RUTHIN INTERNATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL UNVEILS INAUGURAL PROGRAMME
UNIQUE WELSH-CHINESE CURATED ARTS FESTIVAL IN THE RURAL TOWN OF RUTHIN
Nestled in the picturesque town of Ruthin in North Wales, the Ruthin International Arts Festival is set to debut with an impressive array of artistic talent. Running unto July 28, 2024, the festival promises to transform Ruthin into a vibrant hub of creativity, showcasing both international and local artists through a series of free outdoor performances, workshops, and community events.
The festival will feature a diverse lineup of established and emerging artists from across the globe. Attendees can look forward to performances by notable figures such as Anne Bean, Ansuman Biswas, Yue Minjun, W.N. Herbert, Sean O’Brien, Richard DeDomenici, Tomasz Szrama, and Adam E. Holton.
Kicking off with a Seven Day Live Programme from June 28 to July 4, the festival will offer a dynamic blend of multidisciplinary art, including film, poetry, exhibitions, and performance art. This initial week will be followed by ongoing events such as film screenings, open mic nights, and workshops, continuing through to July 28.
Historic Ruthin locations, including Ruthin Castle, will serve as the backdrop for the festival, which explores seven themes over seven days: Liveness, Intervention, Serendipity, Togetherness, Diaspora, Vision, and Good Night. These themes will be further examined through a four-week series of film screenings, panels, and workshops.
Directed by Beijing-based poet Yu Er and curated by Cheng Xi, the festival is supported by the Ruthin Global Arts and Education Foundation. It aims to celebrate Ruthin’s rich history and culture while fostering a connection between Welsh and international artists.
Festival highlights include Richard DeDomenici’s site-specific intervention, Anne Bean and Ansuman Biswas’ experimental performance, and live poetry readings by Yang Lian, W.N. Herbert, and Sean O’Brien. Additional attractions include a new installation by Yue Minjun, Vida Vojic’s drumming ritual, and a collaboration between visual artist Li Li Ren and musician W.H.Y. Music enthusiasts can enjoy performances by Blanc Sceol and Welsh-born electronic musician Andrej Bako.
Community engagement is a core focus, with participatory projects like Adam E. Holton’s public typist sessions, Tomasz Szrama’s performance art, and Glyn Edwards’ poetry workshops. Zhu Tian will also present a participatory dance piece. The festival will showcase films from international filmmakers such as Holly Slingsby, Nariman Massoumi, and Dan Horrigan, along with screenings of works by Chinese directors Jia Zhangke, Ning Hao, Wang Xiaoshuai, and Zhang Yuan.
The Ruthin Global Arts and Education Foundation has partnered with the Y Arts Centre to launch the Y Talent Award. This initiative will see ten young artists, aged 13-18, exhibit their work at Ruthin School and participate in a ten-day residency in Guizhou, China, with one grand prize winner receiving a £5000 award. The submission deadline is May 12.
The festival aims to blend artistic expressions with Ruthin’s cultural fabric, creating a vibrant dialogue between local and international artists. It seeks to establish rural towns as key players in the global art scene, fostering cultural exchange and collaboration.
For more information and the full festival programme, visit the Ruthin International Arts Festival website.
