2011 West Coast Eisteddfod: Welsh Festival of Arts

Online, April 7, 2011 (Newswire.com) - Contact: Lorin Morgan-Richards
Email: [email protected]

2011 WEST COAST EISTEDDFOD: WELSH FESTIVAL OF ARTS

This September marks the first Welsh festival in Los Angeles since 1926. Participants from Wales, Welsh descendants and Welsh ex-pats will all converge on the Barnsdall Art Park in Hollywood, California on September 23-25th for the 2011 West Coast Eisteddfod: Welsh Festival of Arts. The festival will be open to the public and have an opening concert, Eisteddfod (art competitions) and film festival. Additionally there will be free activities; including an art show, special guest performances, lectures and classes. Everyone is encouraged to join and learn the exciting history and culture of Welsh and Welsh Americans.

On September 23rd at 6pm, the Welsh festival will begin with a Druid blessing followed by traditional choral music from the Welsh Choir of Southern California. Attendees will be able to experience Welsh cuisine. The contemporary stage will be inside the historic Barnsdall theatre, where three renowned performing artists will present rare sets: Monica Richards/InfraWarrior (of Faith and the Muse), Michael Aston of Gene Loves Jezebel and Paul Child (the official voice of Welsh Rugby). With the festivities underway, Saturday and Sunday returns to Barnsdall with an Eisteddfod (art competitions) and a film festival in the theatre and FREE outdoor events with classes, crafts, vendors, Welsh mythology and legend art show, games, and performance and lecture stages.

"Hollywood provides the greatest visibility for Welsh and Welsh Americans, a Celtic culture that is often and unjustly overshadowed by its neighboring cousins Ireland and Scotland." Festival Curator Lorin Morgan-Richards states, "The Welsh are innovators, in the present and full of achievement. Barnsdall Art Park is really the perfect place for this celebration as the Hollyhock House sits just inside the park, built by Welsh American Frank Lloyd Wright, and this overlooks Griffith Park, named for Griffith J. Griffith, the Welsh philanthropist." Meriwether Lewis Executive Director Ceri Shaw added: "This is the third annual West Coast Eisteddfod and it will be the best yet!"

The 2011 West Coast Eisteddfod: Welsh Festival of Arts, founded by the Meriwether Lewis Memorial Eisteddfod in partnership with A Raven Above Press and AmeriCymru, has brought incredible interest from around the world, including participants from Wales, Canada, Honduras, Romania, and Taiwan to name a few. While there are many activities, the focus of the festival will be Saturday's Eisteddfod, which will bring the most talented artists locally and nationally to compete in short story, voice, comedy and poetry. Everyone is invited to attend and participate in the fun and festivities.

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For more information, please visit our website: http://www.aravenabovepress.com