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Aberration Calendar
From June 2026
Events by Aberration and other arts organisations
5 June 2026: My Love All Love Excels: Book launch >>
Norena Shopland launches her new biography of the woman-loving-woman poet, Katherine Philips at National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth. Supported by Aberration and Parthian
… Also on 12 June at Picton Castle >>
Sun 28 June: Aberration presents a True-life storytelling workshop with facilitator Qwigo Ly Baldwin (above right), visiting from Berlin. 1.30pm Aberystwyth Arts Centre. Supported by Aberystwyth University. More info here >>
And in the autumn…
Fri 16 October: Queer Lit Quarterly presented by Gayberystwyth Books in association with Aberration at Aberystwyth Arts Centre.
Fri 13 November: Our first ever Aberration Comedy Club, Bank Vault bar, Aberystwyth, hosted by Aitch.
Coming next year: your Aberration team are already busy planning events for LGBTQ+ History Month UK in February 2027, the grand reopening of Amgueddfa Ceredigion Museum in May (with new inclusive displays) and… maybe… next year’s National Eisteddfod. Watch this space!
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‘My Love…’ book launch 5/6/26
My Love All Love Excels:
The Remarkable Life of Katherine Philips
5pm Friday 5th June 2026
The National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth
{ENGLISH} Join Norena Shopland (below) and Aberration, in association with Parthian Books, as they launch Norena’s new biography on the Anglo-Welsh poet Katherine Philips: My Love All Love Excels in the Drwm auditorium at The National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth.
Katherine has many accolades – the first woman to have a play commercially produced; a seventeenth-century Civil War poet of distinction; someone who broke the rules of poetry; one of the first notable female poets in the world; one of the first to write of same-sex attraction, the list goes on.
Katherine’s extraordinary story will be brought to life with poetry readings, songs and talks that will amuse and amaze, and will show why Katherine Philips must be regarded as one of Wales’ best poets.
This major biography of Katherine Philips is published by Parthian Books. Be the first to buy a copy at our launch event and get it personally signed by author Norena Shopland!
More about the book on Parthian’s website >>
Or if you can’t be there in person…
Online tickets also available >>
Also on 12 June at Picton Castle >>
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True-to-life Storytelling Workshop 28/6/26
Storytelling: True-to-life queer tales
Sun 28 June 2026, 1:30-4:30 PM, Aberystwyth Arts Centre
An Aberration workshop in LGBTQ+ autobiographical storytelling with visiting Berlin-based performer Qwigo Ly Baldwin
… The first time i knew …
… passing normal …
… king of the dance floor …
… making our kind of family …
… lost somewhere over the rainbow …
… and that was the last time we touched …
… my secret queendom …
… not your cliché …
… I used to believe …. but now …
… and then I knew I‘d found my people …
What‘s the true story you want to tell? What makes a story queer — beyond the identity of the teller? This workshop offers tools and space to share real-life tales of our LGBTQ+ lives.
In this 3-hour workshop (with max. 16 participants) we explore how telling stories is not just about language, body and presence, but even more about listening. We‘ll listen within ourselves, tell queer true-life tales together and explore the ranges and weird edges of our common ground.
This Aberration workshop is open to everyone in the LGBTQ+ community, aged 16 and up. No stage or storytelling experience required, just the desire to hear and share.
Tickets from Aberystwyth Arts Centre – £10 / £5 (pay what you can)
EVENT SUPPORTED BY ABERYSTWYTH UNIVERSITY
Facilitator
Qwigo Ly Baldwin (pictured above) brings lifelong experience in theatre and music (both onstage and backstage) to the practice of community storytelling. With degrees in performance, theatre pedagogy, and storytelling, as well as advanced training in circle singing, Qwigo works with people of all ages on cultural education projects throughout Germany. Originally from the Pacific Northwest of the U.S., they live in Berlin, where they are part of the Doable Storytelling trio.
Aberration is delighted that Qwigo has offered to work with us on their visit to Wales! As always, the workshop will be inclusive and encouraging for everyone under our rainbow umbrella.
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Spring Calendar
What’s on in Mid Wales in spring 2026
~ with a queer twist!
Events by Aberration and other fab organisations
Portrait & Pride gallery tour 24/4 >>
SOLD OUT! Tour of the National Library’s portrait exhibition highlighting the queer stories behind some of the pictures. Aberration & NLW
Aberystwyth Pride 25/4 – led by Project Luna >>
Parade, art, poetry, marketplace, talks, drag, sunset swim + more.
Pockets of Pride For one week, Thurs 23 April to Fri 1 May, Ceredigion Museum will have a special temporary display of the ‘Pockets of Pride’ made in the recent workshops!
Queer Lit Quarterly 8/5 >> CANCELLED
Balchder Mach Pride 16/5 – follow them on socials!
A packed day of celebratory LGBTQ+ events at the Owain Glyndwr Centre, Machynlleth, including ‘Cwtsh Corner’ with Queer Tales from Wales.
My Love All Love Excels: Book launch 5/6 >>
Norena Shopland launches her new biography of the woman-loving-woman poet, Katherine Philips. Supported by Aberration and Parthian
Click on the red links above to find out more.
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Pockets of Pride display (past event)
POCEDI O FALCHDER / POCKETS OF PRIDE
Arddangosfa yn siop Amgueddfa Ceredigion: Wedi’i chreu gan bobol LHDTC+ leol, wedi’i ysbrydoli gan byrsiau bach Eisteddfod o gasgliad yr amgueddfa
On Thurs 23 April 2026 a special exhibition will go on show in the ground-floor shop at Ceredigion Museum!
++ 23 April to 1 May only ++
Pockets and purses made in our recent ‘Pockets of Pride’ workshops will be on display inside the shop, to coincide with Aberystwyth Pride (Saturday 25 April).
Don’t miss these beautiful unique works by local LGBTQ+ people. As the main museum is currently closed for refurbishment, the next chance will be when it reopens next year.
Access: good – automatic double doors, disabled toilet
VENUE: Ceredigion Museum Shop / Info Centre, Terrace Road, Aberystwyth SY23 2AQ
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Lansio llyfr – Cofiant Katherine Philips
Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru, 5pm Dydd Gwener, 5 Mehefin 2026
Ymunwch â Norena Shopland ac Aberration, mewn cydweithrediad â Gwasg Parthian, wrth iddynt lansio cofiant newydd Norena ar y bardd Eingl-Gymreig Katherine Philips: My Love All Love Excels.
Mae Katherine yn nodedig am sawl peth – y fenyw gyntaf i gael drama wedi’i chynhyrchu’n fasnachol; bardd Rhyfel Cartref deunawfed ganrif o fri; rhywun a dorrodd reolau barddoniaeth; un o feirdd benywaidd nodedig cyntaf y byd; un o’r cyntaf i ysgrifennu am atyniad i’r un rhyw, mae’r rhestr yn mynd ymlaen.
Yn y digwyddiad yma, daw stori ryfeddol Katherine yn fyw drwy ddarlleniadau barddoniaeth, cerddoriaeth a sgyrsiau a fydd yn diddanu a syfrdanu, gan ddangos i ni pam y dylai Katherine Philips gael ei hystyried fel un o feirdd gorau Cymru.
Am Ddim. Digwyddiad trwy gyfrwng y Saesneg.
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Portrait & Pride gallery tour 24/4/26
Portrait & Pride: A Very Queer Tour
{Jan Morris gan/by Michael Tomlinson, NLW / LLGC}
SOLD OUT!
LUNCHTIME TOUR
1pm Friday 24th April 2026, Gregynog Gallery, The National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth SY23 3BU
Join Jane (Aberration) and Phoebe (The National Library of Wales LGBTQ+ Forum) to start Aber Pride weekend with an informal tour of the Portrait and Power exhibition, celebrating some of the Queer stories behind the portraits. FREE.
There will be a chance to carry on the conversation in Pen Dinas café after the event.
An English language event.
WEDI GWERTHU ALLAN!
TAITH AMSER CINIO
1pm Dydd Gwener 24ain Ebrill 2026, Oriel Gregynog, Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru, Aberystwyth SY23 3BU
Ymunwch â Jane (Aberration) a Phoebe (Fforwm LHDTC+ Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru) i ddechrau penwythnos Pride Aber gyda thaith anffurfiol o’r arddangosfa Portread a Phŵer, gan ddathlu rhai o’r hanesion cwiar tu ôl i’r portreadau. AM DDIM.
Bydd cyfle i barhau’r sgwrs yng Nghaffi Pen Dinas ar ôl y digwyddiad.
Digwyddiad trwy gyfrwng y Saesneg.
Film screening: Manok 28/3/26
(PAST EVENT)
We watched the latest international LGBTQ+ films and chose this one just for you!
Manok is a delightful, funny, politicised queer movie and a celebration of community. Join us at 5pm on 28 March at Aberystwyth Arts Centre cinema for this one-off screening followed by Q&A on screen with director Lee Yu-jin all the way from South Korea! Yujin will be chatting to our own Helen Sandler about the making of the film, with a chance for you to ask her questions.
Tickets from Aberystwyth Arts Centre here >>
What happens when middle-aged lesbian bar owner Manok retreats from Seoul city life back to her hometown in the country? Will she settle down for a quiet life? Not exactly…
In Korean with English subtitles.
Trailer >>
Full programme for this year’s WOW festival at Aberystwyth Arts Centre >>
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Queer Lit Quarterly CANCELLED
!!CANCELLED DUE TO TRAIN DISRUPTION!!
QLQ – FRIDAY 8 MAY 2026 ABERYSTWYTH ARTS CENTRE STUDIO 6.30 for 7pm, £6.50
Queer Lit Quarterly is a special evening for book lovers to hear LGBTQ+ writers speak about their work. There will be a chance to buy books and have them personally signed by the authors. Hosted by Gayberystwyth Books with the support of Aberration.
ROSIE WILBY
Rosie Wilby is an award-winning comedian, author, speaker, journalist and broadcaster. Obsessing about breakups ever since a girlfriend dumped her by email, Rosie embarked on a quest to investigate, understand and conquer the psychology of heartbreak.
Her nonfiction books The Breakup Monologues, accompanied by a podcast of the same name, and Is Monogamy Dead?, longlisted for the Polari First Book Prize, combine humour, heartache and science to take a very queer look at relationships. She’s now working on a novel based on her experiences in the comedy world.
J.S. STRANGE
J. S. Strange lives in Wales surrounded by books and cats. With an interest in the occult, the esoteric, and the paranormal, he often finds himself waiting for Halloween, or thinking how he can make his home more supernatural.
He is the author of The Boyfriend Academy: In a world rebuilt on order and obedience, Dylan must decide: will he become the man the academy wants – or the man he really is?
J.S. is also working on gay murder mysteries.
SACHA COWARD
Sacha Coward has worked in museums and heritage for over ten years. He has run LGBTQ+ focused tours for museums, cemeteries, archives and cities around the world. Queer As Folklore is his first book. It explores the hidden queer history of myths and monsters, travelling across centuries and continents.
Leaving no headstone unturned, Sacha takes you on a wild ride through the night from ancient Greece to the main stage of RuPaul’s Drag Race, visiting cross-dressing pirates, radical fairies and the graves of the ‘queerly departed’ along the way.
MALCOLM PRINCE
For twenty years, Malcolm Prince was Paul O’Grady’s radio producer at the BBC. In a new biography, Paul O’Grady – Not The Same Without You, Malcolm writes about the mercurial star we knew as both drag act Lily Savage and the nation’s dog-loving agony uncle.
Malcolm writes:
‘It’s been a privilege to bring his remarkable story up to date and, just like Paul O’Grady, this book is heartfelt, candid and even has a little bit of bite.’
TICKETS>>
This event is partially funded by the Literature Wales ‘Inspiring Communities Fund’. We thank them for their ongoing support.
Age Restriction: STRICTLY 12+ years
Running Time: 2.5 hours approx. (with breaks)
Off the Wall evening 12/2/26
Aberration goes Off the Wall
[PAST EVENT]
Thursday 12 February 2026, 6.30pm drinks for 7pm start,
The National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth
For LGBTQ+ History Month 2026, Aberration presents a night of queer joy and performance inspired by the Portrait & Power exhibition
A fabulous Aberration takeover of the gallery after hours!
Noson arbennig! Off the Wall is a playful, creative, thoughtful and celebratory evening of spoken word and performance to an audience of LGBTI+ people and allies, at The National Library of Wales. Inspired by the Portrait & Power exhibition, bringing the portraits ‘off the wall’, and asking ‘How do we want to be seen?’
Latest news! Unique presentations from exhibition artists Denver K Shai and Morgan Dowdall especially for you! 🎉 Plus amazing brand-new performance pieces from radical cabaret artists Poppy Cock and Penny Comequick! Queer Tales from Wales (Jane Hoy with Colin Audigé-Soutter and Simon Robson) zhoosh up a story from the history books, and Kitty O’Blitherin brings the art ‘off the wall’. With new queer performances emerging from our recent workshops (presented by The Off the Wallers – Alex, Avi, Hannah, Inge, Mila, Miles), music from Elaine Turnbull & Amy Ellen, and your host Helen ‘Aitch’ Sandler guiding the way through these delights.
PROGRAMME: At 6.30pm we will gather for drinks and snacks, then lead into the Gregynog Gallery around 7pm for the tour with pop-up talks and performances, followed by fun activities, sketching by Hilary Reed and more. A chance to look round the whole Portrait & Power exhibition at the end. Finish around 9pm. Event mainly in English with some Cymraeg.
Everyone is welcome to come along to watch and listen.
Tickets just £5 (includes wine or soft drink). Book now! >>
Take Part
If you’d like to be more involved, we’re playing with the theme ‘How would you like to see yourself in a portrait?’ So you can bring an object you would like to include if someone was painting YOU, or dress up as a living self-portrait! Or come in your civvies and just enjoy the ride!
Tickets just £5 (includes wine or soft drink). Book now! >>
Evening includes new writing from group workshops (now fully subscribed). See below…
Off the Wall workshops
Sat 31 January & Sat 7 Feb 10.30am to 1.30pm: Two inspiring linked workshops for LGBTQ+ adults where we will respond to the portrait exhibition with new writing and performance. Click to see details >>
With thanks to NLW/LLGC for their enthusiastic partnership working & financial support.
About Aberration
Aberration is a series of exciting events with an LGBTQ+ theme. We aim for a friendly community space. Everyone is welcome at our public events including open-minded straight friends and allies. (Some smaller group workshops are specifically for those who are / think they might be LGBTQ+) Events are very much trans-inclusive as well as highlighting lesbian, gay and bi lives and culture, and other queer identities – all under one rainbow! Your friendly hosts are Jane Hoy, Ruth Fowler and Helen Sandler. For Off the Wall we are joined by talented creative practitioner Cath Rigler (who performs as Kitty O’Blitherin).
DEWCH I YMUNO Â NI!
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