Over 65 artists part of Beyond the Border 2021 Festival at Dinefwr Park

Beyond the Border is one of Europe’s leading storytelling festivals, with audiences travelling across the UK and the world to see some of the best storytellers, musicians and performers.

The festival runs from today (Friday) July 2 until Sunday, July 4, and the Online Festival now running until July 10. Some day tickets are still available via www.beyondtheborder.com

Naomi Wilds, artistic director, said, “Like many festivals across the world, after last year’s disappointed postponement, we are thrilled that we are able to confirm that most artists, including some brilliant extras, are still able to be a part of the 2021 Festival, which we have themed ‘Reimagining, Reawakening.

“The last 12 months has been incredibly challenging for so many of us, but it has given us the opportunity to explore how we perform, create, programme and engage with audiences, many of whom are unable to be at the festival this year. As well as live face to face performances at the festival site, we are bringing some of our storytellers digitally from the other side of the world to Wales.”

Over 65 artists from across Wales, the UK and internationally will be part of the live programme including musicians Catrin Finch and Seckou Keita, Will Pound, Cynefin and Don Kipper; storytellers Hugh Lupton, Daniel Morden, Cath Little, Tamar Eluned Williams, Ben Haggarty, Michael Harvey, David Ambrose, TUUP, Guto Dafis, The Devil’s Violin, Peter Stevenson, Ailsa Mair Hughes, Fiona Collins and Amy Douglas.

With an incredible line up of musicians and storytellers there are also special highlights and ways to explore Beyond the Border’s home at Dinefwr, a stunning landscape, steeped in history and beauty.

Acclaimed storytellers Daniel Morden and Hugh Lupton have joined forces with one of Wales’ most exciting new composers, Sarah Lianne Lewis, to create a visceral, moving and profound storytelling experience. Imagine listening in to stories told at night, while gazing up at the stars…and wearing headphones!

Stars and their Consolations conjures up Greek myths of some of the most prominent constellations in the Northern Hemisphere’s night sky. Performed indoors and outdoors during the storytelling festival, and online at home, audiences will be able to hear a fusion of ancient stories reimagined and illuminated by a unique and evocative soundscape.

Audiences will have the chance to be part of Storytelling Experiments at the festival and online. Be the first to hear Tim Ralph’s new piece which will be presenting on the outdoor screen and online; and Tamar Eluned Williams with her sister Morwen Williams will be looking at the role of women in folk song in Not Maid, Nor Widow, Nor Wife.

The Citrus Village will be home to family events and workshops delivered by Pontypridd’s Citrus Arts, a professional and community circus theatre company who tour to festivals across the UK. Their passion is not only performing but sharing their knowledge and skills within their community. There will be lantern making for the Closing Ceremony and circus workshops, as well as an adapted version of their award winning festival performance, Savage Hart. Close to Citrus Village is the Tiny Tent – storytelling for the under 8s. A short walk away there will be the Make & Share hut with Crankie Making workshops, sound mapping workshops and open story round sessions (for young people and grown-ups) surrounded by the beautiful Dinefwr woodland.

Beyond the Border has been a platform for supporting new voices to storytelling. Beyond the Border’s New Directions will be an opportunity to hear solo pieces from artists at the festival for the first time. This year, Sarah Liisa Wilkinson, Phil Okwedy and Saul Jaffe and Beyond the Border’s New Voices mentees Chandrika Joshi, Kestrel Morton and Ceri Phillips will be sharing extracts from their new pieces as well as talking through the mentoring scheme with BtB.

Full line up of artists and programme is available on www.beyondtheborder.com