Date: Saturday 1st October 7pm – late

Admission Fee: £6 - All proceeds go to the artists, and copies of the anthology will be available to purchase.

In an era defined by war, protest and social change, is it time to elevate our hidden histories, imagine inspiring alternatives and show solidarity with the cultural struggle for democracy, freedom and equality?

Elysium Gallery and Culture Matters invites you to a night of live music, spoken word and more for the launch of widely reviewed anthology Land of Change: Stories of Struggle & Solidarity from Wales, to accompany the Land of Change exhibition on show in the Elysium Gallery bar.

As a record of resistance, Land of Change unearths and celebrates the rich and diverse lived experiences of working-class, under-represented and marginalised people from Wales. The line-up includes anthology contributors: Queen Niche, Sierra Moulinie, Rhoda Thomas, Tony Webb, Sierra Moulinié, Tim Evans, Krystal Lowe, Des Mannay, Summar Jade, Rebecca Lowe, Gareth Twammers, Tony Webb, Gwenno Dafydd, The Catalan aka Xavier Panadès i Blas, Raven H. Rose and Samantha Mansi.

The launch will host two of Wales’ most notorious women in DnB, hip-hop and grime, Eris Kaoss and Missy G, as well as eclectic musician Peter Copper and spoken word artist, Trudi Peterson. There will be also be video performances as well as an interactive audience participation element, curated by poet and anthology contributor, Rhys Trimble.

Combining fact, fiction, visual art and photography in a wonderful tapestry of text and imagery, Land of Change links activism, authorship and artistic expression.

“A vibrant anthology that does not merely reflect the internal differences within working-class solidarities in Wales, but actually substantiates and develops that diversity in its chorus of visual and textual voices. Ymlaen!” Prof Daniel G. Williams

“It is my hope that the anthology reaches a national and international readership to broaden an understanding of this often-stigmatised community.” Dr Rhea Seren Phillips, Nation Cymru

“Land of Change is a fine book, notable for its message of unity through diversity. The contributors all demand urgent action on the unacceptable levels of social inequality and class division.” Jim Aitken, The Morning Star

“There is resistance and creativity in all of these works, and the book stands as proof positive of the difference, defiance and infectious vibrancy of the working-class voices of Wales.” Mab Jones, Buzz Mag

ART IN THE BAR

Elysium Gallery and Culture Matters also invite you to a sister event, a free preview of artwork from Land of Change: Stories of Struggle & Solidarity from Wales. Exhibition Preview: Saturday 24th September 7pm. Exhibition continues until 5th November, open Weds, Thurs 11am – 11pm & Fri, Sat 11am – 1am

Exhibition: Philippa Brown | Tim Evans | Osian Grifford | Jacqueline Jones | Arron Kuiper | Sarah O’Neill | Rachel Oliver | Alan Perry | Gus Payne |Tracey Rhys | Rhys Trimble | Fionn Wilson

Rachel Oliver With a rebellious side, channelling her inner quirk with a passion for urban art, graffiti, photography, illustration and the use of colour and visual delight.

Fionn Wilson Her urban landscapes focus on social alienation, despair and isolation. Her work forms part of public collections including the Marx Memorial Library, the National Coalmining Museum for England, the Museum of London and the Museum of Enfield.

Tracey Rhys Her visual art is concerned with memories from her childhood. She creates figurative representations of the working classes, often at protest, within the Welsh environment.

Osian Grifford is an artist/illustrator/performer and workshop tutor from Llangeitho, Ceredigion, and is currently based in Cardiff where he studied the Illustration BA at CSAD.

Tim Evans is a radical poet and self-taught Swansea-based artist. He has recently began finding his artistic voice and the works included in the anthology are some of his most recent pieces.

Philippa Brown completed an access course for the Cardiff Arts Academy. In 2017, Philippa produced the artwork for the Cardiff Sisters of Solidarity. She now runs Viva La Frieda in Morriston, selling upcycled furniture and her artwork.

Arron Kuiper is an artist practising in North Wales. He began developing his singular technique of sculptural painting in 2006, which he continues to perfect to this day. His work has been featured in publications like a.n. Magazine, Vice and Business Insider, and has been displayed in various galleries around the UK including the Discerning Eye, Cardiff Contemporary and BEEP Wales. He also occasionally sells some art.

Gustavius Payne was born in Merthyr Tydfil in 1969. Payne won his first art prize in the 1993 National Eisteddfod of Wales, as ‘Student of the Year.’ As a fine artist he is interested in the human predicament. His figurative paintings use Nature, alongside hoodies, mobile phones, religious iconography, and other human constructs. Imagery from mythology and folklore, alongside ecological and political concerns, draws the viewer into a fascinating reflective world, set in the post-industrial Welsh Valleys. He is represented by Ffin-Y- Parc Gallery in Llanrwst, where his work is regularly shown and held in stock, as well as at various other galleries too. He has exhibited regularly since 1994, including an Arts Council of Wales-funded collaborative touring exhibition, Dim Gobaith Caneri (No Hope Canary), with poet and author Mike Jenkins, during 2011—2012.

Alan Perry is an acclaimed poet, accomplished short-story writer and painter living and working in Swansea. He has been married for 55 years to portraitist and painter Jean Perry and they have two grown-up sons who are also artists.

Jacqueline Jones Her art comes directly out of her life and what she’s experiencing. She believes that elitism has no place in the making of art, only quality.

Rhys Trimble These works explore the cusp between typography, image, poetry, visual poetry, neo expressionistic painting techniques, graffiti, concrete poetry, Cerdd dafod and vandalism.

Sarah Oneill was born and bred in Swansea. She uses the beautiful coastline as well as her faithful Welsh collie Bean as inspiration for her work, which helps her to express emotion and manage her mental health.

Some examples of the artworks.......