The General Strike and lock-out of 1926 has been immortalised in the work of Idris Davies, Gwyn Thomas, Raymond Williams and Menna Gallie. What legacy does the poetry and prose dealing with the struggle leave for us today?

After a summer series engaging with the political and social consciousness of communities during the lock-out, join Llafur and the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama (RWCMD) for an afternoon of conversations, debate and insight exploring the deep-rooted cultural significance of 1926.

Programme:

• 13:00-13:05 – Intro and Welcome – Ian Rees (Llafur) and Helena Gaunt (RWCMD)
• 13:05 – 13:35 – Dai Smith: The General Strike of 1926: “That complex struggle for consciousness” (Raymond Williams,1976)
• 13:35 – 14:05 – The ‘Angry Summer’ project – RWCMD project team discuss the project including the launch of outputs, clips from the project film, and live reading
• 14:05 – 14:30 – The Universality of Idris Davies’ Poetry: Neil Kinnock in conversation with Dai Smith
• 14:30 – 15:10 – Break – Refreshments provided and opportunity for attendees to view Llafur Exhibition – “Now it is May in the minds of men”: The 1926 General Strike and Lock-out
• 15:10 – 16:10 – Mark Drakeford: Idris Davies and ‘The Angry Summer’ (includes live readings, documentary clips)
• 16:10 – 16:15 – Conclusion and Thank Yous – Ian Rees and Helena Gaunt

This event will take place in-person at the Sir Anthony Hopkins Centre, Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama in Cardiff. A warm welcome is extended to all!

Entrance to this event is by donation. £10 is the minimum recommended donation amount; OR £5 for unwaged. A solidarity donation amount above £10 will be gratefully received. To book your place, please visit the Llafur Eventbrite page here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/2002326674986?aff=oddtdtcreator

Please note that lunch will not be provided as part of this event. We encourage attendees to bring their own packed lunches if you would prefer to do so or make use of the RWCMD Cafe Bar in the foyer of the College where you can also purchase any refreshments during the day.

If you require any reasonable adjustments to attend or have any queries about accessibility for this event, please contact us via enquiries@llafur.org.