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Welsh stars of musical theatre including Over The Rainbow finalist Sophie Evans will join together for a charity concert at in July.

Sophie Evans in ´óÏó´«Ã½ One entertainment show Over The Rainbow

on Sunday 18 July is part of the programme of events, and is in aid of .

The trust, formed following the death of theatrical director and youth opera opatron Elizabeth Evans, awards scholarships to young people who wish to pursue a professional career in the performing arts.

Stars lined up for the open-air concert include Evans and another former contestant of a ´óÏó´«Ã½ One show, Sarah Lark. Cardiff-born Lark took part in I'd Do Anything in 2008, in Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber's quest to find a Nancy for his production of Oliver!

Sarah Lark in ´óÏó´«Ã½ show I'd Do Anything

She has most recently starred in Cameron Mackintosh's revival production of Oliver! at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London as part of the ensemble.

Carmarthen-born classical star Mark Evans is also set to appear, along with Christopher Jacobsen and Karen Evans.

For more information on the concert visit the .

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The long-awaited is out and, inevitably, there are winners and losers. Some organisations that have enjoyed revenue funding will no longer get the annual grant from the Arts Council; others which have previously not had it will be celebrating their change of status.

But it's not all as clear cut as the headlines might suggest. The review has been a lengthy process that examined all the aims and business plans of arts organisations and venues that ACW funded and about 20 that the council invited to apply to join that list. Its title was "Renewal and transformation: building a stronger future for the arts in Wales" and, with ever tightening budgets, the value and impact of where that money's spent is all important.

Of course, in an ideal world all arts projects could get financial backing. Everyone's interests and passions could be paid for and all communities could be served equally well. The reality is that now, more than ever, the pot of public money for the arts is under growing pressure.

The Arts Council of Wales states very clearly that it is backing quality and excellence and wants the arts in Wales to grow and develop. It has outlined a core of revenue funded organisations and wants others to apply for more flexible types of funding. The review seems to me to be, not only thorough and unbiased, but as fair as it can be.

Only time will tell and, unfortunately, this is only the first hurdle. When it comes to finding out how money each organisation will receive in the forthcoming year, there'll be another agonising wait until ACW itself knows what size cloth has been allocated to be cut into Wales' cultural coat.

National Poet of Wales Gillian Clarke has a written a new poem to mark the 50th anniversary of the Six Bells colliery disaster.

Monday 28 June marked 50 years since the explosion at the Arael Griffin pit at the Six Bells Colliery that killed 45 men.

Photograph of Gillian Clarke © Academi / Owain Llyr

Clarke's poem imagines the women and housewives, going about their chores of hanging out the washing or scrubbing the front steps, hearing "a pulse inside the earth like a blow to the heart", and the reaction to the disaster.

on the Academi website.

Llangrannog-based sculptor Sebastien Boyesen was commissioned to design and build a new memorial to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the tragedy.

Browse a photo gallery of pictures taken while the sculpture was under construction.

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The has that it will cease funding 32 arts organisations in Wales from April 2011, following a spending review.

Among those affected are the Hay Festival of Literature and Art, Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, umbrella body Voluntary Arts Wales, Theatr Harlech and Pavilion Theatre Rhyl.

Funding to 71 organisations, including orchestras, arts centres and community groups, is expected to go ahead. .

And listen again to this week's ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Wales programme Eye on Wales, as Selma Chalabi investigates what the funding cuts might mean for the cultural life of Wales, and asks who should fund the arts in a recession.

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The annual photography exhibition by Wales' National Assembly Members has gone on display at the Senedd, after AMs were given the challenge of creating images on the theme of breakfast.

Alongside an open category, the members were challenged to create images of the most important meal of the day, and were given photographic hints and tips by professional photographers Steve Benbow and Glenn Edwards.

William Graham's photograph, Egg Basket in the Snow. Courtesy National Assembly for Wales.

Deputy Presiding Officer Rosemary Butler AM, who is sponsoring the event, said: "I'm delighted that so many Members have once again risen to the challenge of a bit of end of term fun and entered photos into the exhibition.

"It is great to see such a range of photographs, both on the breakfast theme and in the open category."

The exhibition, which is officially launched today, will remain on display to the public at the Senedd in Cardiff Bay until Friday 9 July.

Browse a photo gallery of the breakfast inspired snaps on the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Wales Arts website. And take a look at the National Assembly for Wales' for a wider selection of the photographs.

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A Cardiff based internet drama featuring new local talent is set to launch later this week.

Pizzaman is the brainchild of filmmakers Teilo Trimble and James Robson. It tells the story of two whirlwind weeks in the life of Welsh/Asian pizza delivery driver Taj, played by Sunny Patel.

During this time he encounters a corrupt Assembly Minister and has to deal with his own blackmailing boss, while working around the clock to secure his future with the love of his life Becky (played by Ruth Giblet). Filmed on a shoestring budget, it features 80 different locations and a 40-strong cast.

Pizzaman actors Ruth Giblet (Becky) and Sunny Patel (Taj). Photo: Alys Griffiths

Shot over 16 days in August last year, the 90-minute film has been split into 15 episodes. The official film launch will take place at the on Tuesday 29 June, with the first episode due to broadcast on the on 1 July.

Pizzaman cast and crew outside Venus Kebab House in Cardiff's City Road. Photo: Alys Griffiths

Teilo Trimble, series creator/producer explains: "We set out to engage and involve the community and in hindsight without any funding that was a lofty ambition indeed ... people were suspicious to begin with, they weren't sure how genuine our motivation was.

"During the production phase we have engaged with individuals from the Sikh, Iraqi, student, Hindi and Welsh speaking communities in and around Cardiff. The jury is still out to how much the final series engages with these sometimes disparate communities but it's an effort we can be proud of."

.

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The winner of the 2009 Wales Book of the Year, Deborah Kay Davies, is to release her début novel True Things About Me. She won last year's prize with her short story collection Grace, Tamar And Laszlo The Beautiful.

Deborah Kay Davies © Academi / Euron Jones

True Things About Me tells the story of the strength and vulnerability of one ordinary woman who is drawn into a volatile and abusive relationship. Published by Canongate, it is set for publication on 1 July.

Davies began writing and publishing work while a mature student at university. She has also published a collection of poems entitled Things You Think I Don't Know.

Read more about the Wales Book of the Year prize on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Wales Arts.

The is set to announcement their funding review on Tuesday, with a meeting taking place today to discuss the fates of the 116 arts companies that currently receive financial help.

As reported in today's Western Mail, the has come under criticism as it received over £4.5m from the Arts Council of Wales last year - more than three times the grant given to the second highest recipient ( in Mold).

Nick Capaldi, the chief executive of the Arts Council of Wales (ACW), recently told ´óÏó´«Ã½'s The Politics Show: "Everything is under the microscope, from large to small. In some ways, smaller community groups are doing our most important work."

He said the ACW would be bold and decisive in the 29 June funding review announcement and said they would support the best and those who engaged with communities, while balancing geography and the size of organisation.

, and the .

Construction work has begun on the Cardiff Bay production centre that will house ´óÏó´«Ã½ Wales dramas including Doctor Who and Casualty, along with other businesses from the creative media.

´óÏó´«Ã½ executives, politicians and developers will visit the Roath Basin site today to celebrate work getting underway. Director of ´óÏó´«Ã½ Cymru Wales, Menna Richards, has described the as-yet-unnamed development as "a fantastic opportunity to build on the success of ´óÏó´«Ã½ Wales drama production and the wider creative industries in Wales".

An artist's impression of the drama village in Roath Basin, Cardiff Bay.

There's more information on the .

I've spent quite a bit of time on the roads of Wales over the last week and have been able to enjoy the sunshine. The other day I was sitting in a field overlooking Lampeter with the man who made the film of the iconic 1969 music festival, Woodstock. As if that wasn't surreal enough, between us on the grass was his Oscar! More of that on an Arts Show special in August.

This week the show features , the June production by which is an especially-devised show in the North Wales seaside town of Barmouth.

Heading the team of performers is Marc Rees, who spent a lot of time in Barmouth gathering material about the town and its history.

Marc Rees (photograph: Warren Orchard)

Those stories found by Marc have been weaved together into a performance that begins in a disused church hall and then takes the audience on a literal journey up the mountain, onto the beach and into the beachfront nightclub that used to be a cinema.

Professional actors and dancers will be joined by local people in the show which proves that there's far more to Barmouth than its long sandy beach and profusions of pound shops set up in disused chapels.

I spent a couple of hours talking to Marc Rees and learned more about the town than I'd ever known. If the weather holds, try to get to Barmouth for what's looking like a real one off experience of site specific drama and storytelling.

The 10th Welsh Artist of the Year exhibition is on at St David's Hall in Cardiff until 6 August and the winners of the different categories and overall winner were announced on Sunday.

For the first time in five years, a painter won the title Welsh Artist of the Year. He's Elfyn Lewis, originally from Porthmadog but now living and working in Cardiff. Elfyn's abstract landscapes also won him the Gold Medal for Fine Art at the National Eisteddofd last year. He and the curator of the Welsh Artist of the Year exhibition will be on this week's Radio Wales Arts Show.

The runner up and winner of the Sculpture Prize was Emily Jenkins - a former teacher whose complex ceramic pieces, called The Right to Return, deal with the issue of Palestinian farmers driven from their olive and lemon groves by Israeli settlers.

The competition is open to professional and amateur artists living and working in Wales and this year attracted around 400 entries. From those, almost a hundred pieces were selected by a judging panel for display in an exhibition that's an exciting demonstration of the best in visual arts in Wales.

It's always very exciting to see works by established artists side by side with those of students and to have such a mix of media on show. There's just about everything in this exhibition from painting to ceramics, photography to sculpture and from video to drawings and prints. All the work is for sale so I was very careful to leave my purse and cheque book at home!

A new exhibition featuring paintings of the beautiful views from the Anglesey coastal path is to open next month at in Llangefni.

Artist spent most of his early childhood in Llysfaen in north Wales and it was here that inspired him to sketch and paint the panoramic views of the surrounding landscape.

Over the last four years Jones has painted views from the 125 mile stretch of the coastal footpath. His paintings capture the tranquillity of the straits along with the unspoilt sandy beaches and bays and the rugged coastline in between.

Porthwen Bay by Steven Jones. Image courtesy the artist/Oriel Ynys Môn

Jones explains: "To start with, I bought a couple of coastal path walking books to see what the Anglesey coastline is like in between the places I already knew.

"It soon became apparent that there are many amazing places and spectacular views that are only accessible by foot. It was exciting to walk into the distance to see what was lying ahead around the corner or just over the brow of a hill."

Porth Dafarch by Steven Jones. Image courtesy the artist/Oriel Ynys Môn

The exhibition, Views from the Anglesey Coastal Path, runs from Saturday 10 July to Sunday 5 September 2010 at Oriel Ynys Môn.

Steven Jones is also due to give slideshow talks on illustration and fine art at the gallery on 18 and 25 July. They cost £5 per person, and booking is necessary. Contact for further details.

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The European premiere of Mr Nice, which tells the life story of former drugs baron Howards Marks and stars Rhys Ifans in the title role, took place at the yesterday.

The film is adapted from Marks' autobiography that was written following his release from Indiana's Terre Haute prison in 1995. He was originally sent there on a 25-year sentence in 1988 after conviction for drug smuggling.

The film, directed by Bernard Rose, is set for general release in the autumn. .

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The 2010 promises to be a rib tickling affair, with the likes of Rhod Gilbert, Chris Corcoran, Jo Caulfield, Sadie Hasler, Gary Delaney, Phil Nichol and Lucy Porter all set to appear.

The Cardiff Comedy Festival, in association with , is part of the annual series of events that features live music, street theatre, open-air theatre, children's entertainment and funfairs.

Details for the opening night gala at St David's Hall have been announced, with Comedy Store regular Craig Campbell set to headline the night with support from Welsh comics Mike Bubbins and Gareth Brand, Cardiff-based comedy troupe The Plastic Seat Company and Matt Price acting as compère.

This year's comedy festival will also feature the first ever Welsh Unsigned Stand-up Award (WUSA), the final of which will be hosted by Russell Kane.

Find out more about the .

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Curator and writer Ben Borthwick has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer of , the UK's biggest contemporary art prize that exhibits biennially in Wales.

Borthwick has spent seven years at as Assistant Curator. In 2008 he co-founded non-profit arts organisation , which produces projects in high street locations and public spaces.

He is also one of the inaugural curators of Latitude Contemporary Art, a new strand of public space commissions at the 2010 Latitude Festival.

Artes Mundi was established in 2003 and aims to highlight and celebrate the most exciting contemporary visual art from around the world. Each biennial prize culminates in an exhibition, which is held at the .

The fourth prize was awarded to Yael Bartana of Israel in May 2010. The next exhibition and prize announcement will be in 2012 and is planned to take place in newly refurbished exhibition galleries at the museum in Cardiff.

Borthwick commented on his appointment: "I am delighted to join the team at Artes Mundi, having watched it go from strength to strength with each prize. I believe art can transform our understanding of who we are and the world in which we live so it is a real privilege to continue Artes Mundi's commitment to artists who engage with the key questions of our time.

"The chance to build on the networks Artes Mundi has established at the local, national and international level in order to create greater dialogue and exchange between artists and audiences from around the world is very exciting. I am looking forward to this challenge."

Borthwick will take up the post as the prize enters its fifth cycle in September 2010. He takes over from founding CEO and Artistic Director Tessa Jackson, who leaves to become Chief Executive of Iniva - the .

Learn more about Artes Mundi and browse a photo gallery of work by the shortlisted artists for the Artes Mundi 4 prize on the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Wales Arts website.

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A seven foot metal sculpture has taken up its new position at the Point of Ayr lighthouse and will preside over Talacre beach in north east Wales.

The Keeper on Talacre beach with Point of Ayr lighthouse in the background. Images courtesy Phil Thomas.

Following the many eerie stories of a ghostly apparition seen patrolling the lighthouse, the sculpture - aptly named The Keeper - has now been installed and will watch over the beach from the lighthouse. It will be the first time in nearly 150 years that the lighthouse has been manned.

The sculpture is the culmination of a unique art project between the lighthouse owner James McAllister and Flintshire Coastal Rangers, and has taken two years to come to fruition.

Local artist Angela Smith was commissioned to create The Keeper, which is made out of hundreds of pieces of highly polished, medical-grade stainless steel pieces that have been welded together. It is hoped that gaps between the pieces of metal will allow the coastal wind to pass through and potentially create ghostly noises.

Lighthouse owner James McAllister commented: "I often hear stories... that [people have] seen something on the lighthouse, or their dogs have reacted strangely around it, as if they sense something.

"We had a medium investigate and she made the connection to a keeper called Raymond, who may have died of a fever and a broken heart.

"It seems like he was a rather lonely figure, so I'm hoping that his new guest will be company for him and will go some way to soothing his anguish."

and painting the lighthouse on our website.

.

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Abstract artist Elfyn Lewis scooped the Welsh Artist of the Year 2010 prize at a ceremony at in Cardiff yesterday.

Lewis, from Porthmadog in Gwynedd, won the £2,000 prize after his son Hamish selected the winning painting Pwll Crochan (Cauldron Pool) when his father couldn't decide which to enter.

The accolade is the second in a year for Lewis, who picked up the gold medal for fine art at the National Eisteddfod in July 2009.

The Welsh Artist of the Year exhibition, featuring the winning entry by Lewis as well as the work of the 100 selected artists shortlisted for the prize,Ìý runs until 6 August at St David's Hall Cardiff.

and on the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Wales News website.

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One of Turner's greatest Welsh landscapes, Flint Castle, is to go under the hammer next month.

Joseph Mallord William Turner's beautiful watercolour sketch over pencil of the castle with the Dee Estuary in the foreground, which dates from the early 1830s, is expected to fetch around £500,000 at the Sotheby's auction on 6 July.

Flint Castle by JMW Turner. Image courtesy of Sotheby's.

Turner completed a second watercolour of the castle in 1835. That is owned by the National Museums and Galleries of Wales and is displayed at the National Museum Wales in Cardiff for around three months of every year.

Other works by Turner that feature Welsh landscapes include Dolbadarn Castle, Ewenny Priory and Harlech Castle.

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This week's ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Wales Arts Show focuses on the life and career of Welsh writer and creator of the Daleks, Terry Nation.

Sir Roger Moore adds his voice to stories about Terry Nation, the Welshman who also brought us Blake's 7 and Survivors, wrote comedy for Tony Hancock and adventures for The Avengers.

Listen to the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Wales Arts Show on ´óÏó´«Ã½ iPlayer for the next seven days. And learn more about Terry Nation on the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Wales Arts website.

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Memorabilia from hit ´óÏó´«Ã½ show Doctor Who, including a TARDIS prop used in filming series one with Christopher Eccleston as the Ninth Doctor, will go under the hammer next week.

Bonhams in Knightsbridge have a number of lots related to the show, including what they believe are some of the oldest props from the series ever to appear at auction.

They are offering what is believed to be the earliest surviving Dalek, used in Dr. Who And The Daleks (1964) and The Chase (1965).

Another Dalek is also for sale with both expected to make £2000 - £3000. The estimate for the TARDIS stands at £8,000 - £12,000

Other lots up for sale on Wednesday 23 June include Zog and Cybermen costumes, a Cyberman helmet from 1967 episodes The Moonbase and Tomb of the Cybermen, a Dalek Guard costume worn by Rula Lenska and various replica models.

Eccleston, who , will soon appear in the lead role of a new ´óÏó´«Ã½ documentary on the life of John Lennon, Lennon Naked.

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The latest additions to the Gorsedd of Bards for this year's National Eisteddfod have been announced. Each year new members for the Eisteddfod Druidic Order are chosen who have made a contribution to Welsh culture or society. They are honoured by being part of the procession and wearing the prestigious long white robes.

Among the privileged few are Only Men Aloud's choral conductor Tim Rhys-Evans, newly-appointed Children's Poet Laureate for Wales Dewi 'Pws' Morris, Catholic Bishop of Wrexham Edwin Regan, and Plaid Cymru MEP Jill Evans.

The latest part of the jigsaw towards finalising this year's National Eisteddfod in Ebbw Vale was revealed last night.

The Bard's Chair, one of the symbols of the Eisteddfod, was unveiled at Glamorgan University to the Executive Committee. It was presented to the committee for the Blaenau Gwent and Heads of the Valleys National Eisteddfod at a ceremony in Treforest.

(Copyright Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Cymru)

Designed by Jeremy Spencer and Richard Randall of the University of Glamorgan, the seat is intended to represent the nib of a quill or pen, with the seat symbolising an open book.

In 2009 and 1998 the chair was not awarded after the judges felt no-one was worthy of sitting in it. As the Archdruid said at the 2009 ceremony (translated from Welsh): "It is more important to preserve standards, than to hold a ceremony", a sentiment which was greeted by a rousing round of applause in the Pavilion.

Let's hope this year a budding Bard will step up to the plate and produce a piece of work worthy of this beautiful chair.

An exhibition of the portrait work of Canadian-born, Swansea-based artist Gordon Stuart is to go on display at the in Swansea.

Gordon has been the artist in residence at the centre since 1995. He has painted and drawn an impressive number of figures from the different worlds of literature, art and politics, ranging from Seamus Heaney to Allen Ginsberg, Jimmy Carter to Beryl Bainbridge and Peter Blake to Aeronwy Thomas.

Stuart also has the distinction of painting the last ever portrait of Dylan Thomas from life, which hangs in the .

Portraits of other Welsh figures that will go on display at the Dylan Thomas Centre include RS Thomas, Kyffin Williams, Catrin Finch, Will Roberts, Michael Foot, Dannie Abse, Peter Finch and Iris Gower.

Browse a photo gallery of some of the work in the exhibition on the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Wales Arts site.

Gordon Stuart - Studies for Portraits runs from 15 June to 11 July, and will be officially opened at 7pm on Wednesday 16 June.

Contact the for further information and opening times. Read more on the exhibition on the .

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today revealed that it has made an important purchase for Welsh art - William Dyce's painting Welsh Landscape with Two Women Knitting, dating from 1860.

William Dyce's Welsh Landscape with Two Women Knitting, 1860 © Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales.

The painting will become part of Wales' national art collection, which is currently being re-displayed at National Museum Cardiff. Initially, it will be on show in the Museum's new Victorian Art display which includes works by Turner, Landseer and Etty.

The purchase of Welsh Landscape with Two Women Knitting has been possible due to funding grants from the National Heritage Memorial Fund (NHMF), membership charity the Art Fund, one major private donor and a number of gifts and other donations.

The painting, which cost £557,218, is a celebration of Welsh rural life. It depicts two women in folk costume on a Snowdonia hillside.

Dyce (1806-1864) was originally from Scotland and came to Wales for his health and a change of air in 1860. The artist was immediately captivated by the area. This painting, based on sketched material from his excursion, was probably painted in the studio on his return to London.

The keeper of art at the museum, Oliver Fairclough, said: "We have hoped for many years that this very beautiful work by Dyce would one day come home to Wales. We are delighted that this has now been achieved and are deeply grateful to NHMF and the Art Fund for their support."

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It was a successful weekend for Catherine Zeta Jones as she was named in the Queen's Birthday Honours list. She is to be made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for her services to the film industry and to charity.

And last night the Welsh star scooped the 2010 Tony Award for best performance by a leading actress in a musical for her role in A Little Night Music.

Zeta Jones made her début Broadway appearance in the role of Desiree Armfeldt in the Stephen Sondheim musical last year, and she beat fellow actors Kate Baldwin, Montego Glover, Christiane Noll and Sherie Rene Scott to the prestigious award at the ceremony in New York last night.

Zeta Jones heads a list of Welsh names to receive accolades in the Queen's Birthday Honours list, which also includes musicians John Cale (OBE) and Karl Jenkins (CBE), former Wales football captain and Groggs creater , both of whom receive MBEs.

and browse our Catherine Zeta Jones site on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Wales Arts.

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Crowds of people turned out to see popular artist Rolf Harris at the Ice House in Swansea yesterday, as he exhibits work spanning his impressive 60-year career.

Rolf signed artwork and posed for photographs with fans during the two hour session. The exhibition is to be staged across venues in the UK this year, which marks the artist's 80th birthday year.

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This week Mappa Mundi Theatre Company's new production of Dangerous Liaisons is in Cardiff.

The company's chosen to perform at the Coal Exchange in Cardiff Bay as, due to the ongoing refurbishment of Sherman Cymru, the city is a drama venue down. The Coal Exchange is a great place for gigs and other functions, but I was intrigued to see how it would work for theatre.

After visiting during the company's get-in of the show, it looks as if the building will be great for this production. The architecture of the Coal Exchange may be a hundred years or so out of the play's period but the real wooden pillars of the building seem like an extension of the set's pillars that suggest 18th century Paris.

Dangerous Liaisons is perhaps best known for its film incarnation, but Laclos' novel works equally well as a stage piece. It's a picture of a bored and decadent society; one in which privilege certainly doesn't automatically bring happiness. Lloyd Llewellyn Jones, who's directed and designed the show, cleverly mixes formality with underlying brute passion.

The set is purple and pink and, although the historically accurate costumes - boned bodices, bum rolls, big skirts, lace and fans - are at first sight in subdued tones, suddenly there's a flash of shocking pink petticoat that hints at something rather than less proper lurking beneath the facade! The music for the show cleverly time travels, combining 18th century harpsichord pieces with blasting 20th century pop in what Lloyd describes as a "Glee-type mash up".

Put all this together with a really solid Mappa Mundi cast and it's hardly surprising that Dangerous Liaisons has had some great reviews and a highly successful tour so far. I'm off to see the whole show tonight - revenge, sexual intrigue and downright wickedness with great frocks - what more could you ask for a good night out?

When I met up with the conductor of Sinfonia Cymru to talk about the orchestra's forthcoming tour of Wales for this week's Arts Show he was fixing players who'd be available for the different dates. Once off the mobile though, Gareth Jones smiled at my concern that he seemed to be lacking a few string players. It'll be fine, he said. Just a couple more calls to make.

Now some conductors would be having hissy fits at this as a concert tour of Wales is on next week, but Gareth Jones founded Sinfonia Cymru not as a permanent collection of players, but an orchestra that has a large squad to call on. Yes, a bit like the national rugby or football idea but Gareth is proud to say that he can count on strength in depth!

The reason for this is that the Sinfonia Cymru players come from all corners. Many of them are experienced students at music colleges and conservatoires across Britain, others are full time professionals already. What they all have in common is a really high standard of orchestral playing and a dedication to performing an interesting repertoire.

Gareth formed the orchestra, then called the Cardiff Bay Chamber Orchestra, in 1996 and since then it's gone from strength to strength having performed regularly at Bryn Terfel's Faenol Festival among other high points. A special relationship's developed between the orchestra and Bryn and also with other internationally acclaimed soloists like Rebecca Evans, Dennis O'Neill and the pianist Llyr Williams.

Next week will be Sinfonia Cymru's fourth national tour of Wales, taking in Llandrindod Wells, Criccieth, Y Stiwt in Rhos, Newport and the Wyastone Concert Hall in Monmouth. By this time, Gareth's got all his players in place and is looking forward to seeing full houses - well worth getting to if you're a fan of chamber orchestras.

has brought two Zimbabwean poets to Wales for the launch of their recently published poetry collection.

Blessing Musariri and Ethel Kabwato are currently touring Wales following the launch of Sunflowers In Your Eyes, which has been edited by acclaimed Welsh author Menna Elfyn and published by north Wales-based publishers Cinnamon Press.

The authors will be at this evening from 5.30pm, having already visited Cardiff, Swansea, Aberystwyth, Carmarthen, Bangor and appeared at the Hay Festival.

Ethel Kabwato has written a poem about her arrival in Wales and has also written the following introduction:

"When I arrived in Cardiff I was inspired by the warmth of the Welsh people to write a poem, A Tale of Cardiff's New Arrivants. Some of the street names had a certain familiarity and reminded me of home in Zimbabwe.

"Cardiff is rich in culture. Art is on the street where you live, on the faces of the people you meet in shops, at the bay, in shopping malls and in places where we read our work. The Welsh people live art.

"I am really excited to be here and can't wait to meet our audiences as we tour this beautiful country!"

A Tale of Cardiff's New Arrivants

They found a new home
Along Bute Street
And called the street
In the same way they
Used to back home
Before they discovered
The route number 6 bus
Which would take them
To St Mary's
And St David's
To the market
To the graffiti along
Christina Street
And to the basements
Along the narrow street
They call Lloyd George
They tasted
The addictive
Welsh cakes
On the little street
Behind the harbour
And forgot
About the boat ride
And the Number 6
They watched
As the sun shone
Over Cardiff Bay
And they dreamt
Allowed
And talked
To their shadows
While basking
In the warmth
Of its beauty
As it welcomed
Them in the summer
Croeso i Gymru
(Welcome to Wales)

(Introduction and poem © Ethel Kabwato. Photographs © Emyr Young.)

The is to host an exhibition of new work by Welsh artist Chris Griffin.

The exhibition will open with a private view on Sunday 13 June, and will remain on display until 5 July.

Born in 1945 in Maesycwmmer in the Rhymney Valley, Griffin was educated at Gloucester College of Art and the Royal College of Art, where he won the Anstruther Prize. He also attended Cardiff College of Art.

Find out more about the exhibition on the .

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The black dress designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel for Princess Diana's first public engagement with the Prince of Wales was sold for a staggering £192,000 at auction yesterday.

The taffeta gown raised eyebrows when Lady Diana, then newly enagaged to the Prince, wore the outfit with its plunging neckline.

It helped establish her as the most glamorous member of the British Royal Family, and marked the beginning of the media frenzy that would always surround her.

The dress was purchased by Fundacion Museo de la Moda, a fashion museum in Santiago, Chile.

Read more on David Emanuel on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Wales Arts and find out more about the auction on the .

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The Urdd Eisteddfod came to an end on Saturday after a successful, and mostly dry, week. The event was hosted at Llanerchaeron, an 18th century National Trust-owned estate near Aberaeron.

Over 100,000 people walked the Maes during the six-day event with many competing from all around Wales. And according to the it was the first time since 2006 for visitor numbers to pass the 100,000 milestone.

Efa Gruffud Jones, the Urdd's chief executive told the Western Mail "It's been a roaring success".... "It's been a wonderful partnership between the Urdd and the National Trust".

Here are a list of the major winners from each day of the Urdd Eisteddfod:

• Monday - Composer's Medal - Arwel Rhys Williams.
• Tuesday - Medal for learners - Jack Pulman-Staler
• Wednesday - Drama Medal - Manon Wyn Williams
• Thursday - The Chair - Llyr Gwyn Lewis
• Friday - The Crown - Catrin Haf Jones

We can now look forward to the rest of the summer with the Llangollen International Music Festival in July, as well as the National Eisteddfod in Ebbw Vale in August so look out for more Eisteddfod blogs.

Welsh actor Michael Sheen will look at the legendary career of one of the men he has portrayed on the silver screen in a ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 2 documentary.

Hello, Good Evening and Welcome: The David Frost Story will be broadcast on Radio 2 tonight at 10pm. Sheen presents the programme celebrating Frost's role at the centre of popular culture in 1960s Britain and America.

Find out more about the programme, and watch a video of Sheen discussing his role in Frost/Nixon on the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Wales Arts website.

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One of Wales' brightest contemporary writers, Rachel Trezise is set to give a book reading at the this Friday.

Trezise will promote her new novel Sixteen Shades Of Crazy in a free of charge intimate talk and book reading at 1pm on Friday 11 June.

The author has won many plaudits since her debut In And Out Of The Goldfish Bowl in 2002, and has collected awards such as the inaugural Dylan Thomas Prize and most recently the Max Boyce literary prize.

Read more about Rachel on the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Wales Arts site and contact the gallery for more information on the event.

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A short while ago I wrote about Welsh film Big Font. Large Spacing, and how it made its world premiere at the Atlanta Film Festival.

Now the production company behind the film is taking it on tour around UK universities, with portable 2D screenings using a 10 foot outdoor cinema screen.

The cinema is pitched as the indie alternative to recent obsession with 3D, with audience members making their own 2D glasses out of cardboard and sellotape.

33Story screened the first outdoor showing of the film at Newport University last month, and the film enjoyed its English premiere at Linacre College, Oxford University last Friday.

Writer/director Paul Howard Allen explains: "2D cinema is about challenging conventional distribution models which give small independent film makers a pretty raw deal.Ìý

"Building our own cinema gives us the opportunity to show our film as many times and in as many places as we like which is extremely exciting."

For more information visit the and .

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The shortlist for the 2010 Wales Book of the Year award was announced yesterday on the final day of the .

Philip Gross, Terri Wiltshire and Nikolai Tolstoy have been selected as the three shortlisted authors for the £10,000 prize, which will be awarded in a ceremony in Cardiff on 30 June.

Winner of the 2010 TS Eliot Prize, Philip Gross is shortlisted for I Spy Pinhole Eye, his work of poems and photographs that address the ideas of perception, revelation and truth.

American born Terri Wiltshire is selected for her novel Carry Me Home, a story set in Alabama (where the author was raised) about loyalty and belonging. Wiltshire now lives in Newport, south Wales.

And Nikolai Tolstoy is shortlisted for The Compilation of the Four Branches of the Mabinogi, which seeks to establish the chronology and provenance of the early medieval tales.

The shortlist for the Welsh language prize was also announced and consists of Banerog, a volume of poetry by Hywel Griffiths, Naw Mis, a novel by Caryl Lewis and Cymru: Y 100 Lle I'w Gweld Cyn Marw, by John Davies.

Read more on the Wales Book of the Year site on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Wales Arts, and visit the for more information on the prize.

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This week's Radio Wales Arts Show escaped the confines of the studio and the team (that's me, producer Jill plus Clive as an extra pair of hands) set off for the Hay Festival site to broadcast live from one of the small hospitality tents.

I have to say it was the comfiest venue you could imagine as the three contributors and I settled down on two white sofas to talk about writing, editing and reviewing fiction. I think first time novelist Joanna Davies, her editor Caroline Oakley and even the literary editor of The Guardian, Claire Armitstead were as impressed as I was to learn that the comedian Tim Minchin had sat there earlier in the week before his festival gig.

Joanna Davies, Caroline Oakley, Nicola Heywood Thomas and Claire Armitstead

Claire, who's been working every day at the festival, shared with us the fact that Mr Minchin had put in a request in his artists' engagement rider (that's what stars say they need from the organisers and the venue) for 155 blue M&Ms! Just hearing that made me regret not having seen the show even more.

Anyway, back to today and other things I found out. Editor Caroline Oakley, who works for the Welsh women's publisher Honno, has also been editing award winner Ian Rankin's brilliant crime novels since 1993 and said she still sends him about 16 pages of notes about any new book. That made Joanna Davies feel that the 20 pages of notes she'd had about her novel, Freshers, were not half bad for a first book.

Claire Armitstead pointed out that, although her friends recckon she's got the best job in the world, having around 500 new books landing on your desk for review every week (!) can be a little daunting. She also told me that some years ago she worked on the South Wales Argus - small world!

Also in this week's programme - though unable to join us in Hay - was another début novelist, Mike Thomas. His book, Pocket Notebook is on the longlist for Academi's Wales Book of the Year. It's had some rave reviews and has been optioned for filming by a television company. Not bad for a full time copper who's also doing a degree in creative writing.

Mike will find out on Sunday at the Hay Festival if the novel makes it to the shortlist for the Book of the Year. I just think it's great that we had the chance to talk to two new authors of really quite edgy but hugely entertaining novels. Listen again to the interview:

Away from the programme, the festival site was really busy. There were lots of families around today and the presence of the queen of pre-teen and early teenage writing, Jacqueline Wilson explained the hordes of 8 to 12 year olds. There was a delightful sight when Ms Wilson was taking photos of people with the man I heard referred to as "that good looking garden chap", Monty Don. I missed his session as I'm afraid it was my only chance of grabbing lunch - venison burger, if you're interested. I may try the tapas tent at the weekend - oh, what a hard life at literary festivals!

Food for body as well as mind is not in short supply at Hay - I can't wait till Saturday. That's a day off to just enjoy the events and then back working on Sunday though interviewing Roy Noble about his autobiography and then talking about the odder stories in the Sunday press with great guests on Radio Wales' Something Else (1pm on the Festival Site) is certainly no chore!

Listen again to Thursday's show, recorded at the Hay Festival.

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Two young novelists from north Wales have picked up Tir na n-Og awards at a ceremony at the Urdd National Eisteddfod in Ceredigion.

Manon Steffan Ros won the best Welsh-language primary category for her novel Trwy'r Tonnau, while Rhiannon Wyn won the secondary school award for her debut novel Codi Bwganod.

The were established in 1976 with the aim of raising the standard of children's and young people's books published during the year, and to encourage the buying and reading of good books.

The awards are sponsored by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals and the .

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The new Children's Poet Laureate for Wales was revealed yesterday as Dewi 'Pws' Morris at the Urdd Gobaith Cymru National Eisteddfod in Ceredigion.

Morris, who will remain in the role for one year, is a well-known actor, singer, author and TV presenter.

Beginning his career as a teacher, he soon after turned to acting and starred in ´óÏó´«Ã½ Wales rugby comedy Grand Slam and numerous S4C productions including Pobol y Cwm, Hapus Dyrfa, Torri Gwynt, Byd Pws, Rownd a Rownd and Golffio.

Read more on the story on and get the latest information from the Urdd on the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Cymru website.

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Wales is leading the way in public library usage and book borrowing according to the latest figures released by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy.

Welsh libraries enjoyed the biggest percentage increase in visitors and book issues than any other country in the UK last year. In 2008/09 there were almost 14m visits to Welsh libraries, an increase of 3.7% on the previous year, while the number of book issues by Welsh public libraries went up by 6.8% to 14.45m.

Wales is also the only country to show an increase in the number of active borrowers, up by 1.1%, compared with drops in all other three countries. on the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Wales News website.

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Lembit Opik was often the subject of the occasional snigger during his time as MP for Montgomeryshire, be it for his 'cheeky' relationship choices or interest in asteroids.

But last night he attempted to get people laughing with him rather than at him as he embarked on a new career path as a comedian.

Opik performed at the Backstage Comedy Club, a modest-sized venue near London's West End, complete with yellow rosette. During the routine he introduced the world to his bizarre attempt at ventriloquism with a shoe - creatively titled Mr Shoe.

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Dame Elizabeth Taylor has made love letters from her ex-husband Richard Burton public for the first time, keeping just one private that the Welsh actor wrote days before his death in 1984.

The letters are to be published later this month in a book titled Furious Love: Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and the Marriage of the Century.

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When it comes to Learner's Medal day at the Urdd Eisteddfod, I don't think you can get any better. If someone not born in Wales can learn Welsh as their second language, then it's hard to see why a lot more couldn't.

This competition gives that person a time to shine and shows that the event is more than worthy of its place at the Urdd.

Jack Pulman-Slater, a 16-year-old originally from Norfolk, was this year's winner of the Urdd Learner's medal. As a first-time winner and competitor in the Urdd, Jack's piece about the history and future of the Welsh language won him the prestigious award.

Moving to Wales when he was only in year six in primary school, and with English his main language, Jack has proved that it is not too late to learn Welsh, however hard it might seem.

The inaugural kicks off on Thursday 10 June, bringing together the best of Welsh, UK and international comedians in north east Wales.

The festival is the brainchild of organiser Silky, a Liverpudlian in exile who has been running comedy nights at and in Mold for some time.

Photograph of Silky © Andy Hollingworth

The festival, which runs from 10-13 June, follows the .

Thursday night is already sold out, and with performers such as John Bishop, Tanyalee Davis, Alun Cochrane, Ed Byrne, Tony Law and Lloyd Langford on the bill, there's little surprise why.

Friday's highlight will surely be Sarah Millican, with organiser Silky acting as compère, while Saturday night offers Lloyd Langford, Dan Mitchell and Jon WilliamsÌý- with Welsh comedian Elis James acting as compère, and Tony Law and Tudur Owen in the later show.

The festival isn't an adults only affair either, as on Saturday and Sunday afternoons there are kids comedy shows featuring Elis James, Tony Law, Silky and Billy Kirkwood.

The Llangollen Comedy Festival is sure to follow in the successful footsteps of the first Machynlleth Festival earlier this year - and long may this growth of celebration of mirth and merriment in Wales continue.

Additional information

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Villagers in Aberdyfi have agreed to be part of artist , a permanent installation of 12 bells around Britain, that expresses ideas of community and individuality, with resonance both symbolical and acoustic.

The community of the north west Wales town have voted in favour of pursuing the project further, though the project is still at an early stage. Community council chairman Dewi Owen is quoted in the Daily Post today: "With the legend of the lost city of Cantre'r Gwaelod and the theme of the Bells of Aberdyfi being so central to our village, this project seems very appropriate."

, and as originally reported on the earlier this year.