Briffio Mis Ebrill // April 2024
Our monthly briefing, connecting communities across Cymru – news, stories and recommendations
Dear friends
Welcome to Briffio 3, the third edition of our monthly newsletter bringing you news of everything happening across Wales this month, as well as a sneak peek at what’s coming in Cwlwm in April.
Cwlwm has been alive for three months now – and what a few months it’s been! We’ve covered stories from across Cymru: from the pier in Llandudno to the pubs of Laugharne via barbershops in Newport and the lost railways of Powys. We’ve even taken you to Russia and to Portugal. We’ve featured the stories of asylum seekers, explored neurodivergence in art, talked about our deeply felt history as well as our present.
Throughout all of this, we hope two things have come through. One is the complexity and nuance of our country. Our name reflects the ‘knot’ of Welsh culture, the threads of different experiences woven together by our Welshness. It’s only by attempting to describe the range of that experience that we can really grapple with what Wales is. We hope that we, and our writers, have pushed beyond the labels, beyond the ideas and theory, to try to strike at the feeling of a thing.
The second is a determined optimism. Perhaps its the spring sunshine and fresh, blossom-filled air coming through the window as I write, but attempting to strike at the many different realities of life in Wales would be pointless if we didn’t believe that, in doing so, we can look to use that open-eyed knowledge to think hopefully about the future. Some of the experiences our writers have described have been difficult, or the histories they’ve delved into grim, but there is always something else to see too – the possibilities waiting in the margins, or the better life achieved on the other side.
We’ve got so much more coming in April. We’re exploring rap and folk music from Butetown to Bottwnnog, thinking about Easter and about Iftar, and getting to know Llanishen, Grangetown and Gwent a whole lot better. Now is the perfect time to pledge £5 per month to show that you believe in the importance of these sorts of stories, and so that we can plan for the future. We’re not turning on subscriptions yet but every pledge tells us that this is more sustainable to keep going.
Mewn // In
It’s getting warmer but there are still plenty of rainy days to keep you inside. Not to worry as we’ve got you covered. There’s plenty to catch up on or new things to see and read without leaving the house.
We were really pleased to be able to launch the new poster for The Dragon on My Shirt with an article by Darren Chetty about his experience making the series. If you haven’t watched it already, all five episodes are available for free on Red Wall+, the Football Association of Wales’ online platform. Start with the story of Eddie Paris, the first black Welsh international footballer in the first episode.
On the subject of catching up, if you haven’t read Cwlwm-contributor Joshua Jones’ debut short story collection Local Fires, now is the time to do so. It’s just been announced that it’s made it to the shortlist for the Dylan Thomas Prize.
Raymond Williams’ 1978 novel The Volunteers appears to have been reprinted by Parthian in time for the fortieth anniversary of the Miners’ Strike. It’s a pacy, prescient novel about political intrigue amongst south Wales industry. Also coinciding with this anniversary is Coal and Community in Wales, a photoessay featuring Richard Williams’ images and Amanda Powell’s words of life in south Wales during the early and mid-1980s.
Finally, take a listen to Mari Mathias’ new single from her upcoming EP AWEN.
Allan // Out
There’s plenty happening this month across the country. If heritage printing is your thing, head over to the Wayzgoose print fair in Hafan yr Afon Community Centre in Newtown on Saturday 13 April to experience all things linoprint and letterpress printmaking. Or sticking with the literary theme, be sure to check out Gwyl Lên Llandeilo Lit Fest between 26 and 28 April. There’s more happening than we can summarise but highlights include Meleri Wyn James, whose novel Hallt won the prose medal at the 2023 Eisteddfod Genedlaethol, Dafydd Iwan, Owen Sheers, and so much more – workshops, discussions, music, and film.
The film ADRA is showing in Galeri, Caernarfon on 12 April. It looks fascinating: a documentary film about Llanberis at the heart of Eryri through interviews and archival footage. The next day you can see a serious triple bill of Welsh musicians as Georgia Ruth, The Gentle Good and Carwyn Ellis take to the stage at Galeri. If Llandysul is closer, you can see The Gentle Good, aka Gareth Bonello, there too on 19 April.
O gwmpas // Around
The big news production Nye has got going in the National Theatre in London and will be continuing its run there throughout April. We won’t see it in the Millennium Centre in Cardiff until May but if you’re in London then you can catch it there.
Meanwhile, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru’s Parti Priodas opens in the Sherman Theatre, Cardiff on 20 April. It featured at last year’s Eisteddfod but is getting a proper tour now which should give everyone a chance to get a ticket. Take your pick from Cardiff, Llanelli, Carmarthen, Merthyr, Mach, Rhos, Bangor, Caernarfon and more.
Galeri Mostyn in Llandudno has three new exhibitions including Ffocws #1 which is showcasing artists living and working in north Wales, as well as installations by Paul Maheke and Revital Cohen and Tuur Van Balen. You can take a look at the pier just down the road which Beth McAulay wrote about for us recently.
And finally…
Thank you to everyone who has subscribed already and especially to those who have also pledged a paid subscription for the future. We’ve seen phenomenal growth over the last three months and want to keep going by bringing you the stories from across Wales that you want to read.
Please share Cwlwm with your friends and people in your community by sending on this newsletter via email, or sharing your favourite stories so far on your social media. Remember you can access the whole of our archive on our website as well as receiving our regular emails on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
And if you think there’s something happening near you that we should be talking about, please get in touch.
Cofion cynnes,
Merlin Gable – merlin@cwlwm.org | Dylan Moore – dylan@cwlwm.org