UWTSD MA Illustration Student working with Carmarthenshire school children to prepare for the Urdd National Eisteddfod’s Prosiect 23 production

20 March 2023

An MA Illustration student from the University of Wales Trinity Saint David’s Swansea College of Art is currently busy working with Carmarthenshire school children as a creative art practitioner on a special production, entitled Prosiect 23, for the Carmarthenshire Urdd National Eisteddfod 2023.

MA Illustration student Karen McRobbie kneeling down next to one of the benches created as part of Prosiect 23.

Prosiect 23 is a vision that came about after discussion with the Urdd Eisteddfod’s Executive Committee and Carys Edwards, the project Director, to create something different and innovative as a showcase for this year’s Urdd National Eisteddfod in Llandovery.

It is a totally inclusive creative project involving all Carmarthenshire primary and secondary school children who were eager to contribute. Not a single child has been prevented from participating, including Special Units within the County’s schools.

Carys Edwards, Prosiect 23 Director and Chair of the Executive Committee, said:

“The intention with Prosiect 23 is to create events across the County throughout the year where pupils can contribute through performance or artwork, culminating in the creation of an exciting performance that is an episodic patchwork of Carmarthenshire legends and stories throughout the ages presented in a promenade style theatre performance at the Eisteddfod Field on May 28th in Llandovery this year.”

Carys Edwards is the project Director, with Nia Clwyd responsible for the musical elements, and Llinos Jones from Canolfan S4C Yr Egin responsible for developing and organising the Art ideas.

The back of one of the benches created as part of Prosiect 23. A castle is painted on it in bright colours.

Karen McRobbie, an MA Illustration student at UWTSD became part of the creative team as a creative art practitioner. She has been assisting with the art element of the project, and has been busy touring county schools to help with the painting and creating.

Karen said,

“It has been a privilege to be part of Prosiect 23, for the Urdd Eisteddfod in Llandovery. It is a totally innovative and unique project that celebrates the legends, stories and history of Carmarthenshire through the arts. Carmarthenshire school children are working on performances of the stories, and I’m one of the artists providing Art activities and experiences with the pupils.”

The project’s art element is vital as it ensures that the individuals who do not enjoy performing and being on stage have the opportunity to be creative, and have the opportunity to be part of a major project developing new skills. It’s also an opportunity for Karen to help individuals to be able to tell their story through art, and see that every voice has value, whether in colour, metalwork or digitally.

Karen is working on a variety of special art projects for the production.

“The Men’s Shed Cwm Gwendraeth in Drefach has been busy creating 15 benches that have gone out to the schools, and on each bench, a different story will be painted, for example, a bench about Gwenllian’s history, and another on the story of Merlin the Wizard.

“I am also working in some schools on masks and puppets for the performances. A group of pupils have created a giant puppet of a dragon’s head to perform the story of the dragon-serpent ‘Gwiber Emlyn,’ and I am currently designing puppets of the wild boar, the Twrch Trwyth, and his family of wild pigs.”

A puppet of a brown wild boar in the process of being painted with brown paint; schoolchildren are sitting in the background.

Carys Edwards added that Karen’s contribution to the project has been particularly instrumental,

“I was very keen to get Karen to work on Prosiect 23 as she had designed sets and artwork for all my productions when we were both working at Ysgol Maes y Gwendraeth. She has a wonderful way of working with pupils, motivating and encouraging them and then turning her ideas into wonderful creations. It is an absolute pleasure to see the artwork unfold in Karen’s capable hands.”

Karen is looking forward to seeing the final performances on the Eisteddfod stage, and to seeing the benches and artworks around the field.

“It’s fantastic to think that schools across Carmarthenshire are working together on an arts project that celebrates the history, traditions and culture of our locality, and through the project we’re passing on our ancient tradition of storytelling, that is an important part of Welsh culture and identity, to the younger generation.”