In Autumn 2020 we launched our brand new Youth Advisory Board (YAB) with the help of Art Fund’s Respond and Reimagine grant.

We are now delighted to introduce the YAB’s first major project – Annwn, a new exhibition focusing on the themes of folklore, Welsh Futurism and escapism.

Annwn will feature a range of Welsh artists, curated by the YAB, including North Wales-based painters from the Biennial Exhibition of Painting (BEEP) and video works by Bedwyr Williams and Hefin Jones.

This evolving exhibition will develop and transform in the gallery over its duration to feature outcomes from the YAB’s creative workshops with artist Harold Offeh.

As the exhibition develops, so too will the YAB’s manifesto and vision for their Tŷ Pawb, with more activities and events to be announced throughout the exhibition.

Annwn opens on Monday 26th April. The exhibition will be viewable as a virtual tour until our galleries can open to the public.

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Supporting young people to access the arts sector

Tŷ Pawb’s Youth Advisory Board is made up of a diverse and inclusive group of individuals aged 16-25.

A proactive effort was made to recruit young people with protected characteristics, from a range of cultural and economic backgrounds.

The aim of the YAB is to support young people accessing experience in the arts sector, not only in Wrexham but also across Wales.

The YAB also aims to create meaningful dialogue, discussion and experiences to benchmark and support good practice.

The Board will also assist in supporting Tŷ Pawb’s strategic visions and aims, engagement and programming to better support Tŷ Pawb’s youth engagement work.

Annwn – ‘The Otherworld’

The title of the exhibition translates as ‘the Otherworld’, inspired by Welsh mythology. The exhibition also takes its name from the title of one of Pete Jones paintings, which was selected for display by the Board.

Within the exhibition is a display of North Wales-based painters, curated by the YAB with Jonathan Powell, Director of Elysium Gallery & the  BEEP (Biennial Exhibition of Painting).

BEEP artists featured in the exhibition will include:

Chris Corish
John Bourne
Ceri Pritchard
James Rowley
Taylor Davies
Pete Jones

The exhibition will also feature video works by Bedwyr Williams and Hefin Jones.

‘Bridging the future and the past’

YAB member, Tallulah Thomas explains the themes of the exhibition: “Annwn focuses on Welsh Futurism and its connections to language, folklore and landscape. Bridging both the future and the past, we question the potential to re-imagine Welsh culture by creating our own world – the Otherworld of Annwn. Inspired by early medieval Welsh mythology, we explore the concept of escapism in connection to how we as artists view the future. 

“It was important that the featured artwork was curated by us as a collective, and that the creative process reflected the aims and ethos of our the group members. Our project has consisted of holding discussions on accessibility, the politics of care and the importance of de-mystifying art.” 

How to see the exhibition

Annwn will open on 26 April until 26 June.

Our galleries remain closed to the public for the time being in line with Welsh Government Covid regulations,

In the meantime we are delighted to announce that the exhibition will be made available to view online as a virtual tour.

You can view the tour here

Annwn was made possible thanks to the support of Art Fund, Arts Council of Wales, BEEP & Elysium Gallery, Swansea, National Lottery, Welsh Government and Wrexham County Borough Council. Special thanks go to the members of the Youth Advisory Board, Harold Offeh and Jonathan Powell.

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