wrth i amser lithro mae chwedl yn defro | as time slips a legend awakes
A place based, people led happening to mark the
50th anniversary of Aberystwyth Arts Centre.
3 – 8 May 2023, Aberystwyth
In celebration of Aberystwyth’s unique creative DNA and its Arts centre’s 50th anniversary, renowned interdisciplinary artist Marc Rees has created an exciting multi-day performance that will be FREE for families, the local community and theatre lovers alike.
A B E R E T W M reimagines an ancient local myth, taking audiences on a journey across the town centre, overlaying forgotten heritage with contemporary issues to illuminate a pathway to a positive future and culminating in an immersive musical concerto.
The cross-artform performance, that combines digital as well as live, in-person events across mutliple locations, is centred around the mythical folklore of Cantre'r Gwaelod, a legendary ancient sunken kingdom off Cardigan Bay, described as the ‘Welsh Atlantis’. These experiential happenings will captivate audiences of all ages and showcase the talent within the local community, with many performers from local schools and groups including Hijinx Academy taking part.
Louise Amery, Aberystwyth Arts Centre Deputy Director said,
‘We’re really excited to be working with Marc and a huge team of artists, performers and creatives on Aberetwm, and seeing so many members of local communities take part in the project across the week. As the Arts Centre celebrates its 50th anniversary it’s a great project to reflect the last five decades of work, but also to look forward to the next 50 years with an event that is centred in Aberystwyth.’
An extraordinary and until recently, little-known piece of history linked to Aberystwyth also features in the event’s narrative; honouring three local female peace campaigners behind the ‘Women of Wales for a World Without War’* petition; Annie Hughes-Griffiths, Mary Ellis and Elined Prys. In 1923, the trio walked the length and breadth of Wales gathering 390,000 signatures, said to have amassed to 7 miles of paper sheets, that they placed in a trunk of welsh oak and travelled to the US to present to congress to demand world peace and ask the American government to join the League of Nations. After years of campaigning and attracting national news, the historic trunk has this month made its successful transatlantic journey home to Wales.
Well known TV presenter and local dance and movement artist Eddie Ladd will lead a ritual wearing an exact replica of the lilac jumpsuit worn by Pembrokeshire activist Thalia Campbell who played a pivotal role in the globally documented 1980’s peace protests against nuclear weapons establishing the Greenham Common World Peace Camps led by Thalia and fellow Welsh female activists who had been undoubtedly inspired by the ‘Women of Wales’ campaigners.
Marc Rees, A B E R E T W M’s Artistic Director said,
“It's such an honour to have been invited to create an event to mark such a milestone moment. Aberystwyth Arts Centre is an institution integral to the creative heartbeat of Aberystwyth and the surrounding area, that has been providing cultural and community-based activity for half a century. The centre and the town have resonance for me as it's where, over 30 years that I met the late, great artists, Mike Pearson and Cliff McLucas, who were ‘Brith Gof’, the pioneering Welsh Physical Theatre company who had a profound effect on my creative foundation and trajectory. So ABERETWM also honours them and their influence on me and countless others.”
This project has been made possible thanks to funding support from Arts Council Wales, Heritage Lottery Fund, Colwinston Trust, Ty Cerdd, British Council and the Aber Fund.
