University hosts Hay Scribblers Cymraeg

Eurig Salisbury. Hay Scribblers Cymraeg at Aberystwyth University, 6 November 2024.

School pupils from across mid-Wales visited Aberystwyth University today (Wednesday 6 November) as part of Hay Scribblers Cymraeg 2024.

The pupils, aged between 11 and 14 years, enjoyed a day of creative and interactive workshops celebrating the Welsh language with leading Welsh writers, poets and performers hosted by author, poet and script writer Anni Llŷn.

Bilingual presenter, caricaturist, author and illustrator Siôn Tomos Owen delivered a workshop exploring what worlds we can build and stories we can create for people that we see every day.

Writer, producer, and stand-up comedian Leila Navabi invited pupils to share what makes them laugh and ran a workshop looking at how to write a TV-quality comedy sketch from start to finish.

Eurig Salisbury, Lecturer in Creative Writing at Aberystwyth University’s Department of Welsh and Celtic Studies ran a creative writing session. He said: 

“It was wonderful to encourage the pupils to think anew about the world around them, learning about the art of listening and looking and about the art of scrutinizing the sound of words in order to create pictures in lines of poetry. Understanding where we live in the world is more important than ever, and the young people showed that they have the talent to do that in an imaginative, creative way.”

Scribblers Cymraeg and the English-language Scribblers Tour held earlier in the year both aim to engage and encourage the next generation in storytelling and conversation, inspiring empathy and creativity.

Now in their thirteenth year, the tours give pupils a chance to engage with their nearest universities and experience life on campus too.

Hay Festival Global CEO Julie Finch said: 

“We believe that culture belongs to everyone. By taking writers direct to pupils all over Wales in free, creative workshops, Scribblers Cymraeg aims to widen access to Festival inspiration while prompting a love of literature at an early age. By taking part in our events, young people will find opportunities to explore their creativity, engage in fresh conversations, and discover new ways to express themselves and inspire their creative identities.”

Hay Festival Education’s Scribblers Cymraeg 2024 runs from 4 to 8 November, with workshops taking place at Swansea, Cardiff, Bangor and Wrexham universities as well as Aberystwyth.

Share