Month: July 2023

The present English Governments assault on the arts in the education syllabus should remind us of Albert Camus defence of the Arts – and that Welsh miners saw the importance of education, including the Arts, as a means to emancipation – money they deducted from their weekly wage packets to pay for libraries nad edeucation.

“Tyrants know there is an emancipatory force, which is mysterious only to those who do not revere it. Every great work makes the human face more admirable and richer, and this is its whole secret. And thousands of concentration camps and barred cells are not enough to hide this staggering testimony of dignity. This is why it is not true that culture can be, even temporarily, suspended in order to make way for a new culture. Man’s unbroken testimony as to his suffering and his nobility cannot be suspended; the act of breathing cannot be suspended”

Albert Camus ‘Creating Dangerously’ was a speech delivered at the University of Uppsala in Sweden in December 1957, a few days after Camus had been awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Voices on the Bridge 8pm Thursday 20th Jul 2023
Poetry, Spoken Word & Music
Clwb Y Bont, 85a Taff Street, Pontypridd.

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Presenting Pete Akinwunmi reading his poetry and possibly playing Blues Harp!
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Pete Ak’ spoken word performer and vocalist/songwriter with the S.Wales based band TaffyWasAThief. His spoken word pieces are strong on narrative, rhyme and humour, enjoying word play and ingenious metaphors. His pieces reflect his admittedly confusing childhood, growing up in a Barnardo’s children’s home as the only black child in a small Welsh valley town in the 1960’s. His performances strongly feature emotional and energetic renditions which add colour and verve to his pieces. He has appeared at Llandeilo and Hay (fringe) ‘ Where the Light Comes In’ literary festivals and also appeared on BBC Wales’ feature programme Jonathan Davies’ Six Nations Quiz performing his poem ‘A Nation Hold its Breathe Again’ a signature piece which integrates patriotism with rugby lore and passion. He has yet to publish independently but has had numerous pieces featured in various publications both online and in print.
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Also reading will be Mike Jenkins, Marcelle Newbold, Sion Tomos Owen, Nick McGaughey, Peter Thabit Jones, Mary Kaye, Ben Wildsmith, Leigh Manley & Rob Cullen.
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Voices on the Bridge is organised by Rob Cullen.
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Voices on the Bridge is hosted by Clwb Y Bont.
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More Bridges less Walls.

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Presenting Marcelle Newbold – Marcelle’s writing explores place and inheritance.
Best of the Net and Pushcart Prize nominated, Bridport Prize shortlisted, her poems have been published in online and print magazines including Ink Sweat & Tears, Iamb poet, and Fly on the Wall Press. Her writing has featured in recent print anthologies by Black Bough Poetry, Maytree Press, Wild Pressed Books, Icefloe Press, and Indigo Dreams.
She is managing editor of Nightingale & Sparrow literary press, a regular guest editor, and was the coordinator for Gloucester Poetry Festival 2021.
Marcelle lives in Cardiff, Wales where she trained as an architect. Socials @marcellenewbold.
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With Siôn Tomos Owen, Mike Jenkins, Pete Akinwunmi, Nick McGaughey, Peter Thabit Jones, Mary Kaye, Ben Wildsmith, Leigh Manley & Rob Cullen.

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More Bridges Less Walls.

VoicesontheBridge with Siôn Tomos Owen, Mike Jenkins, Marcelle Newbold, Pete Akinwunmi, Nick McGaughey, Peter Thabit Jones, Mary Kaye, Ben Wildsmith, Leigh Manley & Rob Cullen.

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VoicesontheBridge is hoosted by Clwb Y Bont

VoicesontheBridge is organised by Rob Cullen

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More Bridges Less Walls.

@RCT @PontyBid @PoetryWales @LiteratureWales @PontypriddTownCouncil