Bilingual storytelling project will celebrate Wales’ starry skies

Ten bilingual storytellers have been selected to help deliver a Wales-wide initiative which aims to support the Welsh storytelling sector and tackle the impact of climate change on the night skies.

Cysur y Sêr (Comfort of the Stars) is a Welsh-led, bilingual project to develop environmental respect and leave an impactful legacy for future generations.

Led by storytelling production company Adverse Camber, Cysur y Sêr will culminate in the Stars and their Consolations tour across Wales in March and April 2026.

Myths

Over the next six months, the storytellers will be working with communities across Wales, including the ten venues involved in the tour, in an accessible and climate-conscious collaboration.

They will be developing and discovering Welsh myths surrounding star patterns with audiences and communities, and finding out what happens when Greek myths of the stars are told in Welsh.

An artist call out ran over the summer for Welsh-language performers, artists, musicians and storytellers to be a part of the project.

The selected artists are Rhodri Trefor and Gillian Brownson from Ynys Môn/Anglesey; Fiona Collins from Dee Valley, Chris Baglin from Clwyd, Ceri Phillips from Llandeilo, Hedydd Hughes from North Pembrokeshire; Stacey Blythe from Cardiff, and Dan Mitchell from Pontardawe.  While all are storytellers, they can also draw on skills as a group in acting, stand-up comedy and music.

They will be joined by two storytelling project leads, Tamar Eluned Williams from Cardiff and Mair Tomos Ifans from mid Wales.

Over the next few months the team will devise a programme of activities together, following a residential training session at Ty Newydd led by Tamar and Mair.

Cysur y Sêr will then deliver activities in communities as part of Wales Dark Skies week in February 2026. The project will also leave a lasting legacy, an audio collection of stories created by the storytellers involved, housed at the People’s Collection at The National Library of Wales.

Creative development

Tamar Eluned Williams, lead Welsh Storyteller on Cysur y Sêr project, said: “The Stars project will enable lots of professional and creative development for storytellers in Wales, in particular those using Welsh in their practice.

“There’s a growing interest in the art form, as well as in the repertoire of myths, legends, and folktales that we work with, and this project will allow us to explore and develop a new repertoire of stories in connection with the constellations and dark skies.

“We can also strengthen our creative networks, skill share, and continue developing a sustainable storytelling practice across Wales.”

Andrew White, Director of The National Lottery Heritage Fund said: “We’re pleased to support Cysur y Sêr, a project that brings together storytelling, language and our natural heritage.

“By connecting communities with the night skies and Welsh myths, this initiative will preserve cultural heritage and inspire new stories for future generations. Made possible thanks to National Lottery players, it’s an example of how heritage can be both rooted in tradition and forward-looking.”

Following the project, there will be an English-led performance of Stars and their Consolations, which will be toured across Wales in March and April 2026.

Further details about the project and tour, can be found on Adverse Camber’s site.

The project is supported by Theatrau Sir Gâr, Arts Council Wales, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Colwinston Foundation, The Darkley Trust, Welsh Government, Literature Wales, Prosiect Nos Partnership and People Speak Up.

Stars and their Consolations was originally commissioned for Beyond the Border 2021 and its R&D was supported by Arts Council Wales & Tŷ Cerdd with support from Theatrau Sir Gâr.