Merthyr Express column

29th July 10


National Eisteddfod

This year’s National Eisteddfod comes to the Heads of the Valleys, at The Works, Ebbw Vale from 31st July until 7th August 2010.

The Eisteddfod will feature a number of cultural competitions and performances, at a number of different places on the site including Maes D: If you want to learn Welsh, then Maes D is the place to be! Maes D (D for “dysgu” – “learn” in Welsh) is a pabell fawr (big tent) with lots of activities for everyone who's learning Cymraeg. Come on in, say “Shwmae” and find out about learning Welsh! Every year the highlight of Maes D is the Welsh Learner of the Year competition open to any adult who has learned Welsh. Four people have now reached the final round for 2010. The four finalists will be answering the audience's questions on Wednesday 4th August at 3pm. Come on in and be inspired yourself!

Other events at Maes D mirror the main Eisteddfod events using literature, song, storytelling, poetry and other arts. All the results of the Maes D written competitions will be announced in a ceremony on Tuesday 3rd August at 2pm with the Archdruid of Wales, Jim Parc Nest. The performance competitions for Welsh learners take place in Maes D on the Wednesday and Thursday.

NEWiD/Lle Celf (Art Space)

Other attractions at the Eisteddfod site include a bilingual event in English and Welsh; the community play; NEWiD which will be performed at the main Pavillion, just before the Eisteddfod on Thursday, 29th July, at 7.30pm and running through the duration of the National Eisteddfod is Y Lle Celf (The Art Space) with a large multi media exhibition which includes both fine and applied art (including the moving image and performance art). This year’s visual arts exhibition will be housed in the stack annealer basement – or one of the underground buildings which used to hold the heavy steel rolling machines. The gallery itself will be a celebration of our industrial heritage, using a totally different space in a new and exciting way. Very few of the 20,000 people who worked at the site in its prime would have imagined that the deep pit which held the heavy machinery would one day be home to an art gallery! For further information on Eisteddfod activities, please visit http://www.eisteddfod.org.uk/, or for information on the community play visit http://www.head4arts.org.uk/ or www.stwnsh.com/newid.

Welsh Open Mic

The August Open Mic Night at the Imperial Hotel will be a Welsh language event with guest Ifor ap Glyn on Thursday, 26th August. The event is free entry with Welsh learners welcome. Ifor ap Glyn is a poet, born and bred in London to Welsh parents. Following a period as a scriptwriter for theatre and TV he now works as a TV producer. He has collaborated on a number of television co-productions, and also co-authored two trilingual theatre pieces, Frongoch and Branwen which have toured in Wales and Ireland. A keen performer of his work with some 15 years experience, culminating in an appearance at the gala concert to mark the opening of the National Assembly in 1999. Winner of the Crown at the 1999 National Eisteddfod with a collection of poems about the problems of learning Welsh. Ifor was Bardd Plant Cymru (Welsh-language Children’s Laureate) 2008-9. In association with Menter Iaith Merthur Tudful, Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council & Academi. For further information please contact (01685) 722176 or email arts@merthyr.gov.uk.