Epynt background
“Winter soon set in, one of the coldest winters in living memory. The weather was cold and everyone’s heart was stone cold at the thought of having to move and wondering where they could find another home. They wondered if it was worth doing any hedging, was it worth sowing basic slag, was it worth digging a gutter, was it worth repairing the roof of the barn. Many of the older folk I am sure were wondering if it was worth living any more.”
In the winter of 1939, Epynt and Bwlch-y-groes inhabitants received news from the War Office that would turn their world upside down. All 54 homes were to be vacated by the summer of 1940, for a military training site to stand in their place.
Prosiect Epynt
Prosiect Epynt was a co-devised creative response to the impact of the Epynt Clearance of 1940, exploring themes of Welsh language, displacement and its intergenerational impact through a collaborative production process with Welsh speaking communities, young people and professional dancers to develop and perform a dance piece and create a digital legacy in the form of a film, education resources and archives.
The project was funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and partners included y Gaer Museum and Library and Ysgol Calon Cymru with support from Menter, The Muse Brecon and Llanwrtyd & District Heritage and Arts Centre.
Prosiect Epynt Events
Social at Y Gaer, Brecon - 4th March, 2023
On the 4th of March, 1940, Epynt inhabitants received letters from the Western Command that would turn their world upside down. The letter stated:
‘The whole property, including house and buildings will be required on April 30th Next, so that you can immediately start making arrangements for any necessary alternative accommodation or disposal of livestock’.
83 years on, over 85 adults and two children participated in a Social held at Y Gaer, Brecon - an event to remember the Epynt Clearance. Many stayed the whole three hours recounting stories passed down in their families, some even discovering they were distantly (and not so distantly) related! Quite a number of artists and writers joined.
Workshops at Ysgol Calon Cymru, Builth Campus - March-May, 2023
Participants from Ysgol Calon Cymru Builth Campus took part in a series of workshops exploring the stories of Epynt, working alongside dancers, a dramaturg, musicians and designers. Those interested joined the design team for the final dance performance - exploring set design, costume ideas and music composition and production - examples of which can be found in our teaching resource.
Social with Brecon Folk and More Club at The Muse, Brecon - 3rd May, 2023
In May, Impelo joined Brecon’s Folk’n More Club for an Epynt themed evening… the evening was be filled with music, poetry.. And as the name suggests… more!
We had a workshop with Ghostlight Drama group, and hosted a family dance workshop on the theme of Epynt before the social began. During the folk club there were a number of poems, music and songs performed on the themes of Epynt and displacement, with a wonderful set of songs performed by The Hillbillies, whose families used to live on Epynt before the Clearance in 1940. Thank you to all who came along and performed on the night, and a special thanks to Charlie and Jan for providing a delicious buffet of snacks for the evening.
Premiere Performance at y Gaer, Brecon - 30th June, 2023
We were joined at y Gaer by over 150 attendees who came to see the premiere performances of Prosiect Epynt. In anticipation of the event, the project was covered in local newspaper, the Brecon & Radnor Express, you can read their article here. After the two performances, which were well received by the respective audiences, there was a post-project celebration which was hosted at The Muse Brecon, with Epynt-themed music by the Hillbillies.
Epynt - The Film Premier
On the 2nd of July, 2023, the Prosiect Epynt performers spent a day filming on Epynt - Sennybridge Training Area.
Join us at Impelo on the 23rd of March 2024, to see the premier of Epynt - the film.
Join us at Impelo on the 23rd of March, 2024, to see the premier of Epynt - the film.
Meet the Team!
Project Manager: Ruth Loyd
Lead Artist: Bethan Cooper
Dramaturg: Naomi Keevil
Dance/Movement Artists: Jess Lerner, Kim Noble
Musician/Composer and Filmmaker: Toby Hay
Costume Designer: George Hampton Wale
Filmmaker and Cameraperson: Clara Rust
Poet and Assistant Welsh Language Film Producer: Cêt Haf
You can find out more about the wonderful creative team on Prosiect Epynt here.
The Education Resources
Click HERE to see our Prosiect Epynt Teaching Resources.
The Prosiect Epynt Handbook contains:
- Dance workshop ideas
- Drama workshop ideas
- Costume workshop ideas
- Music workshop ideas
- Dance and Digital workshop ideas
… PLUS loads of additional resources and links to other works!
Visits…
St Fagans, Brecon Folk ‘n’ More club, Y Gaer, Llanwrtyd & District Heritage and Arts Centre
Overall Project Outputs
12 codesigned sessions with pupils at Ysgol Calon Cymru
Four intergenerational socials/creative conversations with the aim of building trust through eating having fun together and meeting special guests
24 oral histories exploring themes of displacement around transgenerational/ intergenerational trauma
Production of new performance-based work on the Epynt with a mixed cast of professional and non professional performers
Two performances
Digital assets that are co-designed
Teaching resources in line with the New Curriculum for Wales
Evaluation
Press coverage
Project people:
Steering Group:
Y Gaer, Brecon - museum, art gallery and library and Impelo
Stakeholders:
Freelance creatives, Ysgol Calon Cymru, Menter, National Museum of Wales St Fagans, communities surrounding the Epynt area. .