About us - Amdanom ni

International Residencies at

Aberystwyth Arts Centre

There are no International Residencies available at the moment. If you would like to be sent information when the next residency call opens please contact Sophie Bennett Tel: 01970 622338

We are currently expanding our Visual Arts International Residency Programme at Aberystwyth Arts Centre. We are working with The Charles Wallace Pakistani Trust, The Finnish Arts Studio, The British Council in Quebec and Umbrella Studio to bring artists from Pakistan, Finland, Quebec and Australia to Wales to take part in the scheme.

Selected artists will receive, for the 3 month duration: studio space of c.35 square metres, accommodation locally, and a contribution towards living expenses. The residency is an opportunity to step away from the everyday constraints of life and experience time in which to develop individual artistic practice, and to exchange ideas in a creative atmosphere with people from other disciplines. The other Creative Units house two other temporary artists in residence, as well as various creative companies and artists’ studios.

The selected artist will devote most of their time to pursuing their work, but the following will, by discussion with individual, be a part of the experience:

An informal public talk by the artist about their practice
Social meetings with other artists and arranged visits to other arts venues in Wales
Open Studio exhibition of work at the end of the residency.

Applications are recieved through our partner organisations and are evaluated on criteria including the artistic or professional excellence of the applicant’s work; and the extent to which a residency at Aberystwyth Arts Centre will contribute to the artist’s development and be consistent with the applicant’s creative goals, and professional development.

We are looking for organizations in other countries to help us select suitable applicants to take part in the residency scheme. For more information about this please contact Sophie Bennett Tel: +44 (0) 1970 622338 Email: sob@aber.ac.uk

Cyfnodau Preswyl Rhyngwladol yng Nghanolfan y Celfyddydau Aberystwyth

‘Rydym ar hyn o bryd yn ehangu’n prosiect Artistiaid Preswyl Rhyngwladol yng Nghanolfan y Celfyddydau. ‘Rydym yn gweithio gydag Ymddiriedolaeth Pacistan Charles Wallace, Stiwdio Celfyddydau’r Ffindir a’r Cyngor Prydeinig yn Quebec i ddod ag artistiaid o Bacistan, y Ffindir, Quebec ac Awstralia i Gymru i gymryd rhan yn y cynllun.

Bydd yr artistiaid buddugol yn derbyn, am gyfnod o dri mis, gofod stiwdio o dua 35 medr sgwâr, llety a drefnir yn lleol a chyfraniad tuag at gostau byw. Mae’r cyfnod preswyl yn cynnig cyfle i’r artist i gamu i ffwrdd oddi wrth ofynion bywyd bob dydd er mwyn cael amser i ddatblygu ei ymarfer artistig ei hun, ac i gyfnewid syniadau mewn awyrgylch creadigol gydag unigolion o ddisgyblaethau eraill. Mae’r Unedau Creadigol eraill yn gartref i ddau artist preswyl dros dro arall, yn ogystal â nifer o gwmniau creadigol a stiwdios artistiaid. Bydd yr artistiaid preswyl yn treulio’r rhan fwyaf o’u hamser yn datblygu eu gwaith, ond bydd y canlynol, trwy drafodaeth gyda’r artist, yn rhan o’r profiad:

Anerchiad cyhoeddus anffurfiol gan yr artist ynglyn â’i waith

Cyfarfodydd cymdeithasol gydag artistiaid eraill ac ymweliadau â chanolfannau celf eraill yng Nghymru

Arddangosfa Stiwdio Agored ar ddiwedd y cyfnod preswyl.

Derbynnir ceisiadau drwy’r mudiadau ‘rydym yn cydweithio â nhw ac fe’u hasesir ar feini prawf yn cynnwys rhagoriaeth artistig neu broffesiynol gwaith yr artist ac i ba raddau y bydd cyfnod preswyl yng Nghanolfan y Celfyddydau Aberystwyth yn cyfrannu tuag at ddatblygiad yr artist ac yn cydfynd â nodau creadigol a datblygiad proffesiynol yr ymgeisydd.

‘Rydym yn edrych am fudiadau mewn gwledydd eraill i’n helpu ni i ddewis ymgeiswyr addas i gymryd rhan yn y cynllun preswyl. Am ragor o wybodaeth am hyn a fyddech gystal â chysylltu â Sophie Bennett Ffôn: +44 (0) 1970 622338 E-bost: sob@aber.ac.uk

International Residencies 2010 – 2011

Artistiaid Preswyl Rhyngwladol 2010 – 2011

Autumn/ Hydref 2010

Riikka Makikoskela, Finland/ Y Ffindir

As a sculptor Riikka is interested in experimental space. She seeks alternative ways of being, acting and living. Her current project is working with shadows which started with old Finnish sayings such as ‘I am only the shadow of what I used to be’ and ‘the devil doesn’t have a shadow.’

Her perspective is that of a young, white Scandinavian woman who is married with young children and this latest work looks at relations between her own personal history and the tradition of shadows in western history of visual arts.

Fel cerflunwraig mae Riikka yn ymddiddori mewn gofod arbrofol. Mae’n edrych am ffyrdd gwahanol o fodoli, ymddwyn a byw. Mae ei phrosiect cyfredol yn ymwneud â chysgodion, yn seiliedig ar hen ddywediadau Ffinnaidd megis ‘’Rwyf ond yn gysgod o’r hyn yr oeddwn’ a ‘’Does gan y diafol ddim cysgod.’

Mae ganddi bersbectif dynes wen, ifanc Sgandinafaidd sy’n briod gyda dau blentyn ifanc ac mae’r gwaith diweddaraf hwn yn edrych ar y perthynas rhwng ei hanes personol hi ei hun a thraddodiadau cysgodion yn hanes y celfyddydau gweledol yn y gorllewin.

Spring / Gwanwyn 2011

Haider Ali Jan, Pakistan

I was brought up in Lahore’s inner or old city, known for, its celebration of Muharram. One of the rituals of Muharram is for men to beat themselves with knives. As a child I used to dream of the day I would become a part of this community, earning the respect of my elders.

My work is inquisitive; through it I try to make sense of the world around me. And I believe that in order to understand an ideology or people one has to go through the physical performances associated with them. And therefore I develop my work by physically becoming a part of groups I am studying, by standing beside them and doing what they do, listening to their stories, understanding their beliefs.

Cefais fy magu yn hen ddinas Lahore sy’n adnabyddus am ei dathliad o Muharram. Un o ddefodau Muharram yw bod dynion yn curo eu hunain gyda chyllyll. Pan ‘roeddwn yn blentyn breuddwydiais am y dydd y byddwn yn dod yn rhan o’r gymuned hon, yn ennill parch fy hynafiaid.

Mae fy ngwaith yn ymholgar; ‘rwy’n ceisio gwneud synnwyr o’r byd o’m cwmpas. A chredaf os ‘rydych am ddeall ideoleg neu genedl, rhaid i chi fynd trwy’r perfformiadau corfforol sy’n gysylltiedig â nhw. Ac felly ‘rwy’n datblygu fy ngwaith trwy ddod yn llythrennol yn rhan o’r grwpiau yr wyf yn eu hastudio, trwy sefyll wrth eu hochr a gwneud beth mae nhw’n gwneud, trwy wrando ar eu straeon a deall eu credau.

Aberystwyth Arts Centre

Aberystwyth Arts Centre is an award winning arts facility, the largest and busiest arts centre in Wales with a wide-ranging programme of events and activities across all art forms. Over 700,000 visitors a year are welcomed, and the Centre employs 40 full time and 119 part time staff. In 2000, the Arts Centre completed a major £4.3 million redevelopment project which was largely funded by the National Lottery, and now has facilities unrivalled throughout much of the UK; leading it to be recognised as a national centre for arts development and described as a ‘national flagship for the arts.’ It is a department of Aberystwyth University. The building houses a concert hall, theatre, two galleries, ceramics collection gallery, cinema, studio theatre, workshops (including pottery, dark room, recording studio, digital lab), café, Craft & Design shop, Bookshop, bars, and full backstage and administration facilities.

The artistic programme is a very varied one, including performing arts, literature, the visual arts and crafts, music and community arts; and the Centre is the hub for several international Festivals including the highly successful biennial International Ceramics Festival.

Aberystwyth Arts Centre has a successful track record for creating and running successful operations which contribute to the ethos of the Centre and also help the financial balancing act; the Centre’s earned income is over 70% of the total - far higher than comparable cultural facilities in the UK. The venue is an important and successful facility which is playing an increasingly vital role as income from traditional industries continues to decline.

The performing arts programme has a wide range and is of high quality; including UK & international dance and drama such as Out Of Joint theatre, Amajuba, Theatre de Complicite, Hull truck; Wales based companies such as Mappa Mundi, Diversions dance; Classical Music with Welsh National Opera, Catrin Finch; youth & community productions and a programme of world, folk, blues and popular music.

The cinema embraces a wide ranging programme including the best of UK and world cinema, and encompasses work from small independent producers to Hollywood productions.

The temporary exhibitions programme takes place within two galleries, and encompasses a wide range of contemporary practice from within the UK and worldwide. Recent exhibitions, some of which are originated here to tour to other venues in the UK and Ireland, include James Morris’ ‘Butabu’; Jeremy Deller’s Folk Archive; Janet Cardiff’s ‘Forty Part Motet’ and Cadet, new work by Tim Davies, which includes a film work made in Aberystwyth.

Aberystwyth Arts Centre also houses the University’s important collection of 20th and 21st century studio ceramics, and the exhibitions programme has a long commitment to the promotion and development of contemporary crafts, ceramics in particular.

Community arts and education programme includes an ‘Open Platform’ which helps emerging practitioners in music, dance, theatre and performance to present their work in a professional environment. Artists in Schools covers a range of creative Outreach and Arts Centre based visual arts, dance, drama, music and writing based workshops for school aged children. In addition, regular classes stimulate creativity and enhance well being.

Aberystwyth itself can offer the benefits of rural life – a small town, surrounded by an outstanding landscape and the sea – yet with the stimulating company of arts colleagues, University staff and students, and other facilities including national organisations such as the National Library, National Books Council and the Institute of Grassland & Environmental Research ( - which was the base for an exciting art-science NESTA funded collaboration with artists Heather Ackroyd & Dan Harvey.

The Units, designed by Thomas Heatherwick Studio

The residency programme will offer artists the opportunity to concentrate on their work in a congenial setting. The new Creative Business Units will bring together creative businesses and individual artists’ studios. The three Units reserved for temporary residencies will be part of this grouping, and all will relate back strongly to the Arts Centre, immediately adjacent, which will continue to function as the primary social meeting point.

The Creative Business Units have been supported by the Welsh Development Agency and the Arts Council of Wales. Following a commitment to the economic value and aesthetics of low cost buildings, five design teams were invited to explore the use of modular building technologies in visually and spatially innovative ways; and Thomas Heatherwick Studios was selected.

Reluctant to dilute the wooded character of the site by superimposing a single campus-style block, the Studio chose instead to set smaller buildings among the trees. These consist of simple timber frame buildings, split down their centre and pulled apart to provide light and ventilation and a shared entrance area, clad in an innovative and distinctive crinkled stainless steel.

The units average 35 square metres; the interiors are practical, accessible to the disabled and easily adaptable to many needs. Outside, these units will have a unique look, set in a curve beside the Arts Centre and reflecting the foliage with which they are surrounded.

Aberystwyth

Aberystwyth town is situated on the West Coast of Wales, in the centre of Cardigan Bay. The medieval walled town was built around a 13th-century fortress, and later became the exporter for the once-flourishing local lead mines. Aberystwyth today is a University town and an established holiday resort, on a spectacular coastline and surrounded by some of the most glorious countryside in Britain. Aberystwyth University attracts students from all over the world, which lends the town a more cosmopolitan and liberal ambience than many Welsh towns of a similar size.

The town is generally regarded as the capital of mid Wales, and several institutions have regional or national offices there – including the National Library of Wales, the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales and the Institute of Grassland and Environmenal Research.

Canolfan y Clefyddydau Aberystwyth

Adnodd arobryn i’r celfyddydau yw Canolfan y Celfyddydau Aberystwyth. Hon yw’r ganolfan fwyaf a phrysuraf i’r celfyddydau yng Nghymru gyda rhaglen eang o ddigwyddiadau a gweithgareddau ar draws yr holl gelfyddydau. Croesewir dros 700,000 o ymwelwyr bob blwyddyn, ac mae’r ganolfan yn cyflogi 40 o staff amser llawn a 119 o staff rhan amser. Yn 2000, cwblhawyd prosiect ailwampio £4.3m sylweddol gan y Ganolfan a ariannwyd yn bennaf gan y Loteri Genedlaethol ac erbyn hyn mae ganddi gyfleusterau sydd heb eu hail drwy’r DU, nes ei bod bellach yn cael ei chydnabod fel canolfan genedlaethol ar gyfer datblygu’r celfyddydau ac mae wedi’i disgrifio fel ‘banerlong genedlaethol i’r celfyddydau’. Un o adrannau Prifysgol Aberystwyth yw hi. Mae’r adeilad yn gartref i neuadd gyngerdd, theatr, dwy oriel, oriel casgliad cerameg, sinema, theatr stiwdio, gweithdai, gan gynnwys crochenwaith, ystafell dywyll, stiwdio recordio, labordy digidol, caffi, Siop Grefft a dylunio, siop lyfrau, barau a chyfleusterau gweinyddol a chefn-y-llwyfan cyflawn.

Mae’r rhaglen artistig yn amrywiol iawn, gan gynnwys, y celfyddydau perfformio, llenyddiaeth, y celfyddydau gweledol a chrefftau, cerddoriaeth a chelfyddydau cymunedol; Y Ganolfan yw’r canolbwynt ar gyfer sawl gŵyl ryngwladol gan gynnwys yr Ŵyl Gerameg Ryngwladol Eilflwydd hynod lwyddiannus.Mae enw da gan Ganolfan y Celfyddydau Aberystwyth o ran creu a threfnu gweithredoedd llwyddiannus sy’n cyfrannu at ethos y Ganolfan ac sydd hefyd yn helpu wrth gadw’r fantol ariannol yn wastad; Mae’r Ganolfan yn gyfrifol am ennill dros 70% o gyfanswm ei hincwm, yn uwch o lawer na chyfleusterau diwylliannol eraill yn y DU. Adnodd llwyddiannus a phwysig yw’r Ganolfan sy’n chwarae rôl gynyddol hanfodol wrth i incwm o ddiwydiannau traddodiadol ostwng o hyd.

Mae ystod eang i’r rhaglen i’r celfyddydau perfformio ac mae’n uchel iawn ei hansawdd, gan gynnwys dawns a drama o’r DU a thramor megis Out of Joint Theatre, Mappa Mundi, Diversion, cerddoriaeth glasurol ag Opera Cenedlaethol Cymru a Catrin Finch; cynyrchiadau ieuenctid a chymunedol a rhaglen o gerddoriaeth fyd-eang, cerddoriaeth werin, y felan a cherddoriaeth boblogaidd.

Mae’r sinema’n cynnig rhaglen eang gan gynnwys y gorau o sinema’r DU a’r byd gan gwmpasu gwaith gan fân gynhyrchwyr annibynnol a chynyrchiadau Hollywood.

Cynhelir y rhaglen arddangosfeydd dros dro mewn dwy oriel, gan gwmpasu amrywiaeth eang o ymarfer cyfoes o’r DU ac ar draws y byd. Mae arddangosfeydd diweddar, rhai ohonynt yn deillio’n wreiddiol o’r Ganolfan ei hun i deithio i ganolfannau eraill yn y DU ac Iwerddon, yn cynnwys ‘Butabe’ James Morris; Yr Archif Werin Jeremy Deller; ‘Motet mewn Deugain Darn’ gan Janet Cardiff a Cadet, gwaith newydd gan Tim Davies, sy’n cynnwys gwaith ffilm a wnaed yn Aberystwyth.Mae Canolfan y Celfyddydau Aberystwyth hefyd yn gartref i gasgliad cerameg stiwdio pwysig y Brifysgol o’r ugeinfed ganrif a’r unfed ganrif ar hugain ac mae’r rhaglen arddangosfeydd wedi ymrwymo’n hirdymor i hyrwyddo a datblygu crefftau cyfoes, cerameg yn arbennig.

Mae’r rhaglen celfyddydau cymunedol ac addysg yn cynnwys Llwyfan Agored sy’n helpu ymarferwyr newydd mewn cerddoriaeth, dawns, theatr a pherfformio i gyflwyno eu gwaith mewn amgylchedd proffesiynol. Mae Artistiaid mewn Ysgolion yn cynnwys amrywiaeth o weithdai creadigol allgymorth ac wedi’u seilio yn y Ganolfan i blant oed ysgol yn y celfyddydau gweledol, dawns, drama, cerddoriaeth ac ysgrifennu. Yn ychwanegol, bydd dosbarthiadau rheolaidd yn sbarduno creadigrwydd ac yn hybu lles.

Mae Aberystwyth ei hun yn gallu cynnig holl fanteision bywyd cefn gwlad – tref fach wedi’i hamgylchynu gan dirwedd diguro a’r môr – ac eto gyda chwmni ysgogol artistiaid, cydweithwyr/wragedd, staff y Brifysgol a myfyrwyr ac mae cyfleusterau eraill yn cynnwys cyrff cenedlaethol Cymreig megis Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru, Cyngor Llyfrau Cymru a’r Sefydliad Ymchwil Tir Glas Amgylcheddol – a fu’n lleoliad ar gyfer cywaith celf-gwyddoniaeth NESTA cyffrous gyda’r artistiaid Heather Ackroyd a Dan Harvey.

Yr Unedau a gynlluniwyd gan Thomas Heatherwick

Bydd y rhaglen breswyliadau’n cynnig cyfle i artistiaid i ganolbwyntio ar eu gwaith mewn lleoliad cydnaws.

Bydd yr Unedau Busnes Creadigol yn dwyn at ei gilydd fusnesau creadigol a stiwdios artistiaid unigol. Bydd y tair stiwdio sydd ar gadw ar gyfer preswyliadau dros dro’n rhan o’r clwstwr hwn, a byddant yn ymberthyn i Ganolfan y Celfyddydau sydd yn union gyfagos a fydd yn parhau i weithredu fel y brif fan cyfarfod cymdeithasol.

Mae’r Unedau Busnes Creadigol wedi’u hariannu gan Awdurdod Datblygu Cymru a Chyngor Celfyddydau Cymru. Yn dilyn ymrwymiad i’r gwerth economaidd ac estheteg adeiladu rhad, gwahoddwyd y timau cynllunio i archwilio defnyddio technolegau adeiladu modiwlar mewn ffyrdd gweledol a gofodol arloesol, a dewiswyd Stiwdios Thomas Heatherwick.

Heb eisiau glastwreiddio naws goediog y safle trwy osod rhyw floc yn null y campws ar ei ben, dewisodd y Stiwdios osod adeiladau llai ymysg y coed. Adeiladau ffrâm bren syml yw’r rhain a rennir i lawr y canol a’u tynnu wrth ei gilydd i roi golau ac awyr iach a mynedfa ar y cyd. Maent wedi’u gorchuddio mewn dur di-staen ‘crychlyd’ nodedig ac arloesol.

Ar gyfartaledd maint yr unedau yw 35 metr sgwâr. Y tu mewn maent yn ymarferol yn hygyrch i’r anabl ac yn hawdd i’w haddasu i ddiwallu llawer iawn o anghenion. Y tu allan bydd golwg unigryw ar yr unedau hyn, wedi’u gosod mewn cilgant wrth ymyl Canolfan y Celfyddydau gan adlewyrchu gwyrddi’r coed sydd o’u cwmpas.

Aberystwyth

Fe orwedd tref Aberystwyth ar arfordir orllewinol Cymru yng nghanol Bae Ceredigion. Adeiladwyd tref furiog y canol oesoedd o gwmpas castell o’r drydedd ganrif ar ddeg, ac yn nes ymlaen bu’n borthladd ar gyfer allforio plwm o’r gweithfeydd lleol a fu’n hynod lewyrchus ar un adeg. Tref prifysgol yw Aberystwyth erbyn heddiw ac yn gyrchfan gwyliau boblogaidd sy’n sefyll ar arfordir godidog wedi’i hamgylchynu gan beth o gefn gwlad harddaf gwledydd Prydain. Mae’r Brifysgol yn denu myfyrwyr o bedwar ban byd sy’n golygu bod y dref yn cynnig naws mwy cosmopolitan ac eangfrydig na llawer dref arall o’r un maint.

Ystyrir y dref yn gyffredinol fel prifddinas canolbarth Cymru ac mae gan sawl sefydliad swyddfa genedlaethol neu ranbarthol yno – gan gynnwys Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru, Comisiwn Henebion Cymru a Sefydliad Ymchwil Tir Glas a’r Amgylchedd.