The annual Poetry & Art Festival celebrates RS Thomas & ME Eldridge in the Welsh coastal village of Aberdaron where he was vicar and she an artist.

The first festival was held in 2014. Since then we have been honoured to welcome distinguished speakers from the United Kingdom and the United States, including Rowan Williams, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, as well as leading scholars. The festival has sponsored fresh expressions of the poetry and art for new audiences. Our festival location in Aberdaron on the Llŷn Peninsula enables people to experience first-hand the landscapes that inspired the poetry of Thomas and the art of Eldridge.

The Festival is now managed by the RS Thomas & ME Eldridge Society and is a key part of its mission to bring together people with an appreciation of the literary and artistic works, musical compositions, people and places associated with the poet RS Thomas and the artist ME Eldridge.

We are pleased to announce the theme of the 2019 RS Thomas & ME Eldridge Literary & Art Festival is “Spirit of Place.” The festival will take place between the 21st and 23rd of June in Aberdaron, North Wales. Highlights of the festival include:

• the return of Rowan Williams to speak on RS Thomas.

• poetry writing workshops run by the well regarded Welsh poet and playwright Menna Elfyn.

• a Eucharist service including the former Archbishop of Wales Barry Morgan.

• a concert by the Welsh male voice choir, Côr Meibion Carnguwch.

• a walking tour through the landscape and sacred places that inspired Thomas’ poetry.

• a presentation by Sandra Anstey on Thomas’ prose writings.

• poetry readings with Menna Elfyn and others in a 21st century Celtic Roundhouse.

Registration for the 2019 RS Thomas & ME Eldridge Literary & Art Festival will open in January 2019. All are welcome to join us in beautiful Aberdaron!

St. Hywyn’s Church and the village of Aberdaron, Wales. Photograph by Tony Jones, www.llynlight.co.uk.

Watch this video introduction to Aberdaron!

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