As part of its aim to offer artists the opportunity to develop their work, Arad Goch Theatre Company are extremely pleased to welcome three resident artists who will be working at Canolfan Arad Goch over the next twelve months.
‘As a company we are very fortunate to have such excellent facilities here at y Ganolfan and we’re extremely keen to share our venue and its facilities with the community and with other artists. We are also keen to share our knowledge and experience with others and there will be an element of mentoring during this residential period. Above all, we are pleased that Esther, Simon and Siriol are bringing a real buzz and enthusiasm to the Ganolfan, this is a fantastic opportunity to enhance our long term goal of creating a multi platform Welsh artistic community here in Aberystwyth’
Jeremy Turner, Artistic Director
Having opened the vibrant red doors back in 2008, the Ganolfan has undoubtedly served its purpose as a fantastic home for Arad Goch Theatre company, a company specialising in theatre and contributory projects for young people, as well as serving its purpose as a multi use venue for the whole of Aberystwyth.
‘After three years y Ganolfan has become an important resource for Aberystwyth. It is home to the drama clubs blAGur and AGwedd, rehearsal rooms for the University, a stage for student productions, a meeting place for various companies and societies, an exhibition area and art gallery, as well as a permanent home for a theatre company which serves the whole of Wales’.
Arwel Rocet Jones, Chairman of Arad Goch’s Board of Governors.
Creativeness and performance has always been an integral part of the building, the original building was a manse and schoolhouse for the local Church, and it was here that the infamous Welsh composer Joseff Parry composed his hymn ‘Aberystwyth’! Y Ganolfan is an elegant mixture of old and contemporary with state of the art equipment. The schoolhouse itself is currently a theatre and a fantastic space for a new era of musicians and performers to develop their skills. As our three resident artists begin their artistic journey in this inspiring venue, it is certain that they will create new artistic opportunities for Arad Goch and the people of Aberystwyth.
Esther Eckley is a landscape artist who was bought up in Bala and Cardiff. She was very interested in art during her school years but when following her decision to follow a PR degree in Bournmouth University the paint brushes remained still for quite some time. It was during her period in the marketing and PR department at the Wales Millenium Centre that her passion for art was re kindled and she has never looked back.
In 2010, Esther and her family moved to Aberaeron, and the Ceredigion coastline and dramatic landscape has been a great inspiration for her work. Following a period of eighteen lonely months in her studio at home, Esther was very keen to find a sociable space to develop her work and ideas.
‘I’m extremely grateful that Arad Goch have given me the opportunity to work in this fantastic space. I am very fortunate to be located in the Gallery on the third floor, it’s an amazing space to paint with a beautiful glass window to the front and plenty of natural light flowing in through the windows in the roof. It’s wonderful to share ideas during the morning tea break and to hear other artists performing and rehearsing all around me. There is a creative buzz flowing through the whole building, it’s a dream to be here’
Sharing the Gallery with Esther is Aberystwyth born choreographer Siriol Joyner. Siriol has always been interested in art and dance, and following her ballet lessons at Aberystwyth Art Center she attended weekly ballet lessons at the Royal Ballet in Bristol at the age of nine, before becoming an associate of Diversions during her A Levels.
Despite her passion for dancing, dance as an art form on its own was never enough for Siriol, which is why she divides herself between the dancing and the artwork. Having studied a degree in Fine Art at Oxford she moved to Berlin where she worked as an assistant at ‘Galaerie Giti Nourbakhsch’, travelling to London and New York to various art fairs and learning about the business side, which is an integral and all important aspect of every artist’s career.
During summer 2011, Siriol received the ‘dance WEB’ scholarship and an invite to attend ‘Im PulsTanz’, an International dance festival where representatives from all corners of the world, 65 in total, were encouraged to work together and develop ideas. Siriol received support from the Arts Council of Wales and Ceredigion County Council as part of the dance WEB scholarship, and she has been very fortunate to receive much support from several sources here in Wales during her career, which is why she decided to return to Ceredigion in September in order to focus on her own work.
‘Having landed back in Wales on the fifth of September I came straight over to Canolfan Arad Goch to discuss the possibility of using the space to develop my work, and I was over the moon that Arad Goch were so welcoming. It’s an honour to be here and after sharing studios with several artists at the same time it’s a real luxury! The space is great for researching, experimenting and focusing my mind and because so many other artists and individuals use the other rooms in the Ganolfan it opens doors to so many collaborations and ideas, it’s an exciting place to be!
Simon Lovatt and QR Collective, a Community of local artists from around Ceredigion, will be using the Ganolfan to organise gigs and events. Simon himself is a musician who was born and bred in Llannon, and having been inspired by his Grandmother and his Father he started playing all sorts of music at a very early age.
During his teenage years, Simon started playing the guitar and the piano, and following his love of music he succeeded to get a job of working in Andy’s Records the infamous music shop in Aberystwyth, where he started meeting other artists and started to arrange gigs in the area with his own band ‘FENKS’.
Simon arranged the successful ‘Living Room’ event in the Cwps tavern, and following this he soon realised that there was a melting pot of musical and artistic talents here in Ceredigion. This is what inspired him to set up an artistic community in the area in order to promote these talents and share them with the locals. QR, or Quiet Revolution was set up in 2009, and Simon and his community of artists organise events to promote performers, artists and photographers. The community is an eclectic mix of young people who have all been inspired by Ceredigion’s landscape and way of life, including Simon’s current band ‘Son Capson’.
As well as his interest in performing and arranging events, Simon is also interested in the technical aspects of theatre and staging events as well as being interested in working with young people. He worked as a sound technician in London, in the BBC and Boomerang and also at Clwb Ifor Bach in Cardiff before starting his work as a music workshop co ordinator in Theatr Felinfach where he worked as part of the Reach the Heights Project in 2010.
With his interest in theatre, working with young people and performing, Arad Goch is the perfect base for Simon and his community of artists. QR Collective have already held their first event here at Arad Goch on the 8th of October, and following its success they are already looking forward to the next!
Arad Goch is extremely excited about the future as we plan new projects and ideas with our resident artists. Simon has already started working with us as a live musician on our primary schools Production ‘On your Marks’ and who knows what the next collaboration will be? One thing is certain, Canolfan Arad Goch and Cwmni Theatr Arad Goch are creating new and exciting artistic opportunities for artists in Ceredigion |
