Eisteddfod announces details of how to compete in 2024

Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod has announced details of how to compete or participate in 2024.

Across 29 categories, including nine new competitions, some of the world's top music and dance talent will travel to the iconic peace festival.

Competitions continue to sit at the heart of the Llangollen Eisteddfod. 

They will take place during the core Eisteddfod week, Tuesday 2 - Sunday 7 July 2024. 

For competitors, there are some fabulous opportunities and prizes up for grabs, at this international celebration of all things musical and dance. 

First to open for applications are the group categories, followed by solo categories later this year.

Chair of the Llangollen Eisteddfod Sarah Ecob said: "We are delighted to open applications for what is one of the world’s most respected and renowned cultural competitions. Previous winners include Luciano Pavarotti.  

"At the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod we celebrate musical excellence and next year’s event will continue that tradition. This year, we have been determined to ensure that the Eisteddfod doesn’t just survive but thrives. It’s vital however to ensure that our usual, core festival ensures supporters continue to enjoy the traditional, competitive part of the Llangollen Eisteddfod.”

As a way of celebrating the achievements of children and young people, a new Young Choir of the World competition is being introduced. For 2024 the winning choir will be showcased on the main stage at The Royal International Pavilion during the Wednesday 3 July evening concert. 

Solo finalists will also have the opportunity to perform in an evening concert.

The International Voice of the Future will be part of the Saturday 6 July evening concert and, for the first time, International Voice of Musical Theatre finalists will perform with a live band in the Thursday 4 July evening concert.

Other new additions include the Open Dance (Solo, Duet and Trio) category for under 11yrs, 12-17yrs, and 18yrs & over, the Children’s Open Choirs category, and the welcome return of Chamber, Adult Folk Song Choirs, Instrumental Ensemble, Vocal and Instrumental Folk Solo. 

Main competitions take place in the 4,000 seat Royal International Pavilion.  

In 2024, either side of the core Eisteddfod week (2-7 July), there will be additional shows – including headliners Manic Street Preachers  & Suede (Friday 28 June), and Paloma Faith (Friday 21 June).

* Downloadable syllabus book, application forms and other competitor information is available on a dedicated website at: https://eisteddfodcompetitions.co.uk/

Manics and Suede tickets go on sale at 9am tomorrow

* The Manic Street Preachers.

Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod organisers are asking residents to set their alarm clocks as tickets for the Manic Street Preachers and Suede go on general sale at 9am tomorrow (Friday).   

Pre-Sale Tickets for the event on Friday June 28 have now sold out. 

Bosses of the festival, the future of which seemed uncertain just a few weeks ago, says the ticket sales are already surpassing expectations.  

They have already announced Indie music legends Manic Street Preachers and Suede, with a very special double headlining show on Friday June 28 and BRIT award-winning artist Paloma Faith who is performing on Friday, June 21 2024. They promise much more to come. 

The shows are presented in a new partnership between Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod and Live Nation promoters Cuffe and Taylor. 

Cuffe and Taylor, one of the UK’s top live music, theatre and event promoters, are partnering with the International Eisteddfod to promote a series of live concerts in conjunction with the world-famous peace festival. 

A festival spokesperson said, “Things are moving fast and we would encourage everybody to set their alarm clocks as tickets go on sale tomorrow at 9am sharp to secure their tickets for the Manics and Suede.  

"With this gig surpassing expectations and interest in Poloma Faith going through the roof – we are confident that with more major announcements to come – Llangollen will be the place to be next summer.”

* You can get tickets here: https://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/event/1F005F44B47D2954

 

Eisteddfod members reassured over new concert promotions deal

* Peter Taylor, left, and partner Dan Cuffe explain the new partnership with the Eisteddfod at the meeting in St Collen's. Those joining by Zoom can be seen on the screen. Picture: Dave Hennigan.

Llangollen Eisteddfod members have been reassured about the benefits of having an international promotions company handle a series of concerts next year aimed at restoring its viability.

The festival is fighting to recover from the massive loss it made last year which left its finance situation so vulnerable that it was forced to make its executive producer redundant.

Just weeks ago it was announced that the Cuffe & Taylor partnership, which is backed by the US-owned Live Nation, would be masterminding a string of high-profile music events being arranged around the main Eisteddfod – July 2-7 next year – featuring the bands Manic Street Preachers plus Suede and singing star Paloma Faith as part of their 2024 tours.

Cuffe & Taylor will also help arrange three of the traditional evening concerts during the Eisteddfod, one of which, it was revealed, would be the kind of big-name act that the festival would have booked on its own before the financial crisis hit.  

Eisteddfod leaders called a meeting of members last night (Wednesday) in St Collen’s Church to update them on the situation and to allow them to hear and closely question promoters Dan Cuffe and business partner Peter Taylor.

Eisteddfod chair Sarah Ecob welcomed around 40 people, including committee and trustee board members, to the meeting which also had over 20 members taking part via Zoom.

* Eisteddfod chair Sarah Ecob outlines the current position.

She said dedicated groups were already at work on an action plan aimed at getting the Eisteddfod back on track after finding itself in a “very dire financial situation”.

The chair said the festival realised it would have to do better in a number of areas including communication, marketing and TV broadcasting – figures she displayed showed that last year’s festival had attracted just 26 UK press articles, 13 international ones and 106 online.

She explained that due to the financial situation the festival had struggled to bring in big names for the evening concerts in the way it used to, adding that the partnership with Cuffe & Taylor would now bring financial security while ensuring the Eisteddfod remained true to its traditional ethos of international peace.

“Social media was set ablaze by the Manic Street Preachers announcement and we have more to come,” she revealed.

Ms Ecob told the audience that the festival now planned to take on an artistic director and fundraiser, both working on a freelance basis, and make announcements soon about its 2024 competitions and programme.

Cuffe and Taylor explained their background as two young men from Lancashire who has teamed up in 2009 to begin arranging local musical events and then eventually gone international after joining forces with the American company Live Nation.

Admitting that the Eisteddfod was the first major event of its type they had worked with, Dan Cuffe said: “We have our expertise but we want you to tell us how to do this. We want to build on your existing organisation.”

Peter Taylor said: “I know you are bit concerned that this big American company is coming in and will take over but we have worked well with other venues which have had hard times, such as the Peace Hall in Halifax, and that gives us the experience of how we can do this.”

Their message was reinforced by Dave Danford, who has been involved with the production of every Eisteddod concert over the past decade.

He said: “I was in a three-hour meeting with Cuffe and Taylor and had my reservations but left feeling very positive. I am confident our partnership with them is the way forward.”

And Keith Potts, who has been deeply involved with the behind-the-scenes production of various aspects of the festival for many years, said: “They don’t want to come in and change the Eisteddfod, they want to enhance the Eisteddfod. The Eisteddfod will carry on and we will have the financial backing of this company to make sure that we can do that.”

During a question-and-answer session someone asked from the floor what would happen if Live Nation wanted to change the Eisteddfod.

Peter Taylor replied: “We have a contract with your trustees and through that you will be protected.”

Sarah Ecob assured: “Apart from the three evening concerts, Cuffe & Taylor will have no involvement with the Eisteddfod at all and details of the contract are currently being negotiated with them.”

She added that when it came to arranging the three evening concerts the partners would work in collaboration with the trustees.

Towards the end there was a stark warning from former Eisteddfod chairman Dr Rhys Davies who said: “The Eisteddfod itself needs to change and attract new audiences. If it doesn’t move forward it will die.”

Traffic alerts for this weekend's food festival

Latest local traffic alerts from one.network are:

Market Street, Llangollen, Denbighshire 14 October - 15 October   Delays likely - Road closure   Name:  Market Street, Llangollen   Location: Market Street   Description: Public event - Festival   Responsibility for event: Denbighshire County Council   Current status: Planned       Market Street, Llangollen, Denbighshire 14 October - 15 October   Delays likely - Diversion route   Name:  Diversion   Location: Castle Street   Description: Public event - Festival   Responsibility for event: Denbighshire County Council   Current status: Planned

Nightingale House Christmas cards to go on sale outside Town Hall

The Llangollen Fundraising Group will be selling Nightingale House Hospice Christmas Cards outside the Town Hall Tuesday 17th and Tuesday 31st October. 

They are also selling a brand new recipe book that they have compiled themselves.

The book is packed full of favourite recipes from their family and friends and sells for £7.50. 

Paloma Faith to star in special Eisteddfod show next June

Double platinum and BRIT award-winning artist Paloma Faith is heading to Llangollen as part of her The Glorification of Sadness Tour 2024 on Friday June 21.

This is the second big announcement since Cuffe and Taylor, one of the UK’s top live music, theatre and event promoters, launched their partnership with the International Eisteddfod to promote a series of live concerts in conjunction with the world-famous peace festival. 

A week ago it was revealed that Manic Street Preachers and Suede are to headline at another special Eisteddfod show on Friday June 28 for the first date in their UK and Ireland tour.  

Paloma Faith has released her first single in three years, How You Leave A Man, and as she unveils her sixth studio album The Glorification of Sadness which is released February 16 – her first new music since the release of fifth studio album Infinite Things in November 2020.

* Paloma Faith will headline for the Eisteddfod. 

The trip to Llangollen will see Paloma perform an array of hits from her extensive and much-loved repertoire with fans singing along to classics such as Only Love Can Hurt LikeThis and Lullaby as well as new songs from The Glorification of Sadness

Cuffe and Taylor co-founder Peter Taylor said:“What an incredible second announcement to be making for the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod. Paloma Faith is without doubt a superstar who presents the most breathtaking concerts and we can’t wait to bring her to Llangollen. 

“We’re very excited to be working alongside the team at this incredible peace festival and look forward to making more announcements soon.” 

Chair of Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod Sarah Ecob added: “We promised to reach for the stars with our brilliant new partnership with Cuffe and Taylor and we are delighted that another huge star, Paloma Faith will be joining us in 2024.  

 

“With her soulful, jazz-influenced pop music and her stunning style we know she will be a massive hit with our audiences.” 

Tickets for Paloma Faith go on general sale Friday October 20, at 10am, you can sign up for pre-sale access here to get tickets 24 hours early on Thursday 12th at 10am https://bit.ly/3F6XhyK

Have your say on proposed new North East Wales National Park

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) are inviting feedback on an initial Area of Search map for a proposed new National Park in North East Wales.

And people in Llangollen, which is included in the plan, will get the chance to have their say, in person, tomorrow (Saturday, November 18) at the Town Hall between 10 and 4pm.

The engagement period will run until Monday November 27.

Welsh Government has commissioned NRW, as the Designating Authority in Wales, to evaluate the case for a new National Park based on the existing Clwydian Range and Dee Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). 

The case for the park will be considered within the existing Senedd term (2021-2026).

A questionnaire to capture feedback is now live on the project website. This can be accessed at: https://ymgynghori.cyfoethnaturiol.cymru/north-east-gogledd-ddwyrain/national-park-designation-project-engagement-2023

Ash Pearce, Project Manager, said: "We are engaging with local people and groups early in the project to ensure we can capture and understand all the issues and opportunities that relate to the proposed new National Park. 

"We will consider and account for the feedback provided as we work through a series of technical assessments and prepare our informed recommendations.

"There will be a full public consultation on a proposed boundary in 2024. At this stage, we have identified an area to study and want to listen and understand the significant issues, opportunities and themes affecting the area.

"We warmly invite everyone interested in our work, to join us at one of a series of in-person and online engagement events over the next two months. Also most critically, to complete our questionnaire which will ensure that we can capture their feedback.

"The events will be an opportunity to learn more about the project, ask questions of the team and share feedback on an early map of the area being assessed.

"People will only need to attend one event, be that online or in-person as the information shared will be the same for each event."

The Llangollen engagement event is due to take place at the Town Hall on Saturday November 18, from 10am until 4pm.

People are encouraged to drop by at the in-person events, there is no need to book a place. If interested in taking part in one of the online events, email the project team at designated.landscapes.programme@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk with your name, state your interest (e.g. resident, community leader, landowner, farmer, business owner, organisation representative, etc) and which event you are interested in (the date). These will be bilingual events with simultaneous translation provided.

NRW have prepared procedural guidance setting out the statutory process that must be followed. It is evidence based and allows for engagement and consultation with statutory consultees, the public and other stakeholders. 

* For more information on the project and evaluation process, visit the website at: https://ymgynghori.cyfoethnaturiol.cymru/north-east-gogledd-ddwyrain/north-east-wales-national-park-designation-project