Competition/Pavilion Seat & Field Day Admission
Anoushka Shankar and Manu Delago
Choir of The World, Dance Competition and Pendine International Voice of The Future
2022 Daytime Competition and Field tickets are now on sale!
Plan your summer early and book your Day and Field entry tickets for Llangollen 2022. Tickets go on sale this morning at 10am! For more information on ticket types and what’s on please see below.
Pavilion Day
Want to see the vocal stars of the future, worlds best choirs, amazing folk dance from across the globe – book your seat in the pavilion now so you don’t miss out!
For more information visit: Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod What’s On
Pavilion Day Tickets:
Full Price – £16
Child Price – £6
(Booking Fees apply)
Pavilion Day tickets include full access to the Field and a reserved seat in the Pavilion for daytime competitions – please be aware that competition schedules are subject to change.
Thursday 7th July – Children’s Day
Field open for members of the public and ticket holders from 10.30am until 10.00pm.
Your allocated seat will be available in the Pavilion arena for the Young Peacemakers Awards and afternoon competitions from 12:00pm
The first full day of competitions is not to be missed as children’s choirs and children’s folk dance groups take centre stage. We also feature the WCIA Young Peacemakers Awards.
Young Peace Makers Awards – celebrating young people who have contributed to peace and global citizenship in their school, youth group, local community or overseas in a variety of ways.
Friday 8th July – International Youth Day
Field open for members of the public and ticket holders from 08:30am until 10.00pm.
Don’t miss the beautifully polished harmonies of the Youth Choirs and A Cappella Group competitions, and the colourful performances of the Choreographed/Stylised Folk Dance Group.
Also introducing a brand new competition; Young Folk Ensemble. Our Soloist competitions also begin today, taking centre stage with Voice of Musical Theatre, Vocal Solo categories and Young and Junior Instrumentalists competitions.
Saturday 9th July – Family Day
Field open for members of the public and ticket holders from 08:30am until 10.00pm.
Our main choral competition day is not to be missed, as choirs from all across the globe will perform on the prestigious Eisteddfod stage. You can see the world’s best Mixed, Youth, Female, Male, Open Choirs and new for 2022 Show Choirs battle it out to be crowned Choir of the World.
Today we also introduce our new Contemporary Dance competition. Winners from this competition will join the winners from the Traditional and Choreographed Dance competitions to compete for the Dance Champions title on Saturday evening.
Field Admission
Field Day Adult £12
Field Day Concession £10
Field Day Child 5+ £5
Field Day Child under 5 FREE
Family tickets also available
(Booking Fees apply)
Tickets are available to book for Thursday 7th July – Children’s Day, Friday 8th July – International Youth Day and Saturday 9th July – Family Day.
We have a special reduced Evening Field entry price of £5, valid from 4.30pm Thursday-Saturday.
Field Day tickets include full access to the grounds with admission into the Pavilion in blocks D and H on first come, first served basis.
This July we’ll be presenting a completely revamped outdoor site, with music, dance, talks, comedy, food, drink, shopping, workshops and pop-up entertainment, designed to delight and surprise! Come and relax, or come and expand your mind, with a programme bursting with family-friendly events running from mid-morning until 9pm.
Will you need parking? You can also pre-book your parking space for £5.00 when purchasing your tickets. This can be added to your basket during the booking process. This is an all-day ticket from 8:00am.
2022 Group and Solo competition applications open!
Croeso! Welcome!
Following a two-year hiatus from live competitions, I am delighted to announce that applications to take part in the ‘Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod’, which takes place from Thursday 7th July – Sunday 10th July 2022, are now open!
Visit Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod Participants’ Website for more competition information. (more…)
Reminder – 2022 Priority Booking Opens 13 December
Just a little reminder that priority tickets for Llangollen Eisteddfod 2022 go on sale online and by phone at 10am on Monday 13 December. Tickets for members of the general public will go on sale at 10am on Monday 20 December. (more…)
Hello from the Executive Producer – We’re Back – 2022 Concerts Announced!
Dear Friends,
It’s an enormous pleasure to be writing my first newsletter to you all, with the wonderful news that we will return to live music-making in July 2022.
Since joining the Eisteddfod at the start of November the team and I have been working flat out to bring you all a celebration worthy of our 75 years existence. Although the festival will be slightly shorter, and will take place on the field and in the main Pavilion arena without the usual extension to ensure the safety of all our audiences while Covid restrictions are still in place, I hope you’ll agree that we have captured the best of all that Llangollen has to offer. (more…)
Appointment of new Executive Producer for Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod
Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod is pleased to announce the appointment of Camilla King as our Executive Producer.
Camilla King joins Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod as Executive Producer from her role as Head of Programming at Cheltenham Music Festival. An experienced classical music programmer, project and events manager with a 20-year long career in the arts and charity sectors, Camilla studied Music at King’s College London before working as an artist manager for Ingpen & Williams. This was followed by a period in the casting department at English National Opera, running a choral education scheme for The Gabrieli Consort & Players, and a brief foray into fundraising with Freedom from Torture, an offshoot of Amnesty. (more…)
Dylan Thomas’s 1953 Llangollen Notebook
Prof Chris Adams, Archive Committee, writes:
There are few stories from the 75 years of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod which excite supporters more than the visit of Dylan Thomas in July 1953. He described his visit a few weeks later in a 15 minute broadcast for the BBC Home Service, and generated verbal images of the early Eisteddfod whose power resonates to this day. There are no known recordings of the broadcast, and so we have had to make do with the text, which was printed in the 1953 compilation “Quite Early One Morning”, though several television programmes about the festival have used Thomas’s words, voiced by a Welsh actor.
World-famous Llangollen Eisteddfod strikes new note for 2021
International music and dance festival returns with specially commissioned new online cultural programme plus transformation of bridge into giant artwork
Online programme – Friday 9 – Sunday 11 July
Bridge artwork – Friday 9 – Wednesday 4 August
Image captions:
Patchwork panels of ‘Bridges, Not Walls’ Llangollen Bridge artwork by artist Luke Jerram; Catrin Finch, harpist and composer (credit Jennie Caldwell); Rapper Magugu, recording track for Curiad Calon / Heartbeat with Horizons; Recording track for Curiad Calon / Heartbeat with Horizons: L to R: Lily Beau, Rachel K Collier, Rhys Grail (camera), Magugu
The world-famous Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod is returning this year with a diverse new cultural programme specially commissioned to celebrate the message of international peace and friendship on which it was founded over 70 years ago.
Held in Llangollen, a beautiful small town in north Wales every summer since 1947 – with the exception of 2020 when it was postponed due to the Covid pandemic – this year, the Eisteddfod will be largely held online, with the main programme presented free of charge over the weekend of the 9 – 11 July.
With funding support from Welsh Government, this year’s Eisteddfod will celebrate the broadest possible range of genres from classical, choral, hip hop, dance and world music, as well as Luke Jerram’s Llangollen bridge artwork, to connect with existing and new audiences in preparation for its physical return in 2022.
The 2021 Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod programme comprises:
- Bridges, Not Walls, Luke Jerram
A brand-new art installation by the world-renowned artist Luke Jerram, who is covering the grade 1 listed Llangollen bridge with a patchwork of fabrics representing Wales and countries that usually attend the Eisteddfod. Known for public art installations around the world including Museum of the Moon, Play Me, I’m Yours street pianos and Glass Microbiology sculptures depicting the coronavirus and its vaccine, this is his first commission in Wales. The artwork will remain in place until 5 August.
- Tangnefedd by Paul Mealor and Mererid Hopwood
World-premiere of a new choral piece by Paul Mealor, one of the world’s most performed living composers and Mererid Hopwood, renowned Welsh poet and the first woman to win the National Eisteddfod Chair. The performance will feature choirs from around the world that have successfully competed at the Eisteddfod, from the UK, US and Africa. In the Welsh language, Tangnefedd means the result of bringing together two elements in peace and harmony.
- Curiad Calon/Heartbeat with Horizons (BBC/ACW), Rachel K Collier, Magugu and Lily Beau
A new dance track commissioned for Llangollen Eisteddfod by up-and-coming electronic producer and performer Rachel K Collier, Nigerian-born, avant-garde rapper Magugu and talented young Welsh singer-songwriter and actress Lily Beau. The track is designed to inspire the Eisteddfod international music and dance community and wider public to respond with their own moves on social media. It’s also a world first of combining the English, Welsh and Nigerian Pidgin Rap languages!
- Catrin Finch and Guests
A new musical composition exploring the peace message with internationally renowned harpist and composer Catrin Finch, pioneering beatboxer and rapper Mr Phormula (Ed Holden), British Asian musician and tabla player Kuljit Bhamra, Eliza Marshall and Nick Ellis on Bansuri, Lee House, electronics and RAV drum and the refugee and asylum seeker Oasis One World Choir, from Cardiff.
- Beth Yw Heddwch?/What is Peace? schools project
Project exploring children’s thoughts about peace through the written word, dance, movement and drama sessions involving 1,000 pupils from three schools from Rhyl, Llanberis and Llangollen. A creative video will be produced and an exhibition of postcards expressing children’s views about peace will be displayed throughout the town.
- Peace Pavilion Programme
A thought-provoking programme of talks and activities with Academi Heddwch Cymru exploring peace and peacebuilding. The programme includes ‘The Peace Lecture’ given by Begoña Lasagabaster, UN Women Chief of Leadership and Governance Section; ‘The Art of Peacebuilding’; ‘Peace Poems’ and much more. For young people, this series includes virtual cultural exchange and the Young Peacemakers Awards ceremony. [https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/academi-heddwch-cymru-33667861775]
This year’s digital Llangollen Eisteddfod will feature videos of the world premiere performances, many filmed in the town itself. On Saturday night, there will be a performance of Tangnefedd by a mass choir, some appearing digitally from across the world and others on stage in the pavilion where the Eisteddfod is usually staged, just outside the town. People living locally, in Wales and around the world are invited to explore the programme, free of charge, at https://international-eisteddfod.co.uk/.
Betsan Moses, interim chief executive of the Llangollen Eisteddfod for 2021 is leading the creation of a fresh, diverse, world-class cultural programme to connect with both new and existing audiences, after last year’s event was postponed.
She says: “The Llangollen Eisteddfod was founded on the idea of bringing peace and this year’s cultural programme expresses what it stands for; peace, creativity and togetherness. We’re looking forward to sharing a varied and inspiring programme of events online this year, with an array of world-class performers across musical and artistic genres and exciting new commissions to delight both existing and new audiences across the globe.
“The beautiful town of Llangollen, which normally sees up to 35,000 visitors during the Eisteddfod, will also play host to the visitors that come to see the transformation of Llangollen Bridge into a giant artwork by Luke Jerram, clothed in a patchwork of fabrics from around the world.”
A Stitch in Time! International artist Luke Jerram to transform historic bridge for Llangollen Eisteddfod
Llangollen Bridge to be transformed into giant artwork called ‘Bridges, Not Walls’
Friday 9 July – Thursday 5 August 2021
Image captions:
Row 1: Patchwork panels of ‘Bridges, Not Walls’ Llangollen Bridge artwork by artist Luke Jerram;
Row 2: Mock-up of ‘Bridges, Not Walls’; artist Luke Jerram stands in front of Llangollen Bridge; tailor upholsterer Emma Williams stitches fabric squares together.
Llangollen Online 2021 – Official image.
International artist Luke Jerram is working to transform the famous Llangollen Bridge into a giant artwork celebrating peace, as part of the world-renowned Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod (LIME).
Luke plans to wrap the Grade 1 listed stone bridge in a giant patchwork of fabrics, reflecting the crafts and cultures of Wales alongside the festival’s participating nations.
Called Bridges, Not Walls, the artwork celebrates the idea of peace on which the festival was founded nearly 75 years ago.
Known for public art installations around the world including Museum of the Moon, Play Me, I’m Yours which brought street pianos to dozens of international cities and his recent Glass Microbiology sculptures depicting the coronavirus and its vaccine, this is the first commission in Wales for Luke, who completed his degree at Cardiff Metropolitan University.
Whilst the Llangollen Eisteddfod will mainly be held online this year, organisers hope the eye-catching Bridges, Not Walls will also attract people to visit the town this summer.
In a race against time, 800 squares of one metre-wide fabric, including local donations from Llangollen, are currently being stitched together to cover both sides of the 60 metre-long bridge.
Creating an ever-changing artwork depending on the angle, light and weather conditions, the bridge will become an incredible sight to view and visit and a powerful symbol connecting this year’s online festival with its physical roots. Even the water below it will be transformed with the reflections and colours from the bridge.
Luke Jerram’s new bridge artwork will connect and extend the Eisteddfod’s creativity out from the field where it is normally held each year into the town, transforming and animating Llangollen for the whole world to see.
With the panels of the archways almost complete, work will soon start on the material to cover the bridge’s stanchions, or columns, which stand in the water and support the bridge above.
Luke says: “From the moment I saw it, Llangollen Bridge struck me as incredibly powerful, both physically and symbolically. The message and celebration of peace is at the heart of the Llangollen Eisteddfod and so this historic bridge, one of the seven wonders of Wales, makes the perfect canvas. As Sir Isaac Newton once said, “We build too many walls and not enough bridges.” From Israel to the USA, we are at last exploring the possibility of building bridges rather than walls.”
Held in Llangollen every summer since 1947, the Eisteddfod is a truly international cultural festival with a world-class diverse programme that celebrates a message of international peace and friendship through singing, dancing and performance.
Usually attracting over 4,000 performers from around the world and 35,000 visitors to Llangollen, this year’s unique celebration of global peace and harmony will be largely held online in July 2021, with the main programme being presented over the weekend of the 9 – 11 July. Bridges, Not Walls will remain in place on Llangollen Bridge until 5 August.
Betsan Moses, chief executive of Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod (LIME) added:
“We’re hugely excited about Bridges, Not Walls which celebrates everything Llangollen’s much-loved Eisteddfod stands for; peace, creativity and togetherness. We’re looking forward to sharing a varied and inspiring programme of events online this year and we hope Luke’s artwork will also encourage people to visit the historic town over the summer.”
With Welsh Government funding, this year’s online Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod will celebrate the broadest possible range of musical genres from classical, opera and choral, to jazz, soul and rock, to connect with existing and new audiences in preparation for its physical return in 2022.
For more information please visit https://international-eisteddfod.co.uk/
For further information or interviews please contact:
Caroline Harris or Kierstan Lowe at Spirit Public Relations on 0117 944 1415 / 07966 550623 / 07910 234805
or email hello@spiritpublicrelations.co.uk
NOTES TO EDITORS
For more information, terms and conditions about submitting patchworks for consideration, please visit https://international-eisteddfod.co.uk/
About Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod & Llangollen Online 2021
Every summer since 1947 Llangollen has staged one of the world’s most inspirational cultural festivals. Each year around 4,000 performers and as many as 35,000 visitors converge on this beautiful small Welsh town and its International Pavilion; to sing and dance in a unique combination of competition, performance, and international peace and friendship.https://international-eisteddfod.co.uk/
As the world continues to battle through the Coronavirus pandemic, this year’s festival will be held online. Llangollen Online 2021 will offer a reimagining of the annual event that captures the magic of the international Eisteddfod in a digital format. https://international-eisteddfod.co.uk/llangollen-online-2021/
About Luke Jerram
Luke Jerram’s multidisciplinary practice involves the creation of sculptures, installations and live arts projects. Living in Bristol, UK but working internationally, Jerram has created a number of extraordinary art projects over the last 24 years which have excited and inspired people around the globe. www.lukejerram.com
Llangollen Eisteddfod Call Out – Get Stitching!
International artist Luke Jerram plans fabric transformation of Llangollen bridge – the photo shows a mock-up of how the artwork will look.
Llangollen Eisteddfod are calling out for people to help transform the landmark Llangollen Bridge into a giant work of art to launch this year’s festival.
The Eisteddfod has commissioned internationally renowned artist Luke Jerram to create the new artwork. He plans to wrap the 60 metre-long bridge in a giant patchwork reflecting the crafts and cultures of Wales alongside the festival’s participating nations. Whilst the festival will mainly be held online this year, we hope the eye-catching bridge will also attract people to visit the town this summer.
Luke Jerram’s new bridge artwork will connect and extend the Eisteddfod’s creativity out from the field, into the town, transforming and animating Llangollen for the whole world to see.
We are offering you the opportunity to get involved, by asking that you make your own 1m x 1m fabric squares which will be stitched together and hung over the bridge. Ideally the patches should be bold in design, so it stands out when seen from a distance.
For your patch to be included in the bridge, it needs to be delivered to the Penddol entrance by the Llangollen Eisteddfod site by 30th June 2021.
The address for those wishing to post their patch: LIME Office, Royal International Pavilion, Abbey Road, Llangollen LL20 8SW
Any questions please call 01978 862000 or email info@llangollen.net.
Patchwork examples:
Artist Luke Jerram, who is known for public art works around the world, said:
“When I first saw Llangollen Bridge I fell in love with it. It’s so iconic and at the heart of the town. Across the world, bridges have always been used as both a physical and symbolic way to connect people – which fits perfectly with the aims and ambitions of the Eisteddfod. I can’t wait to see the patchworks the creative people from the local community send in, in order to turn the bridge into a work of art.”
Betsan Moses, CEO Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod (LIME) said:
“The Eisteddfod has a long and rich history of working with different communities and nations across the world to bring people together to share their creativity and a message of peace. The community of Llangollen are so important to the festival, with hundreds of local people volunteering every year. So we hope that creating and sharing patchwork pieces for the bridge artwork will be a way of helping them to connect to the online festival this summer, as well as attracting visitors to the town.”
Terms and conditions
Your patchwork needs to be made of fabric and 1m x 1m in size. Any colours are permitted and we are seeking imagery that is bold and geometrically strong. Your design should not include writing or political messaging.*
*We reserve the right, not to include your patchwork if it is deemed inappropriate.
About Luke Jerram
Luke Jerram’s multidisciplinary practice involves the creation of sculptures, installations and live arts projects. Living in Bristol, UK but working internationally, Jerram has created a number of extraordinary art projects over the last 24 years which have excited and inspired people around the globe.
