Ar gyfer eich dyddiadur - For your diary

Cymerwch eiliad i gael golwg ar ein digwyddiadau sydd i ddod - ar-lein ac wyneb yn wyneb - yn gynnwys gweithdai symudiad efo Samina Ali, Yn Oes Oesoedd - Hirbarhad 2, Cathedral of the Trees (Blueprint of Peace) efo Gaia Redgrave, and Gwyl Utopias Bach Festival ym Mis Mehefin: Gobeithio eich gweld yn fuan!

Please take a moment to have a look at our upcoming events - online and face to face - including movement workshops with Samina Ali, Yn Oes Oesoedd - Hirbarhad 2, Cathedral of the Trees (Blueprint of Peace) with Gaia Redgrave, and Gwyl Utopias Bach Festival in June: Hope to see you soon!

Arbrofion Newydd - New Experiments

Yr Awen o sach Modryb Venodotia - The ‘Awen’ from the sack of Aunty Venodotia Sara Louise Wheeler

Tra bod gan Gymru sîn lenyddol Gymraeg lewyrchus, yn enwedig o ran barddoniaeth, mae gororau'r Gogledd-ddwyrain yn aml yn cael eu tangynrychioli, neu fel arall yn gwbl absennol. Rwyf wedi penderfynu cynnig fy sgiliau ieithyddol a llenyddol yn y gobaith o bontio’r bwlch a hyrwyddo cydraddoldeb a chyfiawnder cymdeithasol yn y rhanbarth hwn. Dechreuaf gyda helpu band lleol i gyfieithu geiriau a dod o hyd i gyfleoedd i lwyfannu.Mae enw’r prosiect yn deillio o’r darlun enwog o Gymru fel y Fonesig Venodotia/ Modryb Gwen (sy’n deillio o sir Gwynedd). Darlunnir Gogledd-ddwyrain Cymru fel sach ar ei chefn. Yn fy llun diwygiedig fy hun, rwy’n dangos yr ‘awen’ anadferadwy yn dianc o’i sach.

Whilst Wales has a thriving Welsh literary scene, particularly with regards to poetry, the North-East borderlands are frequently under-represented, or else are even entirely absent.I have resolved to offer my language and literary skills in the hope of bridging the gap and promoting equality and social justice in this region. I will begin with helping a local band to translate lyrics and finding opportunities for platforming. The name of the project derives from the famous drawing of Wales as Dame Venodotia/ Modryb Gwen (derivative of the county of Gwynedd). North-East Wales is depicted as a sack on her back. In my own revised drawing, I show the irrepressible ‘awen’ (poetic muse) escaping from her sack.

TEXTure – Asemic text and communication with the non-human

How can we de-code the language of trees and rocks? Artists Lisa Hudson and Kar Rowson have started engaging in conversation with trees and rocks in North-West Wales. The collaboration has grown through the involvement of Peter Hughes, who has begun to respond to the radical glyphs with poetry. The poems reflect back through words the visual expression of the glyphs, flowing from abstraction into meaning and back again. Mwy/More

Micro EXPO Bach

“Expos” are huge global events organised by governments and costing lots of money, materials, impact on the local community etc etc. The current world EXPO is running to the end of March 2022 in Dubai, with the theme “create, collaborate and innovate”. Our Micro EXPO Bach is Utopias Bach’s response to the huge global EXPO movement. Our own tiny revolution, it will be an EXPO of the people’s imagination: our ideas, dreams, things we can do for a better world. We hope it will show the world that small things can be significant. We are trying to recruit miniaturists around the world - and you are invited to take part too! Results will be shown at our Gwyl Utopias Bach Festival 11-12 June event online and at Bangor/Llangoed

Band (Lastig) i Croeso’r Gwanwyn: (Rubber) Band to welcome spring

Established by Kar Rowson, the Utopias Bach Lastig Band Orchestra took part in a global event, Band to Welcome Spring, on 20th March Watch the video here (2 mins!)

Newyddion Collaboratory News

Mis Mawrth/March Collaboratories

• 26.3.22 efo Rhys Trimble: Femtopoems - Mini-concrete poetry workshop. See the results efo lluniau gan/with pictures by Anna, Lana, Samina, Wanda, Lisa, Elinor, Emily, Steph, Kar, Femke, Rhys, Sarah, Lindsey. Or follow Rhys’ menu to make your own!

• 23.3.22 zoom efo Frances Williams, Participant Observer/Observant Participant: Beyond Evaluation - the elephant’s ears and tail. How we might approach evaluation differently in Utopias Bach, including noticing ‘meaningful/significant moments’ that tell us something about what is distinctive about Utopias Bach, and mapping our relationship with Utopias Bach - watch the video here or download Frances’ presentation