Friday's Eisteddfod Activities - A Day of Poetry, music and film

Pontio’s Arts and Dementia Projects at National Eisteddfod

Projects exploring the field of arts and dementia will be explored at the Bangor University stand at this year’s National Eisteddfod.

Pontio, Bangor’s arts and innovation centre, which opens next year, has undertaken a range of research projects and artistic residencies exploring work with arts and dementia.
In an open event on Friday 9 August from 11am, Professor Jerry Hunter (Pontio research director) and Pontio’s artistic director Elen ap Robert will present projects which cross both the arts and research fields.

The session will also include a performance by musician Manon Llwyd, who led Corneli Cudd - Pontio’s first artistic residency at the Plas Hedd residential home in Bangor - and readings by a number of poets who have worked with dementia sufferers.

A friendly poetry competition ( Talwrn y Beirdd) takes place between Bangor University’s School of welsh and counterparts at Aberystwyth University.  Bangor University hosts the third meeting, and Bangor’s team of staff and current and former students take on Aberystwyth’s team in competitive poetry challenges under the guidance and adjudication of John Gwilym Jones.  All are welcome to share the entertainment, wit and wisdom of their poetry at 2.30pm at Bangor University’s stand.

Film screening

Students from the School of Creative Studies and Media have achieved great success this year, having won several nominations and prizes at a number of film festivals, including the Ffresh Awards, the Royal Television Society, the Cardiff Mini Film Festival, the Manchester Film Festival, the Carmarthen Bay Film Festival and the New York Film Festivals Awards.

They include Osian Williams from Pontypridd, who recently graduated with a first class honours degree, and created a series of productions during the year, including ‘Cân i Emrys’, a short film broadcast on S4C, as well as playing a leading role in the ‘Valleys are here’ initiative.

Another student who achieved great success is John Evans from Bangor, a mature student and former soldier who is in the final stages of the MA Film making course, having also graduated with a first class honours degree in Bangor. There will be an opportunity to see work by Osian, John and other students at the Eisteddfod on Friday, August 9th from 1.00.

"The students’ work is of a very high standard, and the last few years have been extremely exciting, as a community of talented film makers have come together here in Bangor”, said Geraint Ellis from the School of Creative Studies and Media. “Many different types of films have been produced, and everyone encourages each other, as well as there being a healthy air of competition.”

Events are brought to a close with a performance by Dolgellau band, Swnami at 3.00

Publication date: 2 August 2013