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A Selection of Past Projects to reflect the work of Celf o Gwmpas
The club was open to all who have a passion for photography or just want to brush up their skills. Peter Craythorne with the support of Celf O Gwmpas passed on his skills of digital photography. On the first Thursday of every month the camera club met up at the Tele-centre in Montgomery. They had an outing in the summer to visit the new Concorde aeroplane displayed at Manchester Airport to take photos, and also in and around Montgomery Castle. Everyone had guidance on how to take good photographs, how to work digital cameras, as well as learning how to download and save them onto computers. Photos were then selected for a public photographic exhibition which was Welshpool library Gallery for 3 weeks in March 2008.
All the participants and service users did really well and enjoyed the project, they all will continue to take photos have gained a lot of confidence using cameras.
A Celfogwmpas, Castell y Dail, Forestry Commission & Powys County Council Recreation Trails collaboration. Walking back in time is a project echoing the history of the Kerry Ridgeway. Using environmentally friendly and sustainable materials, Castell y Dial Staff and Bumble (a willow artist) explored and touched the past using ideas generated by the group and individuals.
Hidden in the woods is a selection of sculptures and Artwork exploring the connection between Kerry Ridgeway and the Drovers who wove a pattern of pathways across the landscape. These pathways stretch back into the mists of time and forwards to today.
People came from all over Wales, from Wrexham to Aberystwyth and from Newtown to Ystradgynlais. At the end of the day, people spent time getting creative and expressing their thoughts of the day. In a collective feedback session the event was described as "Generous, exciting stimulating, creative but miserable and wet. It was brilliant and cool. The journey was long and tedious".
As an arts organisation working in the disability arena Celf O Gwmpas has a very particular role and a very distinctive place in both the arts world and the disability world. Involvement in the arts enriches the human experience in a way that nothing else does. There is plenty of research to show the lasting benefits to confidence and self esteem. Art stretches and develops people. Art gives a very powerful voice, you only have to think how art is controlled or banned by repressive regimes to see how powerful. Poets are executed, dancing is banned, films and music scores are censored and examined for subversive messages. Art is powerful. "Wonderfully inclusive, participatory and accessible. Lots of food for thought. Thank you." "Lovely day, very inspiring and touching. I'm off feeling equipped to create movies... who would have thought it! Thanks - can’t wait for the next one!" "Was a brilliant day. New ideas and experience. Will take a lot back from today. Thank you all."
During August 2007 participants from Celf O Gwmpas visited the outdoor arts and sensory garden at the Primrose Earth Awareness Trust in Felindre near Brecon. The Primrose Earth Awareness Trust provides an unusual and inspiring environment with many natural features. All the buildings have been constructed sustainably and harmoniously with natural materials that encourage creativity. 5 miles from Hay-on-Wye and 12 miles from Brecon, PEAT is sign posted off the A438 just after Three Cocks (when going towards Brecon) and also on the A4078 between Three Cocks and Talgarth. The Primrose Earth Awareness Trust showed us how:
Working with Arts Organisers Annie Horner and Sam Lewis, Celf O Gwmpas particpants worked together to write, produce and film The Sheep's Day Out and Why Do Crabs Keep Getting Arrested? Oska Bright is unique and successful because it concentrates on peoples' skills and not on the disability. Oska Bright is the first ever film festival anywhere in the world run by and for people with learning disabilities. The festival is managed by six artists and film makers with learning disabilities working with Carousel and Junk TV, supported by Mencap. It also the only Short Film Festival for Disabled people in Europe as well as being the only festival organised by and for people with a learning disability. Both The Sheep's Day Out and Why Do Crabs Keep Getting Arrested? were then submitted to Oska Bright to see if they would be included in the film festival. From the110 ten films submitted, only 38 have been chosen for screening at the film festival. Not only are Celf O Gwmpas are very pleased to announce that both of their films have been chosen for screening but they are also the only film makers to have been selected from Wales!
For five weeks over the summer, painters, musicians, poets and sculptors, film makers and playmakers across Powys shared their work with audiences and visitors, culminating in almost 60 events for Powys Arts Month. Celf O Gwmpas chose this opportunity to invite the public to a glass working session with their trustee and glass artist, Lorraine Powers. Lorraine is an experienced glass sculptor as well as a trustee and led the group of thirteen glass work novices through a day of constructive creativity at the Celf O Gwmpas gallery in Llandrindod Wells, with each participant designing a piece of artwork, then cutting and soldering the glass to create a real life version of the drawn idea. This could be as simple as a Christmas tree, or as complicated as a winged angel. Celf O Gwmpas are planning on similar workshops for 2008, please contact us if you would be interested in attending.
Talking to the Past was a joint project between Celf O Gwmpas, Forestry Commission Wales and Powys County Council. The project aimed to echo the history of the Kerry Ridgeway using environmentally friendly and sustainable materials such as willow and hazel. Working to explore and touch the past using ideas generated by the group and individuals; the group created life size sculptures of a drover, sheep and goose to give testimony to the use of the Kerry Ridgeway as a Drovers Route in the Middle Ages, with the hills ringing to the call of 'Heiptro Ho', 'Get your animals in, we are coming through'. On the borders of Shropshire and Powys, the Kerry Ridgeway has sweeping views over the hills of the borders. It is an inspiring walking route, which takes you past the Caer Din iron age hill fort and Bishop's Moat Castle. It also crosses Offa's Dyke on a section where the 8th Century earthwork is at its most well-preserved. To visit the life size model of a drover and his animals, from the Welshpool-Newtown road (A483) take a left at the first roundabout, follow the A489 to Ludlow. After approximately 3 miles you enter the village of Kerry, proceed through the village, and turn right onto B4368. Follow the road for approximately 3 miles, this will bring you into Block Wood, with the Car Park and Picnic Site on the left. A guidebook with map describing the Kerry Ridgeway trail and its history is available for £1.80 from Countryside Services, Powys County Council, St John's Offices, Fiveways, Llandrindod Wells, LD1 5ES (cheques payable to Powys County Council).
The video was launched at very enjoyable social night with a band and dancing.
I found a guitar teacher for a person that is keen to learn to play the guitar. The first teacher was excellent but emigrated to America. We are still searching for a good guitar teacher local to the area.
These were run together with Red Kite Theatre. People learned about P.A. systems and lighting. It was also a chance to have a go on a variety of instruments including the electric guitar and a drum kit. Good fun was had by all. It was held in Theatre Brycheiniog, Brecon. 
We held weekly drama sessions in Theatre Brycheiniog studio. These workshops were led by drama practitioner Helen Anthony. People had a chance to introduce ideas from drawings which were turned into a story. The rehearsals introduced new happenings that were then added to the final script. The performance took place on the 28th June to an audience of nearly 100 people. There has been some very positive reports and requests to do more. 
On the Theatre Tech course one young person showed a great keenness to learn to play a drum kit. We helped her to find a teacher and accompanied her to the first lesson.
From making signs using willow, to making a sculpture of an owl out of found materials. People had the chance to wander around the maze, pick fruit, plant seeds and re-pot alpine strawberries, decorate bird houses and make green man masks from leaves. It was very sociable event with people coming together from a large geographical area. So it was a chance to meet and make new friends. Many people took the opportunity to spend time out in the fresh air. It was also a very calming space. The weather enabled everyone to go home looking healthier. It was enjoyed by all.
We have been working with Arcady on another exciting community project, to create a mobile kitchen made entirely from scrap metal. Dick Taylor designed the kitchen, and we all had a chance to have some creative input. We celebrated the finished kitchen with a harvest festival at Ashfield, Howey, where Liz Turner and friends have been growing organic fruit and vegetables and flowers. There will be a chance to work on the kitchen again in the summer, and the kitchen is available for hire for small festivals and outdoor events from spring/summer 2007. 
Currently running at the Celf gallery is an exhibition of recently completed glass work. We are carrying on developing skills in glass work, these will be held at the Thomas' shop in Pen-y-bont with artist and trustee of Celf, Lorraine Powers, please contact Sam for more info. 
Our Radnorshire participants, like to take part each year in the Llandrindod carnival. This year was a special occasion for Celf as the office is now the gallery, and exhibits our participant artists work. We ran a workshop to paint the sign outside and above the gallery, the shop front has been painted, and the gallery/office really has had a facelift, we hope to change the exhibition regularly and if you are interested in displaying work please contact the A.O. in your area.
Co Hosting event with Disability Arts Cymru & Osca Bright Film Festival. Workshops and screenings of winning entries of short films made by people with a learning disability.
Over 70 people boogied to the sounds of Red Eyed Fly at the Metropole. People travelled from all over Powys for a rare get together.
Inspired by a traditional Indian story, A Punjabi Tale, tells of love, deceit and loss. Incorporating music & video performance, the show features a beautiful set, with colourful costumes, puppets and props. About Face employ mainly actors with a learning disability.
A Mosaic Sign made to the sounds of reggae music by participants and staff of Sylfaen Day Centre in Llanidloes.
Meet at Northside Community Hall, Newtown - The Group develop their own style as well as being introduced to different art forms from puppet making to papier mache and carnival costumes. 
Michael Knight - Welshpool library & Celfogwmpas Gallery
A BILD funded pilot project exploring different means of communication on a one to one basis. Using artificial voice machines and a specially designed digitally operated arm which lobbed dyes at T-shirts.
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This year marks our tenth anniversary, and we are holding a number of events to celebrate our success so far, as well as laying foundations for the future. The latest venture to celebrate ten years was The Big Event, a conference with a difference held on the 27th June in the Gardens at Doldowlod Hall, Rhayader by kind permission of MT and Julian Gibson-Watt. The Big Event was aimed at everyone who works with people with learning disabilities; from all levels of employment, and all types of organisations. Many adults with learning disabilities were involved in The Big Event, as leaders, artists, performers and caterers, while the delegate experience was mainly for workers.
Despite the rain delegates enjoyed themselves as they actively participated in a choice of workshops, which included an animation workshop. There were also choices to be made between image theatre, woodland music or willow weaving. Local artist Morag Colquhoun worked with the Celf O Gwmpas participants from Brecknockshire to create a willow structure in the shape of the Celf O Gwmpas logo. Even the delegates lunch was provided by The Funky Field Kitchen, which was also staffed by people who have learning difficulties.
Celf O Gwmpas is an arts charity, working across Powys. We mainly work with adults with learning disabilities. We run exciting and challenging programmes, leading to high quality work. Our vision is that art by people with learning disabilities will be recognised as being artistically rich, expressive and valuable. Celf O Gwmpas promotes and provides high quality arts experiences, creating new artwork in the communities of Powys.
This project took place from January to March '06. Led by video artist Clare Butterworth. The group worked with video cameras each week in the Welfare Hall and around the town. People learned skills in the use of the camera and got a chance to interview shopkeepers, each other and make editing choices. The main theme of the video was the group's favourite music. This created the opportunity to act, direct and even for one mini drama, to create magic using tricks of the camera.
These were held at the Primrose Earth Awareness Trust gardens. These are extensive and we were able to do a variety of arts and horticulture.
