On 2 June Neuadd Ogwen will be welcoming Edward H. Dafis. The group have recently reformed under the name H a’r Band. They will be performing new songs as well as their classics. This is one of the most popular groups of all time in the Welsh music scene and it is therefore no surprise that there is a lot of excitement surrounding this gig. A meal will be provided by Caffi Coed-y-Brenin. Be sure to get your tickets soon from Kath’s shop, Bethesda for £10.

To coincide with the Dyffryn Ogwen show, 9 June, Pesda Roc will be working with the local Young Farmers Club to organize a gig. Bryn Fôn a’r Band and Y Bandana will be at Neuadd Ogwen at 8.00pm, after the show. The intention is to start an annual gig to coincide with the show and to develop a new, working relationship between Dyffryn Ogwen Young Farmers and Pesda Roc.

Pesda Roc will also be organizing events for a younger audience. On 7 July Race Horses will be at Neuadd Ogwen to start a new series of gigs. A younger Pesda Roc comitee has been set up at Ysgol Dyffryn Ogwen and they will be playing a vital role in the arrangements. Pesda Roc has also been offering a Music Technology Course at Neuadd Ogwen, led by Aled Huws from Cowbois Rhos Botwnnog. Those who have been attending the weekly course have learnt all kinds of things about the Welsh music scene, from how to organize gigs to how to record songs. The Pesda Roc crew would like to thank everyone for all your support, and we look forward to seeing you at these events.

‘Singing for the Brain’ is a service provided by Alzheimer’s Society which uses singing to bring people together in a friendly and stimulating social environment.

Singing is not only an enjoyable activity, it can also provide a way for people with dementia, along with their careers, to express themselves and socialize with others in a fun and supportive group.

Hidden in the fun are activities which build on the well-known preserved memory for song and music in the brain. Even when many memories are hard to retrieve, music is especially easy to recall.

Singing for the Brain was recently featured in a BBC Radio 4 documentary looking into the emotional significance of Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus.

The Bangor sessions will be every fortnight on Thursday in the Quaker Meeting House between 10:30am – 12:30pm. The next session will be on 30th May.

Rehearsals are underway in west Wales for Assembly 02 on the 4th of May 2012 and now Assembly 03, mid Wales, requires your online votes to decide how we proceed. We also need fresh proposals from you for Assembly 04 taking place in North Wales, so get thinking and bring us to your town to create a performance debate event which gets the conversation going.

As with the previous three, we’re asking local people, companies and groups to suggest project ideas, from which three will be shortlisted. The shortlisted ideas will then go through a two-week online public voting period, and the idea that receives the most votes will then be delivered. Abdul Shayek, National Theatre Wales’ Creative Associate, will then start the month-long development process, with three of the six Assembly performers and three production staff, culminating in a five-day intensive rehearsal period leading to a one day event.

National Theatre Wales can offer great support to help you realize your idea, including:

• A one-week intensive rehearsal period leading to the event;

• Three trained performers/artists (Assembly Performers Team);

• A director;

• A production team consisting of a Production Manager, Stage Manager and a technician; and

• A small production budget

We want you to send in ideas for a project you have in mind, which highlights local issues and aims to create some debate. We are looking for ideas could take place in unexpected local spaces.

The current proposal for ideas needs to take place in North Wales

To request an application form or for further information, please get in touch with Abdul Shayek – abdulshayek@nationaltheatrewales.org

Closing date for proposals is 12:00hrs 29th May 2012!

This course is organised by the Gwynedd and Anglesey Arts Agency for Schools. The training will cover the theory and practice of delivering arts workshops in schools with exercise in planning and delivery, including combined arts. A packed information booklet which includes advice on professional practice. The course is written and delivered by Maria Hayes who has over twenty years of delivering art workshop UK wide. The course will be delivered through the medium of English.

Priority will be given to artists from Gwynedd and Anglesey.

The course will cont £20 – including course fee, lunch and information pack.

For further details contact Gwawr Wyn Roberts / Annes Sion on 01286 679721 / 07789 032517 or AnnesSion@gwynedd.gov.uk

Oriel Pendeitsh gallery in Caernarfon is currently exhibiting a wealth of artwork by 38 different artists. Go along to view the variety of work on display – entry is free.

Here is a selection from the 2012 annual Open Art competition held at Gwynedd Museum & Art Gallery, Bangor. This special exhibition at Oriel Pendeitsh held from May 12 until 8 July offers an extended opportunity to view the variety of art works which were selected which includes paintings, printmaking, drawings and photography.

A panel of selectors decided on the final exhibition from nearly 200 entries. This year the selectors’ prize went to Martin Morley from Bethesda for his painting of ‘Treflan, Bethesda, 1989’. An additional prize was also donated this year by the Friends of the Museum which was awarded to Emyr Roberts for his striking photograph ‘Arwel and Friend’. During the exhibition at Gwynedd Museum & Art Gallery, the painting ‘Tulip Street’ by Dorothy Williams of Tregarth was voted by the public to receive the People’s Choice award. A number of other art works were also awarded recognition of Highly Commended.

Delyth Gordon, Gwynedd Council Visual Arts Officer said: “The open art exhibition is a fantastic opportunity for local artists to showcase their work to the public. There is a wide variety of works on show with something to surely suit all tastes. All are welcome to come along to enjoy the art work.”

Those interested in submitting work for selection for the 2013 Open Art can leave their details at the Gwynedd Museum & Art Gallery, Bangor, phone 01248 353 368.

The exhibition at Oriel Pendeitsh, Caernarfon is open until 8 July. The gallery is open daily, 7 days, between 9.30am and 4pm. Admission is free.

The Eisteddfod is held in Parc Glynllifon during the first week of June. To ensure a successful stand, they will need a number of stewards. Stewards are entitled to a free ticket to the Eisteddfod.

If you would like to assist you could do that by contacting Anwen Bumby by e-mail A.Bumby@btinternet.com

Are you over 50? Do you live in Wales? Have you written a poem or a short story?

Win a residential creative writing course worth over £500. Get your work published in Tŷ Newydd’s Gwanwyn Festival online exhibition.

Apply by letter to Tŷ Newydd, Llanystumdwy, Criccieth, Gwynedd, LL52 OLW or e-mail alys@llenyddiaethcymru.org. You will need to include:

• A poem (no more than 40 lines long) or a short story (no more than 3,000 words long)

• A sentence about why you’d like to come on a course at Tŷ Newydd.

• Your contact details: phone number, e-mail (if possible) and address.

This is an opportunity for new writers; you must not have had work published previously.

Closing date: May 15th

The work of the winners and the shortlisted writers will be published on the Tŷ Newydd website. By entering you agree to have your work published on the website.

Questions? E-mail alys@llenyddiaethcymru.org or phone 01766 523737

We welcome responses from all members of the public 16 or over that live in Gwynedd, Anglesey or Conwy. By taking part you will have the opportunity to win a prize of £50. The name of the winner will be drawn on 30th June 2012.

Please return your completed questionnaire to;

Mantell Gwynedd,

Freepost NWWW 4062A,

Caernarfon,

LL55 1ZZ.

Click here for the questionnaire.

If you would like further information about this questionnaire, please contact:

Telephone: Rhianon Jones (01286 672626 Email: rhianon@mantellgwynedd.com

This painting along with a selection of other framed works from the Open Art can be seen at a smaller second exhibition at Gwynedd Council’s Oriel Pendeitsh Gallery in Caernarfon from 12th May – 8th July.

Those interested in submitting work for selection next year can obtain details at the Gwynedd Museum & Art Gallery, Bangor.

Tel: 01248 353 368

Tuesday – Friday 12:30 – 4:30, Saturday 10:30 – 4:30

Oriel Pendeitsh Gallery, Caernarfon, 12 May – 8 July.

Tel: 01286 676 476

Monday – Sunday 9.30 – 4.00.