Urdd invited to Interceltic Festival in Brittany for the first time

The Urdd youth organisation has been invited to the Interceltique Lorient festival for the first time.

As part of the organisation’s international strategy, three of the Urdd’s projects will travel to Lorient for the festival which is being held between 12 and 18 August this year.

The theme of this year’s festival is youth, and following an open application process, Aelwyd yr Ynys were chosen as the choir to represent the Urdd in Brittany.

Financial support

Thanks to financial support from TAITH, two further Urdd projects will also get the opportunity to participate in the festival.

The Urdd has partnered with Twmpdaith, a project funded by the ‘Prosiect Wyth’ initiative to promote traditional Welsh dancing amongst younger audiences in Wales.

The scheme was first piloted in 2023 and is back this year, offering nine young musicians the opportunity to work during the summer months by holding various Twmpathau across Wales culminating in a visit out to Lorient to perform at the festival and to learn from other Celtic traditions.

Prosiectau Plethu brings groups of young people across Wales together to collaborate and experiment with the arts to create performances and art.

One of this year’s projects performing on the Maes today (28 May) and travelling to Lorient is the Fitzalan High School and Clocswyr Conwy collaboration which weaves traditional Welsh steps with Bollywood and Roma dancing.