The National Library of Wales’s activities at this year’s Eisteddfod at Wrexham will celebrate art, music and the local community with a programme of events and activities, on the stand and across the Maes. Through films, talks and a community event, visitors will enjoy learning about and celebrating the Wrexham area.
A selection of films from the Wales Broadcast Archive will be shown on the stand and in Sinemaes. On Saturday 2 August, the Sinemaes programme will include Wrexham on the Box, a selection of archive clips from television programmes about the Wrexham area, and Local Perspectives on the Archive, during which local residents will respond to examples of archive footage provided by the National Screen and Sound Archive of Wales.
On Wednesday 6 August a Big Tea Party will be held on the stand to celebrate the culmination of six months of work with community groups in the Wrexham and the local area. As well as tea and cake, there will be a chance to see how material from the Wales Broadcast Archive has inspired creative work.
The Dr Cymraeg will join the presenter Nia Roberts and Dafydd Tudur from the National Library for a tour through the collections in the Cyfrinachau’r Llyfrgell ar y Maes: Cyfrinachau Wrecsam (The Library’s Secrets on the Maes: Wrexham’s Secrets) event on Thursday 7 August. In this fascinating event items from the Library’s collections will be presented to bring some stories to light.
Also on Thursday in Tŷ Gwerin, Gwilym Bowen Rhys will perform some of the ballads relating to the Wrexham area that he has found in the Music Archives at the National Library of Wales.
Celebrating art and music will also be an integral part of the Library’s activities during the week. Dafydd Iwan and Kevin Tame will join Rhodri ap Dyfrig on Monday 4 August to discuss how the Library has worked with Sain to digitise and preserve the Sain catalogue. They will also shed light on how Sain will make the most of this amazing archive.
Peter Lord will take a look back at the No Welsh Art exhibition, on Friday 8 August, appraising what it has achieved and sharing what his hopes are for the future of these works of art. While for parents looking for a fun way to entertain their children during the week, there will be a chance for them to dress up as some of the people from the No Welsh Art paintings.
If you are looking for a gift or a treat for yourself, there will be several brand-new items for you in our shop, including clothing, prints and other items inspired by the No Welsh Art exhibition.
Other highlights during the week include:
Saturday 2 August, 11:30am (Societies)
Merched yn Sefydlu Plaid Cymru (The Women that Founded Plaid Cymru)
A conversation hosted by the Welsh Political Archive / National Library of Wales with Gwen Gruffudd and Arwel Vittle, and chaired by Dylan Iorwerth, looking ar the story of the founding of Plaid Cymru, including the contribution of women such as Mai Roberts, Mallt Williams and Elisabeth Williams who played key roles in the beginnings of the party.
Wednesday 6 August, 11:00 (Library Stand)
‘Yn ôl i Lanfrothen: golwg newydd ar Jones v Roberts (1888) (achos claddu Llanfrothen)’ gan Keith Bush KC (honoris causa), Cymrawd Cyfraith Cymru, Prifysgol Caerdydd (‘Llanfrothen revisited – a new look at Jones v Roberts (1888) (the Llanfrothen burial case)’ by Keith Bush KC (honoris causa), Fellow in Welsh Law, Cardiff University)
Held in partnership with the Friends of the Library
Sunday 3 August, 4:00pm & Saturday 9 August, 12:00pm (Sinemaes)
Film – Oed yr Addewid
Showing of a new 2k version by the Screen and Sound Archive of Wales of the classic film, followed by a discussion panel
The full programme with details of the events around the Maes will be shared on our website and follow us on social media for the latest news during the week.
