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
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!
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 Aberrationand Parthian
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.
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.
Join Norena Shopland and Aberration, in association with Parthian Books, as they launch Norena’s new biography on the Anglo-Welsh poet Katherine Philips.
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.
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?’
Aberration’s Out of the Frame evening at National Library, July 2025 (Anthony Pugh)
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.
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!
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).
For LGBTQ+ History Month 2026, Aberration invites you to be part of a thoughtful, joyful group that will create new writing and performance pieces together
In these two linked workshops we’ll share our responses to the paintings and photographs in the Portrait & Power exhibition.
Two Saturdays: 31 January & 7 February 2026, 10.30am to 1.30pm at The National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth
More information
In a supportive and encouraging atmosphere, we’ll create new writing and performance pieces together which will then become part of the programme at our fabulous Off the Wall Extravaganza Night.
These group workshops for LGBTQIA+ adults will be facilitated by Helen Sandler and Jane Hoy of Aberration, and community arts supremo Cath Rigler (who performs as Kitty O’Blitherin).
In the first session, on 31 January, we will visit the Portrait & Power exhibition in the gallery and discuss responses to the stunning paintings and photographs on display. Through writing exercises you can respond to a portrait (or portraits) with significance for you as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community.
In the second session, on 7 February, we will shape our writing into short performance pieces for the upcoming Off the Wall evening (12 Feb). Individual and group pieces will magically emerge. Anyone who doesn’t want to perform doesn’t have to!
Helen and Cath at previous AberrationJane and Cath at last National Library event
SIGNING UP
The workshops are now fully subscribed but if you have signed up and want to ask a question, please email aberrationcymru@gmail.com with the subject line Off the Wall Workshops.
THE SMALLPRINT…
Workshops are on 31 Jan and 7 Feb, and the evening event on 12 Feb. We've changed the criteria and although it would be great if all participants came to everything, it's not compulsory!
Workshops are FREE (small expenses budget available). Limited places.
Ar gyfer Mis Hanes LHDTC+ 2026, mae Aberration yn cyflwyno noson o lawenydd a pherfformiadau cwiar cyffrous wedi’u hysbrydoli gan arddangosfa Portread a Phŵer.
Jan Morris gan Michael Tomlinson; Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru
Noson wych yn yr oriel!
Mae ‘Off the Wall’ yn noson chwareus, hwyliog a chreadigol o ddathlu trwy berfformiad gair llafar gan Aberration i gynulleidfa LHDTC+ a’u cyfeillion. Wedi’i ysbrydoli gan arddangosfa Portread a Phwêr, bydd y portreadau’n dod yn fyw, a bydd y cwestiwn ‘Sut ydyn ni eisiau cael ein gweld?’ yn cael ei drafod.
Aberration: ‘Out of the Frame‘, Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru, Mis Gorffennaf 2025 (Anthony Pugh)
Nos Iau 12 Chwefror, Llyfrgell Genedlaethl Cymru: 6:30pm. Dod at ein gilydd am ddiodydd a thamaid i’w fwyta, yna fyny i Oriel Gregynog am 7pm ar gyfer sgyrsiau byr a pherfformiadau gan artistiaid a’n grŵp gweithdy, gyda portreadau-ar-y-pryd a mwy.
Gyda: Denver K Shai, Morgan Dowdall, Poppy Cock, Penny Comequick, ‘Queer Tales from Wales’, Kitty O’Blithering a mwy! 🎉
Bydd cyfle i edrych o gwmpas arddangosfa Portread a Phŵer ar y diwedd. Gorffen tua 9pm. Digwyddiad trwy gyfrwng y Saesneg yn bennaf gyda pheth Cymraeg.
Dere fel rwyt TI wastad wedi dymuno cael dy weld – yn hunan-bortread byw. Dehongla hyn fel y mynnot; neu dere â gwrthrych sy’n bwysig i ti. (Croeso cynnes i’r rhai mwy swil hefyd!)
Dydd Sadwrn 31 Ionawr & Dydd Sadwrn 7 Chwefror 10:30am i 1:30pm: Dau weithdy ysbrydoledig ar gyfer oedolion LHDTC+ ble byddwn ni’n ymateb i’r arddangosfa bortreadau trwy eiriau a pherfformiad. Cliciwch i weld manylion ac i gofrestru >>
Am Aberration
Mae Aberration yn gyfres o ddigwyddiadau cyffrous gyda thema LHDTC+. Ein nod yw creu gofod cymunedol cyfeillgar. Mae croeso i bawb i’n digwyddiadau cyhoeddus, gan gynnwys ffrindiau a chynghreiriaid sydd â meddwl agored. (Mae rhai gweithdai grŵp llai yn benodol ar gyfer y rhai sydd / sy’n meddwl y gallent fod yn LHDTC+). Mae digwyddiadau’n gynhwysol iawn o ran trawsrywedd yn ogystal ag amlygu bywydau a diwylliant lesbiaidd, hoyw a deurywiol, a hunaniaethau cwiar eraill – i gyd o dan un enfys! Eich gwesteiwyr cyfeillgar yw Jane Hoy, Ruth Fowler a Helen Sandler. Ar gyfer Off the Wall mae’r ymarferydd creadigol talentog Cath Rigler yn ymuno â ni.
ABERRATION @ NATIONAL LIBRARY OF WALES, ABERYSTWYTH
CYMRAEG >>
!!SOLD OUT!!
Friday 11 July 2025, 6.30pm, £5 (includes drink)
OUT OF THE FRAME: QUEER RESPONSES TO THE EXHIBITION ‘NO WELSH ART’
!!SOLD OUT!! If you have tickets and can't come, email post@llgc.org.uk for refund, in plenty of time. If you don't have tickets, you can join the waiting list on the 'TICKETS' link below.
6.30pm Gather for drinks. 7pm Tour begins in gallery
Join us in this very special tour of the current exhibition in the Gregynog Gallery, National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth.
On the way artists and writers will take a fresh look at the art through an LGBTQ+ lens. An exciting and creative evening programmed by Aberration.
Artists include Jane Hoy, Abid Hussain, Naomi Pearce, and Tomos Williams, each presenting their own unique take on the art, history and politics of Cymru, among the sumptuous artworks of the ‘No Welsh Art’ exhibition. Plus short queer tales performed by Simon Robson and Elin Haf; and alternative creative captions produced in an Aberration / National Library workshop.
Stories, sounds, performance and visions… all-round 360-degree queer fabulousness, for one night only. Grab your tickets now!
OUT OF THE FRAME: Aberration has asked several talented artists and writers based in Wales to be part of this very special evening on 11 July 2025.
Naomi Pearce (pictured below) is a writer and curator; she is also a Lecturer at Aberystwyth School of Art and has helped to put together this event. For ‘Out of the Frame’ she will be presenting a piece of new writing inspired by one of the artworks in the exhibition, alongside a sculptural intervention created in dialogue with Catrin Webster.
Abid Hussain is an emerging visual artist and a practice based researcher, based in Wales. He went to Aberystwyth University and completed his professional training as a practitioner at the School of Art there. Abid has exhibited at several locations including Ceredigion Museum, Aberystwyth Arts Centre and the British Museum. His work often explores the relationships between bodies and spaces.
Abid writes: “My art practice is a living and breathing organism, that is guiding me in return for providing nourishment and protection. It lingers ‘outside’ or ‘in-between’ the established boundaries of installation, sculpture, painting, film and performance art. Currently I am particularly drawn to examine the relationship between ‘minoritised’ bodies and ‘majoritised’ spaces.”
Tomos Williams will present a new piece especially developed for Out of the Frame. Tomos is a Welsh artist and maker based in Cardiff. Trained as a musician, he has been focussing on his art practice since the early 2000s.
Tomos has made and exhibited relief prints (examples held in the collection of the School of Art, Aberystwyth University), animated text, book works and fabric work. In addition he has performed his writing at Chapter and at the Wales in Venice venue during the Biennale in 2015.
He is currently looking at Welsh quilts and Shetland Lace knitting and developing his ideas about the relationships between stitch and place.
Jane Hoy of Queer Tales from Wales will present stories about the characters beyond the frame of some of the artworks. Brought to life by performers Simon Robson and Elin Haf. And the Ladies of Llangollen will make an appearance in the guise of Jane and her partner Helen Sandler.
Jane is a writer and researcher of short stories and performances about Queer people from Welsh History. She is one of the programmers of Aberration and a latin and ballroom dancer.
Doors open at 6.30 pm, with talks starting from 7pm.
Friday 13 June 2025:Queer Lit Quarterly returns to Aberystwyth Arts Centre with four fascinating authors of fiction and non-fiction. Arranged by Gayberystwyth Books and supported by Aberration, this is the LGBTQ+ night for all you book lovers! £8 (inc booking fee)
Each author will read from and talk about their books and take audience questions. You will also have the chance to buy signed copies of the books. An enjoyable evening in the company of fascinating writers and friendly book lovers.
Friday 20 June from 5pm: Gayberystwyth Books (Aberystwyth Market Hall) present this special event. Mike Parker and Norena Shopland launch a new edition of a milestone in Welsh LGBTQ+ literature, TheSummer Flood by Goronwy Rees.
Norena Shopland and Mike Parker will be here to talk about their work, research and contributions to this new publication of ‘THE SUMMER FLOOD’ by Goronwy Rees.
This is an exclusive opportunity to get your hands on this fascinating book PRE-PUBLICATION! (To be officially published July 2025 by Parthian Books).
Why is this book important in queer literature? As in the author’s own life, the characters in this novel by Goronwy Rees struggle with bisexual attractions at a time when they could not be open about their lives and loves. A new edition is a cause for celebration and reassessment.
The book with a foreword and critical analysis by Mike Parker and afterword by Norena Shopland will be available to buy on the night, pre-release (officially available early July).
Norena writes: “When Goronwy Rees published his novel The Summer Flood in 1932 it disappeared almost immediately, and original copies are rarer than hen’s teeth. Now, Parthian Books is republishing what has turned out to be an important work in queer literature.”
