Gelynion: a Welsh Enemies project / Enemies Cymru

May 19th to June 5th 2015: Newport, Cardiff, Swansea, Aberystwyth, Bangor, Hay-on-Wye & London

Gelynion was an exploration of contemporary Welsh poetry through the potential of collaboration. A remarkable success, bringing together sold out audiences across the nation of Wales, Gelynion created a swell of enthusiasm and energy across contemporary Welsh poetry, bringing together over 50 poets from the often overlooked Welsh avant-garde, placing that work firmly beside more literary poetry and the Cynghanedd tradition. Gelynion aimed to bring together communities of writers that might not otherwise collaborate, from all four corners of the country & beyond, and did so. Generously supported by the Arts Council of Wales & Poetry Wales, Gelynion also produced these original collaborations in both of Wales' languages.

A core group of poets performed new collaborations on each leg of the tour, including Poetry Wales’s Nia Davies, Joe Dunthorne, Zoë Skoulding, Eurig Salisbury, SJ Fowler and Rhys Trimble, and were joined at each reading with multiple poets from the local area and beyond, all creating their own collaborations. The tour began in Newport and visited Cardiff, Swansea, Aberystwyth and Bangor before a culminating premiere performance at the Hay-on-Wye festival on May 29th, and closing with a reading at the Rich Mix Arts Centre in London on June 5th 2015. Gelynion was co-curated by Nia Davies & SJ Fowler, and generously supported by Arts Council Wales, Poetry Wales & the Hay-on-Wye festival.

Prosiect Gelynion : Barddoniaeth gydweithredol gyfoes

Gelynion: prosiect Enemies yng Nghymru / Enemies Cymru - Mai 2015
19 Mai – 5 Mehefin 2015 yng Nghasnewydd, Caerdydd, Abertawe, Aberystwyth, Bangor, Y Gelli Gandryll a Llundain

Mae Gelynion - Enemies Cymru - yn gynllun arloesol sy'n rhoi llwyfan i farddoniaeth gyfoes yng Nghymru ar sail gydweithredol, ac yn rhoi prosiect rhyngwladol Enemies ar waith yng nghyd-destun amlieithog Cymru, gyda'r nod o greu barddoniaeth gydweithredol wreiddiol yn Gymraeg ac yn Saesneg, ynghyd â hwyluso integreiddio a chroesffrwythloni rhwng gwahanol gymunedau barddonol.

Bydd chwe bardd - curadur Enemies, SJ Fowler, a phum bardd Cymreig: golygydd Poetry Wales, Nia Davies, Joe Dunthorne, Zoë Skoulding, Eurig Salisbury a Rhys Trimble - yn creu barddoniaeth newydd ar y cyd. Byddant yn mynd ar daith drwy Gymru er mwyn cyflwyno'r gwaith newydd mewn parau cyfnewidiol, gan gwrdd â beirdd eraill o ardal i ardal a'u gwahodd i greu eu barddoniaeth gydweithredol eu hunain.

Mae'r daith yn dechrau yng Nghasnewydd ar 19 Mai, a bydd yn ymweld â Chaerdydd, Abertawe, Aberystwyth a Bangor cyn cyrraedd Gŵyl y Gelli ar 29 Mai, lle bydd y gwaith yn cael ei gyflwyno mewn perfformiad arbennig. Bydd y prosiect yn 2015 yn dod i ben gyda darlleniad yn y Rich Mix Arts Centre yn Llundain ar 5 Mehefin. http://www.richmix.org.uk/whats-on/event/gelynion--the-enemies-project-wales/

Cyd-lywir prosiect Gelynion gan Nia Davies ac SJ Fowler, ac fe'i ariennir yn hael gan Gyngor Celfyddydau Cymru, Poetry Wales a Gŵyl y Gelli.

Newport: May Tuesday 19th at the Project Space.

An incredible beginning to Gelynion in Newport at the Project Space, full of remarkable energy and enthusiasm. A portent of things to come. You can read Steven J Fowler's detailed blog about the evening here.

Cardiff: May Wednesday 20th at the Abacus Rooms.

Many remarked upon the event as a significant contribution to Welsh 21st century poetry in the capital, at the Abacus Rooms, so many great collaborations and such a palpably enthused audience, packed to the doors. You can read Steven J Fowler's detailed blog about the evening here.

Swansea: May Friday 22nd - Volcano at the Iceland building

Another standing room only evening, held in the unique Volcano Theatre building, an old Iceland supermarket, and a night of intense new works and another groundbreaking happening for Wales. You can read Steven J Fowler's detailed blog about the evening here.

Aberystwyth: May Monday 25th at Aberystwyth Arts Centre Studio Space

Another full venue, and an intimate, distinct evening of Welsh and English-language poetry held in the beautiful http://www.aberystwythartscentre.co.uk/ on the campus of Aberystwyth University. You can read Steven J Fowler's detailed blog about the evening here.

Nicky Arscott & Kath Stansfield https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0B0sRusEDJw
Mari Siôn & Elin Ap Hywel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgjrpZZ-bXg
Siân Melangell Dafydd & John Barnie https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Phtm6u8QzwY
Amy McCauley & Jemma L King https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUQmaWFTD3A
Joe Dunthorne & Zoë Skoulding https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTVA7veibyc
Nia Davies & Rhys Trimble https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTslGiEnVHg
SJ Fowler & Eurig Salisbury https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kJPjOpHePA

Bangor: May Tues 26th at the Blue Sky Cafe: 7pm - Free Entry

A brilliant final touring event held at the http://blueskybangor.co.uk/ in Bangor, bringing together poets from across North Wales & beyond. You can read Steven J Fowler's detailed blog about the evening here.

Hay-on-Wye: May Friday 29th at the Hay Festival in the Elmley Foundation Cube

A showcase reading of excerpted collaborations between the core six touring poets – Nia Davies, Zoë Skoulding, Eurig Salisbury, Joe Dunthorne, SJ Fowler & Rhys Trimble. You can read Steven J Fowler's detailed blog about the evening here.

Event Q&A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsDZQSUV8HE

London: June Friday 5th at the Rich Mix Arts Centre.

The very last event of Gelynion, held in the heart of London, featuring the core poets and multiple new collaborations especially commissioned for the night. You can read Steven J Fowler's detailed blog about the evening here.

Gelynion: a publication by Hazard Press

Thanks to the remarkable skill and generosity of Jeremy Dixon, Gelynion was accompanied by a beautiful, handmade publication. A six way collaborative poem, where each of the core touring six poets - Nia Davies, Zoë Skoulding, Eurig Salisbury, Joe Dunthorne, SJ Fowler & Rhys Trimble - each wrote a line, and then, with names removed, each other poet added a line, wherever they wished on the page until six poems of six lines had been written. Each poem a truly collaborative work.

Jeremy, who makes such wonderful literary objects at http://hazardpress.co.uk/ then handcrafted just 60 copies for a limited edtion run. He had them waiting for us at the very first gig in Newport and they proved to be a great success throughout the tour. It's hard to convey their delicate and unique character, small and elaborately finished. A huge thanks to Jeremy, do visit Hazard Press and peruse their wares.

The poems within were read twice on the tour, including being the very last reading at the last Welsh gig, at the Hay Festival, where each of us six stood to read a poem each. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sb40wuSWBxo