Bardd Plant Cymru ( Welsh for 'Children's Poet (laureate) for Wales'; sometimes shortened to Bardd y Plant ('Children's poet (laureate)')) is the poet laureate of Welsh-language children's literature. It is one of the two national children's literature roles in Wales, alongside the English-language Children's Laureate Wales role. It is run by Literature Wales, and supported by the Welsh Government, S4C, the Welsh Books Council and Urdd Gobaith Cymru.
The current holder, for 2023–2025, is Nia Morais. The role was established in 2000, and has since been held by 18 people.
Bardd Plant Cymru is a national literature role, which aims to encourage imagination and inspiration towards Welsh-speaking children using Welsh-language poetry. It was established in 2000, and managed by Literature Wales, and supported by the Welsh Government (specifically its Welsh Language Division [1] ), S4C, the Welsh Books Council and Urdd Gobaith Cymru. Since its establishment 18 poets have held the role. The role is awarded every two years, and to a poet that displays passion for children and young people to take up Welsh-language literature. All activities conducted by the Bardd Plant Cymru are conducted in the Welsh-language, although some extra support is provided to children and young people whose first language is not Welsh. Bardd Plant Cymru, as part of their role, can organise classroom poetry workshops, pen official children's poems for special occasions, create online children's literature resources, and act as a voice for literary children and young people nationally and internationally. [2] [3] [4]
Bardd Plant Cymru is one of the two children's literature roles in Wales, alongside Children's Laureate Wales, which is the position representing English-language children's literature in Wales. Both roles are run by Literature Wales and run concurrently, although only further support is provided for the Welsh-language role. [3] [5] [6] [7]
By 2006, the position was chosen by a panel of judges, which would review nominations that have been put forward by librarians, writers, critics, and booksellers, including the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY). [8]
On 1 June 2023, at the 2023 Llandovery Urdd Eisteddfod, Literature Wales announced Nia Morais as the new Bardd Plant Cymru, taking over from the existing holder, Casi Wyn, in September 2023. [2]
Specific commitments for the Bardd Plant Cymru is: [3]
This is a list of the holders of the title, which are: [9]
In Welsh culture, an eisteddfod is an institution and festival with several ranked competitions, including in poetry and music. The term eisteddfod, which is formed from the Welsh morphemes: eistedd, meaning 'sit', and fod, meaning 'be', means, according to Hywel Teifi Edwards, "sitting-together." Edwards further defines the earliest form of the eisteddfod as a competitive meeting between bards and minstrels, in which the winner was chosen by a noble or royal patron.
Urdd Gobaith Cymru is a national voluntary youth organisation, which claimed over 56,000 members in 2019 aged between 8 and 25. It provides opportunities for children and young people across Wales to take part in a range of experiences through the medium of Welsh. The Urdd turned 100 on 25 January 2022 and celebrated by breaking two Guinness World Records.
The National Eisteddfod of Wales is the largest of several eisteddfodau that are held annually, mostly in Wales. Its eight days of competitions and performances are considered the largest music and poetry festival in Europe. Competitors typically number 6,000 or more, and overall attendance generally exceeds 100,000 visitors, the highest recently being 118,000 attending the 2022 festival. The 2018 Eisteddfod was held in Cardiff Bay with a fence-free 'Maes'. In 2020, the event was held virtually under the name AmGen; events were held over a one-week period.
Alan Llwyd, original name Alan Lloyd Roberts, also known under the Bardic name Meilir Emrys Owen, is a Welsh poet, literary critic and editor. He is one of the most prolific Welsh-language poets of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, and has won the bardic Chair at the National Eisteddfod three times and the Crown twice.
The post of National Poet of Wales was established in May 2005 by Academi – the Welsh National Literature Promotion Agency and Society for Writers. The current holder of the position is Hanan Issa, who was appointed for a period of three years in July 2022.
Literature Wales, formerly named the Academi, is the Welsh national literature promotion agency and society of writers, existing to promote Welsh-language and English-language literature in Wales. It offers bursaries for writing projects, runs literary events and lectures, and provides financial assistance for creative mentoring and other literary-based ventures. The organisation also selects the National Poet for Wales, and manages competitions including Wales Book of the Year, the Cardiff International Poetry Competition, and the Rhys Davies Short Story Competition.
The Tir na n-Og Awards are a set of annual children's literary awards in Wales from 1976. They are presented by the Books Council of Wales to the best books published during the preceding calendar year in each of three awards categories, one English-language and two Welsh-language. Their purpose is "[to raise] the standard of children's and young people's books and to encourage the buying and reading of good books." There is no restriction to fiction or prose. Each prize is £1,000.
Meinir Elin Gwilym is a Welsh-language pop and folk singer. Raised in Llangristiolus, Anglesey, she released her first EP, "Smôcs, Coffi a Fodca Rhad" in 2002. Her website claims that she is amongst the best-selling Welsh language musicians in history.
Twm Morys is a Welsh poet and musician.
Rachael Solomon is a Welsh singer, choreographer and television producer.
Welsh-language literature has been produced continuously since the emergence of Welsh from Brythonic as a distinct language in around the 5th century AD. The earliest Welsh literature was poetry, which was extremely intricate in form from its earliest known examples, a tradition sustained today. Poetry was followed by the first British prose literature in the 11th century. Welsh-language literature has repeatedly played a major part in the self-assertion of Wales and its people. It continues to be held in the highest regard, as evidenced by the size and enthusiasm of the audiences attending the annual National Eisteddfod of Wales, probably the largest amateur arts festival in Europe, which crowns the literary prize winners in a dignified ceremony.
The Urdd National Eisteddfod is an annual Welsh-language youth festival of literature, music and performing arts organised by Urdd Gobaith Cymru. It is the youth counterpart to the National Eisteddfod of Wales. Arguably Europe's largest youth festival, it is usually held during the last week of May, coinciding with schools' half term holiday. Locations alternate between north and south Wales. The Eisteddfod consists of competitive singing, recitation, art, composition, dance and instrumental events for contestants aged between 7 and 24 years. Regional qualifying heats are held in advance around Wales.
Evan Rees, known by the bardic name Dyfed, was a Calvinistic Methodist minister, poet, and Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales.
Rhun ap Iorwerth is a Welsh journalist and politician who has served as the Leader of Plaid Cymru since June 2023. He has been the Member of the Senedd (MS) for Ynys Môn since 2013.
Ifor ap Glyn is a Welsh television presenter and Welsh-language poet. From 2016 to 2022 he served as National Poet of Wales.
Myrddin ap Dafydd is a Welsh writer, publisher and chaired bard. In 2018 he was elected Archdruid of Wales.
Mared Williams, known professionally as Mared, is a Welsh singer-songwriter from Llannefydd, north Wales. She won the 2021 Welsh Language Album Award and has won two Y Selar Awards.
The Children's Laureate Wales is the poet laureate of English-language children's literature in Wales. It is one of the two national children's literature roles in Wales, alongside the Welsh-language Bardd Plant Cymru role. It is run by Literature Wales.
Dewi Gray "Pws" Morris was a Welsh musician, poet, actor, television presenter and comedian. He was known for being the lead singer of the Welsh pop band Y Tebot Piws and later for his comedy series Torri Gwynt on S4C. He was the Bardd Plant Cymru between 2010 and 2011.