adolygiad Cais-
Dewisir yr artistiaid gan banel o unigolion gweithredol ym maes diwylliant gweledol. Bydd y panel yn cynnwys aelodau o staff oriel a chyfranogwyr sydd yn artistiaid, adolygwyr, neu guraduriaid.- Bydd y dewis o artistiaid yn seiliedig ar safon artistig a'r gallu i weithio yn gynhyrchiol o fewn y rhaglen- Mae'n rhaid i ymgeiswyr fod yn artistiaid proffesiynol.

Canllawiau Cais
Hysbysir yr ymgeiswyr llwyddiannus o fewn 4 wythnos o gyflwyno ei gais. Adolygwch restr wirio y cais i sicrhau fod eich cais yn gyflawn ac anfonwch yr holl ddeunydd mewn un pecyn. Ni ystyrir ceisiadau anghyflawn.

Artistiaid Gweledol-
Rhwng 6-10 o ffeiliau JPEG ar CD. Lluniau i fod ddim mwy na 2MB yr un. Maint mwyaf llun i fod yn 800 x 600 picsel.- Rhaid rhifo'r ffeiliau yn ddilynol ac i gyfateb i'ch "Rhestr Lluniau"- Rhestr Lluniau. i gynnwys teitl, dyddiad, maint, cyfrwng i bob llun neu grŵp o luniau a gyflwynir os gwelwch yn dda.

Ffilm/Fideo/Cyfrwng Digidol/Perfformiad/Artist Sain-
Hyd at 20 munud o ddeunydd ar DVD neu CD- Os oes mwy nag un darn, nodwch os gwelwch yn dda ble mae un darn yn gorffen ac un arall yn dechrau- Un dudalen o ddisgrifiad cryno o'r gwaith, yn cynnwys datganiad o'ch bwriad.

Rhestr Wirio Cais
Os gwelwch yn dda a wnewch gynnwys y deunydd canlynol gyda'ch cais:- Ffurflen gais cyflawn- CV gyfredol, yn cynnwys prawf o'ch gwiriad CRB, arddangosfeydd diweddar, gwaith a gwobrwyon- Amlen wedi ei hunan gyfeirio gyda stamp os hoffech i'ch gwaith gael ei ddychwelyd. Ni all y prosiect warantu dychwelyd yr holl luniau ar ôl y broses o ddewis.

Peidio a gwahaniaethu
Mae'r rhaglen Artist Preswyl TIR yn annog ac yn croesawu artistiaid o bob cefndir i gymryd rhan ac ni fydd gwahaniaethu o ran hil, rhyw, ffafriaeth rywiol, anabledd, crefydd, statws priodasol na tharddiad cenedlaetholdeb yn y polisi derbyn.

AMSERLEN Y PROSIECT
DISGRIFIAD AMSER
Dewis artistiaid Rhagfyr 2008Paratoi rhagleni'r lleoliadau Ionawr 2009
Cyfnod gwaith preswyl 1af yn Oriel Plas Glyn y Weddw gan artist Gaeleg o Ynysoedd a'r Ucheldiroedd yr Alban Chwefror 9fed - Ebrill 17eg 09
2ail gyfnod gwaith preswyl yn Inis Oirr gan artist o Gymru Mawrth 23ain - Mai 29ain 09
3ydd cyfnod preswyl yn Taigh Chearsabhagh gan artist o Gymru Mehefin 29ain - Medi 4ydd 09
4ydd cyfnod preswyl yn Oriel Plas Glyn y Weddw gan artist o'r Gaeltacht Gwyddelig Medi 14eg - Tachwedd 20ed 09
Dewis yr Arddangosfa Ebrill 2010
Cyhoeddi catalog a manylion yr artistiaid Awst 2010
Arddangosfa deithiol yn cychwyn yn Oriel Plas Glyn y Weddw Yr Hydref 2010
Arddangosfa yn teithio i Taigh Chearsabhagh Ionawr - Mawrth 2011
Arddangosfa yn teithio i Galway Ebrill - Mehefin 2011
Arddangosfa yn teithio i Ddulyn Gorffennaf - Medi 2011
Arddangosfa yn teithio i Gaerdydd Hydref - Rhagfyr 2011
Arddangosfa yn teithio i Gaeredin Ionawr - Ebrill 2012

Cefnogwyr y Prosiect
Cefnogir Rhaglen Artist Preswyl TIR a'r arddangosfa drwy ariannu hael gan:Ymddiriedolaeth Carnegie; Ymddiriedolaeth Esmee Fairbairn; ?arás na Gaeltachta; Banc Iwerddon; Celf Gwirfoddol Cymru; Celf a Busnes Cymru; Cyngor Gwynedd; Oriel Plas Glyn y Weddw; Oras Eanna; Taigh Cheasabhagh; Cymunedau'n 1af Pen Llŷn; Bwrdd yr iaith Gymraeg.
/Diwedd

Manylion Cysylltu
Oriel Plas Glyn y Weddw,
Llanbedrog,
Pwllheli,
Gwynedd
LL53 7TT
Ffon: 01758 740763
E-bost: gwyn@oriel.org.uk

Cyswllt a'r Cyfryngau
Joanna Davies
Senior Press & Media Officer
Tel: 07817 291512 / 02920 376593
Email: Joanna.Davies@artswales.org.uk

Apply now for TIR Artists' Exchange Project
Release Date: 26 November 2008
The TIR Artists' Exchange Project is dedicated to advancing the work of visual artists who speak, or have knowledge of, a Celtic native language through its Artist-in-Residence programme. The chosen artists must live in a Celtic speaking area of Wales, Ireland or Scotland.

The artists chosen will produce, whilst in residence, a collective body of work that will be exhibited in the 3 partnership countries. They will also fulfil a community based programming schedule, inspired by shared cultural experiences, at each chosen venue.

Each artist is granted free accommodation and studio space, and a ?5,000 scholarship. Artists' media may include sculpture, painting, printmaking, digital art, mixed media, photography, and film or video. Artists will have daily access to studios and will be expected to work in the studio for a minimum of twenty hours per week (weekends are classed as free-time). Artists are also expected to participate in set local programmes involving schools and community groups.

These may involve conducting workshops or presentations. Artists will have a minimum of 5 free weeks in order to produce a minimum of 20 pieces for the TIR Exhibition. (Work to be submitted ready for exhibiting no later than 12 weeks from the end of each residency).

The theme of the exhibition is TIR, which is Welsh and Gaelic for land or earth. The period for the residency will be 10 weeks.

The artists will be expected to produce work of varying sizes. The size of the visual art produced should not exceed 48"x72" due to the restraints of touring the exhibition. Participating artists are asked to donate1 legacy piece of artwork to the partner venue.

In 2010 a collective exhibition of the artists' work will be presented for viewing at the galleries/art centres that hosted a residency. The exhibition will then travel on to chosen venues in the capital cities of Wales, Ireland and Scotland. The TIR exhibition will include the best work from each artist. A contribution towards framing costs of up to ?500 will be allocated to ensure the highest degree of professional craftsmanship is maintained.

Work produced in residence and chosen for the TIR exhibition must be made available for sale. Prices will be set in consultation with the artist. A commission of 48% will be shared equally between the 3 partner venues. The artist will retain 52% of all sales commission. The project retains the right to share copyright for the artwork produced in residence.

Timescale, location and pay structure:
The deadline for applicants is Friday December 19th 2008. The first Artist-in-Residence begins in February 2009 (see detailed schedule below). The last TIR Artist-in-Residence concludes in late November 2009. The studios are located at the partner venues but may also include off-site venues within the residency schedule. The participating artists will have access to their studios 6 days a week. Each artist will receive a residency schedule from each partner venue prior to arrival. All 4 AIR will receive an initial payment of ?2,000, a further ?1,000 after 5 weeks in residence and a closing ?2,000 on completion and submission of work to be exhibited. The artist must pay all their own travelling and food expenses.

Facilities
Each AIR is hosted by the partner venues. Background information for each partner venues is attached to the chosen AIR application pack.EligibilityYou are eligible to apply if:- You are an artist who lives and works within the Celtic speaking areas of Wales, Ireland and Scotland and who speaks or has very good knowledge of the culture and home native language i.e Welsh, Irish/Scots Gaelic- You are able to demonstrate at least three years of professional commitment and are currently engaged in studio work- You can provide a current CRB certificate - AIR's will work with children.You are not eligible if:- You produce art as a hobby- You live outside the Celtic speaking areas (see area brief).

Criteria
Panelists will use the following criteria in evaluating applicants:- Quality of the applicants work as indicated by submitted visual documentation - A record of exhibition and critical review - Demonstration of a serious and consistent dedication of the professional practice of fine arts through submitted artwork and other documents.

Application Review-
Artists are selected by a panel of individuals active in the field of visual culture. The panel consists of gallery senior staff members and participants who are artists, critics, or curators- The selection of artists is based on artistic quality and the ability to work productively within the programme- Applicants must be professional artists.

Application Guidelines
Successful applicants will be notified within 4 weeks of their submission. Please review the Application Checklist to ensure your application is complete and send all materials in one packet. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.

Visual Artists- Between 6-10 JPEG files on CD. Must not exceed 2MB per image. Maximum image size of 800 x 600 pixels - Files must be numbered sequentially and correspond to your "Image List" - Image List. Please include title, date, size, media, for each submitted image or group of images.

Film/Video/Digital Media/Performance/Sound Artist- Up to 20 minutes of material on DVD or CD- If more than once piece, please indicate where one piece ends and another begins. - One page brief description of work, including a statement of intent.

Application Checklist
Please include the following materials with your application:- Completed Application Form - Current CV, including proof of CRB check, recent exhibitions, work, and awards - Self-addressed stamped envelope if you would like your work returned. The Project cannot guarantee a return of all images after the selection process.

Non-discrimination
JThe TIR Artist-in-Residence Programme encourages and welcomes the participation of artists from all backgrounds and does not discriminate with regard to race, sex, sexual preference, disabilities, religion, marital status, or nation of origin in its acceptance policies.

For details contact:
Oriel Plas Glyn y Weddw,
Llanbedrog,
Pwllheli,
Gwynedd
LL53 7TT
Ffon: 01758 740763
E-bost: gwyn@oriel.org.uk

Media Contact:
Joanna Davies
Senior Press & Media Officer
Tel: 07817 291512 / 02920 376593
Email: Joanna.Davies@artswales.org.uk

Merthyr Express column

27 Nov 08
Open Mic Literature
The next open mic night, with poetry and short story extracts, welcomes Graham Hartill on Thursday, 11th December at the Imperial Hotel at 7.30pm. Open Mic Night are open to all to come and read or just listen to others. The evenings are also free entry. Graham Hartill is a poet, workshop facilitator and lecturer. He was born in 1952 in the English Midlands, Graham has lived in Wales most of his life since 1971. He studied at the Universities of Wales and Massachusetts, and has since given countless workshops and classes in the UK, USA and China. Co–founder of LAPIDUS, the UK–wide association for the promotion of creative writing in therapeutic context, Graham was also a Scottish Arts Council Writing Fellow 1990-92 and an Arts Council of Wales Writer’s Bursary recipient 1993, 1999 and 2006. For further details: 01685 725382 / arts@merthyr.gov.uk. Open Mic Nights are funded by MTCBC & Academi

River of Light
Light and song will be brought to Merthyr Tydfil town centre this December 3rd, with a River of Light and Christmas Carols. This year a number of organisations including the junior schools of Town and Park Ward will come together for a procession through town with hundreds of handmade lanterns, finishing at Zoar Chapel for a Gamanfa Ganu (Festival of Song). Everyone is invited to join the procession but due to numbers, entrance to the Gamanfa Ganu is through ticket only. For further information please contact Menter Iaith Merthyr Tudful on 01685 722176 or Town & Park Communities First on 01685 353943

Chris Needs
Myfanwy Theatre in Merthyr Tydfil Colege welcomes popular broadcaster Chris Needs together with ith special guests Part Two, on 8th and 9th December 2008, at 7.pm Box Office 01685 726000. Price: £10 / £8

New Art Mag
Wales’ newest art magazine is now available. WelshArtNow features art that has a Welsh connection. The aim of the magazine is to increase awareness and understanding of Welsh art and get more people talking about it. WAN will feature a diverse range of art, you might not like some of it or even recognize it as being art, but by engaging with the magazine you may feel more confident to express and form an opinion one way or the other. WAN will also serve as a platform for new art. Artists will be challenged to produce new art specific to a magazine format. A readable art magazine delivered with a bit of kick; intended for all and engaging with the here and now. Issue 1 focuses on drawing with a four page article about Merthyr artist Michael G Payne, plus contributions from Brian Jones, Heike Roms, Katheryn Dodd, Zaeger Jones and Neale Howells among others. WAN would like to hear from anyone interested in contributing ideas/art/writing/science/or other for future issues. Issue 2 is going green and will be talking about art/ecology/green issues. Send a brief email description to - editor@welshartnow.co.uk. For further information visit www.welshartnow.co.uk or contact WAN, 61 Preston Avenue, Newport, NP20 4JD

Merthyr Express column

20 Nov 08
Open Mic Literature
If you like to listen or read poetry and/or short story extracts, then why not come along to tonight’s (Thursday 20th November) Open Mic Night with David Johnson, a Bristol-based performance poet, writer, singer/song-writer. He is a 21st Century poet in the body of someone older. He has been described as “Warm and witty, accessible and entertaining, performance poetry at its finest." David has been a featured artist at Bristol Poetry Festival, Cheltenham Festival of Literature, Bath Fringe Festival, Kingston Arts Festival, London, Swindon Literature Festival, Oxford Poetry Weekend and Ashton Court Community Festival. He has also appeared at: Nuyorican Poetry Café, New York; Sweet Lorraine’s, New Orleans and toured the USA. David is co-founder of Paralalia, a poetry partnership dedicated to promoting and encouraging live poetry performance and to bringing poetry to the public ear and eye in new unusual ways. He is a multi poetry-slam winner. David has co-written and appeared in plays for BBC Radio.

The Waiting Room

A new drama by the talented Caryl Lewis - winner of the Welsh Language Book of the Year 2005 (Martha, Jac a Sianco); Tir-Na-Noog prize 2004 (Iawn Boi!); Long List Welsh Book of the Year 2008 (Y Gemydd). This is Caryl's second play for Arad Goch. Suitable for ages 13+ the performance lasts for around 60 minutes. There are waiting rooms everywhere - in the health clinic, in the driving test centre, in the train station and even backstage. When you are waiting for your life to begin, the world can seem like a big waiting room. This is a drama about growing up. A drama that questions the idea of 'success'. A drama that looks at how very different members of the same family can be. We follow the lives of a brother who is a stage star, a sister who is waiting back home for her life to begin and a mother whose big secret will change all of their lives forever. The Waiting Room is a Welsh language play at Zoar Hall (next to the Canolfan Gymraeg (Welsh Centre), Pontmorlais, Merthyr Tydfil, CF47 8UB on Wednesday, 26th November 2008, at 7pm.

Jewellery Making
For anyone interested in some beaded jewellery making, why not go along to Glamorgan Gates on Merthyr High Street where there are weekly workshops where you can learn a range of jewellery making techniques and explore design ideas. To register your interest call Jenna on 01685 729940.

Performers Wanted
3Gs Music is currently looking for talented singers, actors, musicians, dancers, stage managers etc for their New Production. If you’re interested then why not get in touch. 3Gs offer free workshops in dance, performance, film making, sound recording and much more. For further details, please contact Lee Davies on 01685 352982 or lee.davies@3gs.org.uk

Merthyr Express column

13 Nov 08
The Waiting Room

Yr Ystafell Aros (The Waiting Room) is a new Welsh language drama by the talented Caryl Lewis - winner of the Welsh Language Book of the Year 2005 (Martha, Jac a Sianco); winner of the Tir-Na-Noog prize 2004 (Iawn Boi!) and Long List author for the Welsh Book of the Year 2008 (Y Gemydd). Yr Ystafell Aros is currently touring Wales and is coming to Merthyr’s Zoar Hall (next to the Canolfan Gymraeg - Welsh Centre), Pontmorlais, Merthyr Tydfil, CF47 8UB on Wednesday, 26th November 2008, at 7pm. Yr Ystafell Aros is Caryl's second play for Arad Goch. Suitable for ages 13+ the performance lasts for around 60 minutes. The theme runs along the concept that “there are waiting rooms everywhere - in the health clinic, in the driving test centre, in the train station and even backstage. When you are waiting for your life to begin, the world can seem like a big waiting room”. This is a drama about growing up. A drama that questions the idea of 'success'. A drama that looks at how very different members of the same family can be. We follow the lives of a brother who is a stage star, a sister who is waiting back home for her life to begin and a mother whose big secret will change all of their lives forever. For further details please contact Jamie on 01685 722176.

Folk Music
Come along to The Imperial Hotel this Saturday (15th November) at 9pm to hear or play some traditional Welsh music. The session will begin with a short tour of Merthyr pubs, raising awareness of traditional Welsh music and instrumentation through the Welsh language. For further details please contact Jamie on 01685 722176.

Lantern Making
Thanks to support and funding from the Heads4Arts project, community volunteers and local teachers have been busy learning how to create lanterns for local community events. The evening was a great success and it is hoped that the skills learnt can be passed on to others in the community. The Young People of Trefechan also benefited from a song writing workshop with a local artist Cheryl Beer and is hoped that this will link into a proposed heads of the valleys festival in the future. The Communities First Partnership in Trefechan are hoping that future events will include a visit to the Welsh National Opera in Cardiff to see a dress rehearsal. For more information on projects and the work of Communities First in Trefechan, please visit their blog at www.communitiesfirsttrefechan.blogspot.com or contact Sally on 01685 383758.

Welsh Choir
Anyone interested in singing and meeting other Welsh speakers and learners may be interested in joining the mixed choir, Cor y Ganolfan (The Centre’s Choir) at Y Ganolfan Gymraeg (Welsh Centre), every Sunday evening at 6 – 8pm. Everyone is welcome. For further information please contact Jamie on 01685 722176 or Jamie@merthyrtudful.com

Open Mic Literature
If you like to listen or read poetry and/or short story extracts, then why not come along to next week's Open Mic Night, on Thursday 20th November, with David Johnson, a Bristol-based performance poet, writer, singer/song-writer. He is a 21st Century poet in the body of someone older. He has been described as “Warm and witty, accessible and entertaining, performance poetry at its finest." David has been a featured artist at Bristol Poetry Festival, Cheltenham Festival of Literature, Bath Fringe Festival, Kingston Arts Festival, London, Swindon Literature Festival, Oxford Poetry Weekend and Ashton Court Community Festival. He has also appeared at: Nuyorican Poetry Café, New York; Sweet Lorraine’s, New Orleans and toured the USA. David is co-founder of Paralalia, a poetry partnership dedicated to promoting and encouraging live poetry performance and to bringing poetry to the public ear and eye in new unusual ways. He is a multi poetry-slam winner. David has co-written and appeared in plays for BBC Radio.

Merthyr Express column

6 Nov 08
Bridge Art
Glamorgan Gates have just completed an arts project for the Big Draw which has involved 70 participants from across the Merthyr Tydfil borough creating artwork (photography, painting, drawing, creative writing, woodwork and sewing) in response to the theme of "Drawing on life in Merthyr - You & Your Home". Glamorgan Gates have temporarily converted one section of the St Tydfil’s Square footbridge (between the college car park and St Tydfil’s Square) into a gallery space to display photographs of the artwork. The original artwork is also on display in a variety of other locations. For more information on Glamorgan Gates projects, either pop into the shop at 121 High Street, or call 01685 729940.

High School Musical
Next Thursday (13th November 2008) The Myfanwy Theatre in Merthyr Tydfil College present High School Holiday, a fabulous all singing all dancing theme park style Tribute Show. The show includes the very best of Disney’s High School Musical, together with selections from We Will Rock You, Hairspray, Steps, Kilie, Take That and many more. Performances run at 1.00pm and 7.30pm. For further information please contact Myfanwy Theatre 07516774384. Price: £10.00

Comic Harry Potter Show
Next Monday, 10th November at 6.30pm, Pant and Dowlais Boys and Girls Club at the Dowlais Blast Engine House proudly present “Potted Potter - The unauthorised Harry experience - A parody by Dan and Jeff” A comic look at all seven Harry Potter books in seventy minutes! Watch comic double act Dan and Jeff take on the ultimate challenge, with the help of endless costumes, brilliant songs, ridiculous props, and a generous helping of Hogwarts magic. This fantastically funny show features all your favourite characters, a special appearance from a very frightening fire-breathing dragon, and even a game of Quidditch involving the audience! Following sell-out seasons at the Edinburgh festival and in London, this extensive national tour is a must-see for Potter addicts, and a great introduction to the series for anyone who’s ever wondered what all the fuss is about. Dan and Jeff are best known for their storytelling appearances on Blue Peter, and have also performed part of the show on Channel 4’s Richard and Judy programme. Suggested for ages 6 and over. Price: £3.00 (£2.00). Supported by Night Out and MTCBC Arts For further information please contact: Kristian Churchill 01685 375318 / 07950 707508.

Artist on TV
This column recently mentioned Merthyr artist MG Payne, who was to be featured on S4C’s programme Sioe Gelf last week. The original broadcast date was moved to this week, with the first showing last night but with a repeat next Tuesday, 11th November at 11pm. English subtitles available. Also available online at www.s4c.co.uk/clic .