News Archive

Caribbean Houseparty

for a weekend of Art, Literature and Music

 Friday 9 May - Sunday 11 May 2008
at The Ceridwen Centre
See below for ticket information

The Artists

Guyana-born Keith Waithe is a flautist & composer of international renown, a vocal gymnast, an educationalist & dynamic performer, with a long career of performance and recording, with appearances across the world. www.keithwaithe.com

Jo-Jo Yates, from Ghana, is an expert in ancient African instruments, a talented cora player, a vocalist, Master Drummer and percussionist; he has performed across the world. Jo Jo and Keith are both members of The Macusi Players.

John Lyons, award-winning Trinidadian poet and painter, is an experienced Arvon tutor whose collections include Voices from a Silk-Cotton Tree and Lure of the Cascadura. He is a buoyant and upbeat performer whose paintings have been widely exhibited.

Elly Niland won the Guyana Prize for Literature 2007 for her second collection Cornerstones. She’s written for BBC Radio, and her 3rd collection East of Centre was funded by the Arts Council.

British with Caribbean and African roots, Sheree Mack is a writer, artist and pro-active organiser of  Newcastle’s Identity on Tyne. Currently doing a PhD at Newcastle, she’s just published her first collection The White of the Moon. www.shereemack.com

Maggie Harris won the Guyana Prize in 2000. Her two collections of poetry are Limbolands and From Berbice to Broadstairs. She is writing a memoir, Being Caribbean in Carmarthenshire and is an International Teaching Fellow at Southampton University www.maggieharris.co.uk

Simone Mansell Broome was born in Wales, is a prize-winning poet and owner of The Ceridwen Centre. She runs the Teifi Scribblers Writing Group and hosts Cardigan’s monthly open-mic, Word Up. Her poetry has been published in many magazines and anthologies. www.simonemb.com

The Programme

Friday 9 May

8.00 pm - Simone Mansell Broome will open the Houseparty with a reading of her own poems and introduce readings by Sherree Mack, Elly Niland and Maggie Harris. There will also be an open mic session

Saturday 10 May

There will be three workshops on Saturday 10 May in Creative Writing, Poetry and Drawing. No experience needed.

10.00 am  - 11.45 am - Creative Writing with Sherree Mack
Inspired by her recent travels to the Caribbean, Sherree will show how landscape and environment can shape your writing

12.00 noon - 1.00 pm - Lunch

1.15 pm - 3.00 pm - Charcoal Drawing with John Lyons
An art workshop to explore and have fun with charcoal, through which John will show how drawing as an art form can inspire and result from poetry
Materials will be provided

3.00 pm - Tea & Biscuits

3.30 pm - 5.00 pm - Caribbean Poetry with Elly Niland and Maggie Harris.
Elly and Maggie are old school friends who both became poets, migrants, mothers and Guyana Prize winners. This workshop will introduce participants to Caribbean poems and include a writing exercise

6.00 pm - 7.00 pm - Dinner

8.00 pm - Maggie Harris introduces John Lyons, Keith Waithe & Jo Jo Yates. Includes an open mic session

Sunday 11 May

For those who are feeling active, a walk in the Welsh countryside will be on offer after breakfast. There is also an option to hire mountain bikes.

Booking 

Prices:
Full Weekend with accommodation, meals & workshops - £200.00*
*25% Discount now available on full weekend ticket. Now only £175.00
Individual workshops for day guests - £6.00
Day ticket including lunch - £20.00
Day ticket including workshops, dinner & performance £30.00
Performance including wine £3.00

Bookings to be made through Simone Mansell Broome on:
info@ceridwencentre.co.uk  / Tel: 01559 370517. www.ceridwencentre.co.uk  
Ceridwen Centre, Pen-y-banc Farm, Velindre,
Llandysul, Carmarthenshire, SA44 5XE

Please Note: Transport can be arranged from Carmarthen Station.