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Following the footsteps of Dylan Thomas
Washington Meets Wales

Wednesday 18 - Tuesday 24 March 2009
Washington DC

Some of the best young Welsh writers will be performing their work in Washington DC in March 2009 as part of a week-long celebration of contemporary Welsh literature in the US capital.

Washington Meets Wales is part of the wider Wales Smithsonian Cymru 2009 programme of activities and events, which includes Wales as a guest nation at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in June 2009.

As a taster to the festival, Academi, the Welsh National Literature Promotion Agency and Society for Authors, with support from the Welsh Assembly Government, has organised a series of literary activities around Washington DC.

Tom Anderson, Catrin Dafydd, Fflur Dafydd, Eurig Salisbury and Owen Sheers will perform and discuss their work. Venues include Busboys and Poets and The Writers’ Center in Bethesda. They will also visit campuses and lead workshops with students at George Washington University, American University, Marymount University and the British School of Washington. They will combine poetry, prose and music and there will also be an opportunity to hear some of the work read in Welsh.

Academi Chief Executive Peter Finch says: “The links between Wales and the U.S. have a long history. Academi is delighted to have a role in creating new connections today. Following in the footsteps of Dylan Thomas, five young Welsh writers will cross the Atlantic for a week of workshops, readings, exchange and debate.  What better time to glance at the state of these two nations and their literatures. The inheritors of Dylan Thomas have a lot to live up to but, being Welsh, they’ll do it with ease.”

For a full timetable of events and to download the festival leaflet click here.

For more information contact Academi on:
029 2047 2266 / post@academi.org