Acclaimed photographer’s astonishing images to represent Wales at Interceltic Festival

Stephen Price

One of Wales’ most exciting photographers, whose work documents Welsh folk, dance and culture today, is set to represent the nation at the Festival Interceltique de Lorient this August.

Joann Randles, one of Wales’ leading photojournalists, has curated an exhibition of stunning cultural photographs as part of the EuroCeltic Art exhibition, at the Palais des Congrès in the centre of Lorient

Kicking off from 1 – 10 August, the Festival Interceltique de Lorient (FIL) is the largest annual festival of Celtic culture of its kind which is held in Lorient, Brittany.

The festival is a celebration of the cultural traditions of the Celtic nations and regions, highlighting music, dance and visual arts as well as sports and gastronomy, attracting around 800,000 people over 10 days in August.

Wales will have a delegation at the festival again this year, including three bands, a male voice choir, harpist and an artist.

The programme for 2025 includes performances by the Welsh Blue Grass band Taff Rapids, the contemporary folk of Mari Mathias, the world-famous Treorchy Male Choir, attending for the first time, as well as Welsh triple harpist Gareth Swindail-Parry.

There will also be a special one-off performance by the award-winning chamber-folk trio VRï, on Wednesday 6 August.

Documenting Wales

Joann Randles, who will be the first photographic journalist to represent Wales, is a multi award-winning Welsh press photographer based in Swansea, known for her compelling portraiture and evocative storytelling.

Born in Carmarthen and raised along the Pembrokeshire coastline in Tenby and Saundersfoot, Joann’s creative roots run deep. Her passion for the arts began in early childhood and has since developed into a distinctive career
that not only champions Welsh identity but also elevates press photography to an expressive and artful discipline.

With a family lineage that stretches back generations in Wales, Joann’s connection to her homeland is intrinsic to her work. Her photographic practice reflects a profound sense of place, culture, and heritage, celebrating the richness of Welsh life through powerful visual narratives.

Working predominantly on location and often in challenging conditions, Joann operates solo on her photoshoots, mastering natural and artificial light with the precision of a painter.

A defining feature of Joann’s work is her specialist role as a professional press photographer, a field that demands not only artistic vision but also rigorous adherence to journalistic ethics, making her an ideal candidate for a documenter of Wales today.

Unlike many forms of contemporary photography, where digital manipulation is commonplace, press images must maintain factual integrity. This means that all of Joann’s portraits captured entirely in-camera. Only minimal post-processing adjustments are permitted, such as subtle colour correction, cropping, and removal of dust spots.

This restriction places a premium on technical skill, precision, and timing. Joann must “get it right in-camera” in the moment, relying on her mastery of lighting, composition, and subject engagement, often under intense time pressure or unpredictable environmental conditions.

It is this commitment to truth, paired with an unmistakably artistic eye, that makes her work so distinctive within the press photography genre.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Joann expanded her visual storytelling practice, bringing her background in filmmaking into sharper focus through still imagery. Her striking photographs from this period gained wide recognition, and her work has since been exhibited in renowned institutions such as the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), and featured in leading national and international media outlets.

Joann is especially celebrated for her ongoing work documenting Welsh folk dance and the cultural life of Wales. Her portraits vibrantly express the traditions, identities, and communities of her nation, making Welsh culture accessible to global audiences through the universal language of visual storytelling. A perfect marriage for the Festival Interceltique de Lorient.

Welsh representation

Representing Wales, along with Joann, in the Celtic Odyssey performances is Jordan Price-Williams, cellist and singer with VRi, joining 13 other musicians from all the Celtic nations. Shamoniks (Sam Humprheys of Calan and NoGood Boyo) will also be continuing his DJ collaboration with Breton language rap artist, Krismenn. 

The Treorchy Male Choir will be taking part in the Grande Parade des Nations Celtes on Sunday 3 August, involving over 3000 artists, traditional costumes, dancers, musicians and massed pipe bands from all Celtic countries, parading through the streets of Lorient. 

The Welsh Government has supported a presence at the festival every year since 2008, but a decision has been made not to provide any financial support this year, despite the First Minister, Mark Drakeford, attending in 2023 and Welsh Government officials also attending last year.

As a result, Wales will be the only Celtic nation at the festival without a promotional stand in the Place des Pays Celtes this year.

Disappointment

Antwn Owen-Hicks, Delegation Leader for Wales said: “We’re presenting a strong programme of artists again this year that reflects the ongoing confidence and development in our music and culture, tying in with the theme of the year.”

“However, it’s very disappointing that, after many years of developing a strong Welsh presence at the festival with Welsh Government support, we are now reduced to only those artists that the festival books directly.”

Antwn added: “A Memorandum of Understanding between the Welsh Government and Breton Regional Council is meant to support the development of cultural links and cooperative activities.

“Aside from the physical presence of a Wales stand, previous funding support also enabled an enhanced delegation of artists, providing opportunities for young and emerging artists to perform at a significant international festival, to very large audiences, such as Mari Mathias, AVANC, Cerys Hafana and Alffa to name a few.”

See more of Joann’s work here or via Instagram.

Find out more about the Festival Interceltique de Lorient here.