Yesterday (6 April), the National Eisteddfod has announced that the festival will work in partnership with the Welsh Language Society to organise Maes B for the next three years, starting at this year’s Blaenau Gwent and Heads of the Valleys National Eisteddfod.
The partnership aims to offer the best entertainment possible to a wide-ranging audience by providing opportunities for new artists. The Welsh Language Society will continue to organise alternative gigs during the festival.
Elfed Roberts, National Eisteddfod Chief Executive, said:
“We are delighted to announce that we will be working with the Welsh Language Society over the next few years. We welcome the opportunity to work with the Society, particularly in the work of encouraging young people from the catchment area and the rest of Wales to attend Maes B gigs and to support Welsh language music.
“The partnership starts this year and we look forward to work with the Welsh Language Society over the next few months,” he added.
Lleucu Meinir, the Welsh Language Society’s Entertainment Officer, said:
“We welcome the partnership to organise and promote gigs locally in the Eisteddfod catchment area. The Society will also offer a week of alternative gigs and events in Ebbw Vale Rugby Club. We will be organising gigs in the months leading up to the Eisteddfod to promote Maes B and new Welsh music.
“Our alternative gigs mean that there’ll be a wider range of current Welsh culture available at the Eisteddfod and it’s an exciting opportunity to experiment.”
The Blaenau Gwent and Heads of the Valleys National Eisteddfod is held in The Works, Ebbw Vale from 31 July – 7 August. We will announce Maes B details on 21 April, when we celebrate that there’s 100 days to go before the start of the Eisteddfod. Tickets will be available online at www.eisteddfod.org.uk or by ringing the ticket line on 0845 122 2003 open from 10.00 to 16.00, Monday to Friday. The Welsh Language Society website – www.cymdeithas.org – also includes full details about what’s on at the Blaenau Gwent and Heads of the Valleys National Eisteddfod.
The National Eisteddfod also organises alternative evenings under the banner of Maes C during the week, and tickets for these will be available online – www.eisteddfod.org.uk. The Welsh Language Society organises an alternative programme of gigs in Ebbw Vale Rugby Club during the festival, and tickets will be available online.
The Eisteddfod receives a grant from the Welsh Assembly Government through the Welsh Language Board. The Eisteddfod also receives funding from unitary authorities in Wales through its partnership with the Welsh Local Government Association. This year’s festival has received £300,000 from the Heads of the Valleys Regeneration Programme, to enable the Eisteddfod to visit the Blaenau Gwent and Heads of the Valleys area.
For more information about the National Eisteddfod go to www.eisteddfod.org.uk or www.facebook.com/eisteddfod. You can follow them on Twitter – www.twitter.com/eisteddfod, and to receive their regular newsletter, send an email to [email protected].
For more information on the Welsh Language Society, go to www.cymdeithas.org or follow them on Twitter – www.twitter.com/cymdeithas
For more information on Maes B, go to www.maesb.com. You can follow them on Twitter – www.twitter.com/maes_b or email [email protected].
