International CASGLU
INTERNATIONAL CASGLU (GATHERING) sessions were held from March to November 2021 for international artists and storytellers from initially three Sub-Saharan African countries (South Africa, Ghana, Kenya) to meet Welsh storytellers, share work, articulate themes and creative agendas which are inspiring and engaging them, suggest topics for debate and build relationships with each other and Beyond the Border festival. CASGLU is the Welsh word for Gathering (pronounced ‘Casglee’).
CASGLU began during March lockdown 2020, as an informal online meeting space for Welsh storytellers each Friday on Zoom – a place to gather when physical meetings were not possible and to discuss burning creative issues with each other. The sessions have continued, usually running for 1- 1.5 hours and hosted by Beyond the Border’s bilingual Engagement Producer, Tamar Eluned Williams.
Meetings are lively and informal spaces, where discussions start with provocations to everyone present, then move to smaller online breakout rooms for more detailed and private conversations to take place. A summary of these small discussions is then shared with the whole group at the end of the session.
BTB received funding from British Council Literature’s Working Internationally grant programme, to host six international meetings from March – November 2021, focused on developing relationships between Welsh storytellers and storytellers in Ghana, Kenya and South Africa. The 6 month project saw a culmination in cross partnership exchange of stories as part of a Creative Duets event with 8 storytellers, 4 from Wales and 4 from Sub-Saharan countries.
Here are just some of the wonderful feedback: