A host of international writers and artists gather in west Wales over the next week to participate in the Coracle Europe Fringe. Since 2018 this multi-disciplinary festival has been celebrating the connections between the local arts community in Carmarthenshire and the international artists’ networks, particularly in Sweden, Ireland and the North America, developed by the festival’s organiser wite4word CIC.
This year the festival runs for 6 days starting with a night of multicultural performance at legendary music venue CWRW on King Street, Carmarthen. Gloria Blizzard is a Black Canadian writer and to celebrate Black history month she is undertaking an exclusive UK tour, performing in Bristol and London before coming to Carmarthen. Gloria is a writer and essayist whose acclaimed debut collection Black Cake, Turtle Soup, and Other Dilemmas explores identity, belonging, and the rhythms of Black life. Her work blends personal narrative, cultural history, and music.
Gloria’s book reading at 7pm will be followed by a book launch and poetry reading from Breaking the Skin of Paradise by Prague based Czechian poet Jana Orlová. The poems in translation into English are published by west Wales publisher, Iconau Books.
The festival opening night culminates with a music, spoken word and dance collaboration by the Saudha Society of Poetry and Indian Music featuring voice artists Sufi Amir Muhammed and TM Ahmed Kaysher, dancer Ishika Bidwas and spoken word performer Mel Perry.
All events at the festival are free entry and highlights include a hybrid events, the Coracle Europe Poetry Slam and a spoken-word open-mic. Talks and Q&A with Peter E Murphy from the USA, readings from Steve Huenneke from Ireland, Poetry, Story Telling and Queer writing workshops from Dominic Williams, Lottie Williams and Jo Lambert. There are performances from activist writers Natsha Borton and Gemma June Howell, a pop-up cinema and craft workshops in association with great friends of the festival Criwdem Celf.
There are plenty more events platforming writers and artists from the local community including music from Coron Moron, and events featuring Menna Elfyn, President of Wales PEN Cymru, will have trilingual readings in Welsh, English and Arabic.
Full programme here: