Literature in Wales at Hay
Literature in Wales
At the Guardian Hay Festival
There will again be a Literature in Wales Stand on the Guardian Hay Festival site. The Stand is a partnership between the Arts Council of Wales, the Welsh Books Council, Welsh Assembly Government, the National Library of Wales and Academi. The partners are working together to celebrate the rich literary heritage of Wales at this international event and will introduce both classics and contemporary writing from Wales to new audiences.
The Literature in Wales Stand runs author readings and workshops including events with Gillian Clarke, Nia Wyn, Niall Griffiths, Owen Sheers and the editors of the Welsh Academy Encyclopaedia of Wales.
The Stand stocks a wide range of books for sale. Take a seat and browse the classics featured in the popular Library of Wales series. Savour the latest children’s fiction and the works of contemporary Welsh authors.
The Programme of Visitors:
The Literature in Wales partners are pleased to be working with the Guardian Hay Festival offering reading and writing events that complement the main programme.
Times and participants may be subject to change. Final details will be available on the Stand each day.
Saturday 24 May
12 noon - 2.00 pm Niall Griffiths discusses his work and reads from his next book Ten Pound Pom (Parthian, to be published shortly).
Sunday 25 May
11.00 am - 2.00 pm Nia Wyn: Blue Sky July (Seren, 2007) follows the story of a mother whose child suffers a devastating brain injury. A Radio 4 Book of the Week.
4.00 pm - 5.00 pm Gillian Clarke, the National Poet of Wales, reads and discusses her work as President of the Taliesin Trust which manages the Ty Newydd Centre. Sally Baker, Centre Director will discuss the programmes and courses.
Monday 26 May
11.30 am - 12.30 pm Library of Wales/ Parthian Books Reception. Meet the Editors and authors, and dip into the Welsh classics.
1.00 pm - 2.30 pm Talks and discussions with Rhys Davies Short Story Competition winners and launch of Eagle in the Maze (Cinnamon Press, May 2008), an anthology of competition short stories. In association with Academi and the Rhys Davies Trust.
During the afternoon Menna Elfyn, (Perfect Blemish: New & Selected Poems 1995-2007, Bloodaxe 2007), discusses her work as poet, dramatist, prose writer and Arts Council of Wales 2008 Creative Wales Award recipient.
7.00 pm Mainstage Wales Book of the Year shortlist announcement followed by reception and book-signing on the Stand from about 8.15 pm.
Tuesday 27 May
12 noon Mavis Nicholson meets visitors and discusses her childhood reminiscence Martha Jane and Me (Seren, 2008).
2.00 pm - 5.00 pm Richard Gwyn reads from Deep Hanging Out (Snowbooks, 2007). Richard Gwyn is a poet, novelist, translator and Arts Council of Wales 2008 Creative Wales Award recipient.
Wednesday 28 May
12 noon The periodical Poetry Wales was founded in 1965 and has an international reputation for fine writing and criticism. Meet the new Editor, Zoë Skoulding and staff from the publisher, Seren Books.
During the morning, Owen Sheers, poet and novelist, reads from Resistance (Faber, 2007).
Thursday 29 May
11.00 am - 2.00 pm Robert Minhinnick reads from King Driftwood, (Carcanet, 2008). Robert is a poet, journalist and prose writer and an Arts Council of Wales 2008 Creative Wales Award recipient.
1.30pm - 3.00 pm Samantha Wynne Rhydderch reads from her new collection Not in These Shoes (Picador, 2008)
Friday 30 May
11.00 am - 2.00 pm To mark the year of publication of the Welsh Academy Encyclopaedia of Wales (University of Wales Press, 2008), editors John Davies, Menna Baines, Peredur Lynch and Nigel Jenkins talk about the great enterprise.
Saturday 31 May
11.00 am – 1.00 pm John Goodby (uncaged sea, Waterloo Press, 2008) is poet, lecturer at the University of Wales Swansea and member of Boiled String, multi-media experimental performance group.
Gifted young members of the Academi’s Young Writing Squads will be on site midweek, attending events and working at the Stand. These are the writers of the next decades.
Staff will be delighted to welcome you to the Stand during your visit to Hay – we have the most comfortable sofas on the site.
For more information contact Academi on:
029 2047 2266 / post@academi.org