Culture

Flutterly fabulous: Hundreds of butterflies transform cathedral for music festival

10 Sep 2026 5 minute read

The Seren art class creating ‘Circle of Life’ themed artworks for NWIMF; Resident Mark Cartwright. Image: Mandy Jones

Nation Cymru staff

Hundreds of colourful butterflies created by care home residents have transformed a cathedral into a spectacular celebration of music and nature.

Nearly 500 artistic butterflies, made by arts-loving residents of Pendine Park’s homes in Wrexham and Caernarfon, will flutter around vibrant mosaic-style artworks during this year’s North Wales International Music Festival.

The dazzling rainbow display will line the window recesses on both sides of St Asaph Cathedral throughout the festival from September10 to 19.

The artwork has been created around this year’s festival theme, Macrocosm, Music and Conservation, exploring the intricate links between people, wildlife and the natural world through music and art.

The festival, which features concerts, workshops and fringe events, has been made possible thanks to the generosity of Pendine, the headline sponsors via the Pendine Arts and Community Trust (PACT), established by owners Mario Kreft MBE and his wife, Gill.

The art sessions were led by Pendine Park consultant artist in residence, Sarah Edwards, assisted by creative arts consultant Jason Bennion, and Pendine’s enrichment activities coordinators.

Sarah said: “It was quite a momentous task but our residents are always ready to rise to a challenge and I think we succeeded in the end.

“We put our heads together and, through a series of creative workshops, we explored how everything is linked, from the smallest insects and seeds to birds, butterflies, flowers, gorillas, rivers, forests, and the wider planet.

“Then we used several circular canvases to create Our Circle of Life: Music, Nature, and Connection. It’s a vibrant, inspirational, collaborative art project celebrating the interconnectedness of people, music, wildlife and the natural world.”

“Each one involves a circular focal piece surrounded by a selection of butterflies and it is hoped the flexible butterfly wings will lightly vibrate to the magical sounds of the musical programme.

One of the mosaic style centrepieces features a representation of a gorilla which the group created to link up with a talk titled Mario in the Mist being given by Pendine owner Mario at St Asaph Cathedral at 1pm on September 18.

The Seren art class creating ‘Circle of Life’ themed artworks for NWIMF; Pictured Gillian Garland. Image: Mandy Jones

Mario’s trips to Africa with wife Gill inspired gardening team member and chainsaw artist Paul Morris to create a one-ton sculpture of gorilla from a dead maple tree from Pendine’s extensive gardens in Wrexham while he used the trunk of a Sycamore tree that had been blown down to make an 8ft tall grizzly bear.

The gorilla will take pride of place at St Asaph Parish Church while the bear will loom large in the transept at the festival’s main venue, St Asaph Cathedral.

Among the highlights of the festival will be the Grand Final of the Pendine Young Musician of the Year competition on September 16 at 7pm

With a first prize of £2,000, second prize of £1,000 and two runners-up prizes of £500, it is a unique opportunity for young musicians born or living in Wales to showcase their talents.

One of the circular artworks created by Pendine Park’s artists represents the Peter and the Wolf characters.

The Seren art class creating ‘Circle of Life’ themed artworks for NWIMF; Pictured resident Gary Grant along with Sarah Edwards Artist-in-Residence at the Pendine Park care organisation, Wrexham. Image: Mandy Jones

Sarah explained: “The artworks are a snapshot of the festival as if peering through an exotic forest with abundant leaves and butterflies surrounding a central tableau.

“There is one to represent each of Pendine’s care homes in Wrexham and Caernarfon, symbolising both the Earth and the Circle of Life, with every resident having been invited to contribute colourful butterflies.

“There are 440 in total – one for every resident – and additional nature-inspired elements reflecting the festival’s message that music can inspire understanding, conservation and connection.

“The finished artworks beautifully demonstrate that, just like the natural world itself, every individual contribution plays an important part in the bigger picture and our shared responsibility to care for the world around us.”

Sarah said the installation has taken several weeks for the residents’ arts groups to put together and they have all worked extremely hard on it.

Resident Carole Ball, of Bryn Bella care home, Wrexham, said: “It’s taken us some time, that’s true, but I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. It’s an achievement we can all be very proud of.”

Tickets and further details about the festival concert programme are available online at https://nwimf.com. Tickets are also available from Cathedral Frames, St Asaph – 07471 318723 (Weds – Fri, 10 – 4) and Theatr Clwyd – 01352 344101 (Mon – Sat, 10 – 6).

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