Welsh Young People’s Laureate Launch
Literature Wales : Literature Lounge, St David’s Centre
Tuesday 18th October
Written by Chelsey Gillard
Literature Wales is the national company for the development of literature in Wales. They run a whole range of events to promote Welsh literature, both through the medium of the Welsh language and English.
Their latest undertaking was it establish Wales’ first ever Literature Lounge. On Friday 30th September they opened a “pop-up literary emporium” in the restaurant quarter of St David’s shopping centre in Cardiff. They hoped the Lounge would be used to sit and read, catch up with friends and most importantly inspire people to pick up a book. In a month long schedule of events the Lounge hosted many guest lectures, workshops, book readings, meet the author events and even a book swap.
As part of their ongoing commitment to young people Literature Wales decided to stage the announcement of the very first Young People’s Laureate for Wales in the Literature Lounge. Surrounded by a host of VIPs and most importantly young people from local schools and the Merthyr Writing Squad - singer and TV host, Charlotte Church announced that novelist Catherine Fisher had been awarded the post. Catherine, writer of The Oracle Trilogy (to name just one project) expressed her pride at being named Young Person’s Laureate and treated the audience to a reading from one of her books.
| Catherine Fisher, the first ever Young People’s Laureate for Wales signing books for young fans. |
In this completely new role, which is a first not only for Wales, but for the whole of the UK, Catherine will look to inspire young people to get involved in reading and creative writing especially as there is an increasing number of reports claiming that the level of children’s literacy is falling in Wales. She will work alongside the existing Bardd Plant Cymru (Children’s Poet Laureate for Wales) Euring Salisbury, who promotes poetry and literature in the Welsh language.
Catherine, a poet and novelist from Newport says on her website “It's a great honour to be named as the first Young People's Laureate for Wales. Wales is a country with an ancient literary heritage, and I'm pleased that literature for children and teenagers is now being recognized as an important part of that. I look forward to meeting and talking with a lot of avid readers during the year!” The internationally bestselling author recently appeared on the New York Times bestseller list and has been described by The Sunday Times as “a writer of rare talent.” The year ahead for Literature Wales certainly looks promising now that Catherine is on board!
To see more reviews and articles covering the arts in South Wales please visit www.hypercriticreviews.blogspot.com
Click here to watch an exclusive interview with Charlotte Church for WalesOnline.
Click here for an exclusive interview with Catherine Fisher for theSprout.
To view photos taken on the evening by Betsan Haf Evans (Celf Calon),
click here to visit Literature Wales’ Flickr Page.
click here to visit Literature Wales’ Flickr Page.
Click here to go to Catherine Fisher's Website.
For further information about the Young People’s Laureate, contact Literature Wales:
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