Y Gair #16
The Dyddiau Du Newsletter
Ello you!
We at Dyddiau Du hope you’ve been hunky dory these past couple of weeks! Go on, treat yourself to a scroll down to be reminded of all the treasures that await you in our last weeks of July, as well as our new Featured Poem!
We are also on the lookout for new volunteers to join our fabulous team, details below. Remember we are here with cuppas and biscuits abundant Fri-Sun so feel free to use our space to crack on with your admin, have a read, and cook up your future projects…
Volunteer Callout - Join Our Team!
We’re searching for volunteers to join us in running the Dyddiau Du space! As you know, Dyddiau Du is a queer/neurodivergent led library and centre for art located in the Capitol Centre, Cardiff. We are a sober space and hold regular literature and art events and workshops. We are also a space for co-working, cuppas and chats!
Joining us will involve:
General day-to-day running of the space incl keeping it clean
Using the card reader/handling money
Welcoming guests and being knowledgeable about Dyddiau Du and what we’re about so you can answer guests’ questions.
Running the library - cataloguing books, keeping the shelves tidy, etc.
Depending on your skills and interests, maybe you’d want to help us with social media, finance, admin, Welsh translations etc. Let’s chat!
As a volunteer you’ll have free access to library books and events, and as many free coffees as you can consume! We can supply references if you need them, and a shoulder to cry on (but please note, none of our team are professional therapists.) If you’re interested in becoming part of a creative community network this is the role for you!
Volunteers need to be age 18 and above.
Apply with an email to dyddiaudu@gmail.com. Let us know your name, pronouns, your hobbies, interests and pets’ names. We’ll chat about your availability and how you can apply your skillz and knowledge to Dyddiau Du. Can’t wait to hear from you! XX
Featured Poem
Everyone can take something different from a poem. I often find it hard to write about the poems I like the most - it can be hard to put into words what moves me. So, with that in mind, I hope you take something for yourself from this month’s poem. For me, ellora says something about the wild freedom of release, of being scared of what could happen if we let go of what we have trapped inside us. It also offers comfort that the result of showing your insides to the world can be beautiful; it will all be okay.
- Lucy Smith
(note: Instead of fortnightly, our featured poem is now monthly)
Exhibition
Our Fluid/Hylif exhibition is still going strong – if you haven’t had a chance, come browse the gorgeous artwork and find prints from select artists on the back table! Our closing event should be magic, so make sure you get 29th of July in your diary. We’ll celebrate with poetry from Vidhi Chaudhary, Skye Kember, Lucy Smith, Joshua Jones, and musical performance from Llyr Adeline.
Coming Up
Before we close for some r&r over August, we’ve still got time to squeeze in some juicy events!
For the rest of July, we’ve got events coming up with Trans Aid Cymru and Lone Worlds, and for those wishing to share their work at an open mic this month, we have you covered! We have our monthly open mic AND the DD x Lone Worlds event, Come Be Queer event at Porters!
This month’s open mic is Wednesday 19th October, 6-8pm. Sign Up is ON THE DOOR so drive early! If you just wanna come and hear some delicious poems, you can book yer ticket online or at the door. Free/donation entry, bby!
Book of the Month
Hinterland: The Best New Creative Non-Fiction
Issue 5, 2020
Featuring creative non-fiction from across the globe, this issue of Hinterland includes extracts of biography, memoir, ekphrasis, psychoscape and more. A beautiful and surprising magazine to flick through, it begins with Ian Seed’s gorgeous flash non-fiction ‘Italian Partisans’, which explores connections to landscape and the simultaneous distance and closeness between strangers.
You can find this and many other writing magazines in the Dyddiau Du library!
– Lucy Smith
‘BLUE’ SCREENING & FINDING JARMAN @ G39
As part of our co-director’s residency at G39’s library, Joshua Jones will be introducing a screening of Derek Jarman’s final film, BLUE. Joshua has been ‘finding’ Jarman through G39’s extensive catalogue of books, video and audio work and ephemera, and is delighted to present this screening of a highly influential queer film. The screening is FREE, no sign-up required. Don’t be late!
Diolch yn fawr for reading ya lovely beans. If you think you may be interested in joining as a volunteer, don’t hesitate to get in touch, we’re a very friendly team and happy to answer any questions you may have! (Plus, you get extra bonus points for being a newsletter subscriber 😉)
Lucy, Joshua & Rey x
Dyddiau Du
Fri-Sat 11-6pm, Sun 11-4pm
Capitol Centre, Queen Street, Cardiff, CF10 2HQ
dyddiaudu@gmail.com
Twitter & Instagram: @dyddiaudu