Llyfrau Lliwgar LGBTQ+ Writers Retreat: Applications Open
The retreat offers a perfect opportunity for 8 participants to develop their writing, meet other writers, and take part in workshops led by established authors, all free of charge.
Throughout the retreat, creative facilitators – Brennig Davies, Kayley Roberts, and Gareth Evans-Jones – will support attendees and help lead the programme of events. And following the retreat (date TBC), Nia Morais will lead a masterclass online via Zoom.
Closing date: 12:00pm, Friday 9 October 2026. Click here to apply.
The retreat is funded by Literature Wales, the National Lottery through the Arts Council of Wales and Cyngor Gwynedd.
2026 Creative Facilitators
Brennig Davies
Brennig Davies is a writer from the Vale of Glamorgan. He won the BBC Young Writers’ Award in 2015 and the Urdd Eisteddfod Crown at Cardiff and the Vale in 2019, and was selected as one of the Hay Festival’s Writers at Work in 2023.
Brennig’s work has been broadcast on BBC Radio 4 and published in The London Magazine, Poetry Wales, Ffosfforws, Curiadau (Barddas), and Cymry Balch Ifanc (Rily). His first novel, Fel yr Haul, was published by Sebra in 2026. Later that year, his English-language short story collection, Dogs in a Storm, was published by Parthian.
Kayley Roberts
Kayley Roberts is a writer, poet, and counsellor based in Caernarfon. They are particularly interested in the surreal, the absurd, and the fantastical, and their work, both creative and therapeutic, often explores themes of queer identity, community, and belonging.
Their poetry has appeared in Ffosfforws 6 and 7 (Cyhoeddiadau’r Stamp) and in the anthology, O Ffrwyth y Gangen Hon (Barddas, 2025). Their debut novel, Lladd Arth, was published by Y Lolfa last year.
More information: https://linktr.ee/kayleyroberts
Gareth Evans-Jones
Gareth Evans-Jones comes from Anglesey and is a writer working across a variety of forms, as well as a lecturer in Philosophy and Religion at Bangor University. He has published three novels for adults (Eira Llwyd, Y Cylch, and ffrwyth), a collection of micro-literature and photographs, Cylchu Cymru (which won the Creative Non-Fiction Book of the Year 2023), and a collection of short stories for children, Llanddafad (Readers’ Choice Award at the Tir na n-Og Awards 2025).
Gareth was the editor of Curiadau, the first anthology of Welsh-language LGBTQ+ literature, and is the founder of Llyfrau Lliwgar. He has won the Drama Medal at the National Eisteddfod twice, and in 2026 received the Prose Medal for his latest novel, ffrwyth.
Nia Morais
Nia Morais is an author, playwright and poet from Cardiff who writes poems, plays and short stories for both children and adults. She also works as a translator and is a highly experienced facilitator of creative workshops. A former Welsh Children’s Laureate, Nia has written extensively and her work has been widely published.
Her recent publications include Yn y Freuddwyd (Barddas), the edited volume Ffrwyth y Gangen Hon (Barddas), and Enwogion o Fri: Betty (Broga Books Wales). Nia also wrote the play Imre (Frân Wen/Sherman), published by Cyhoeddiadau’r Stamp, scripted a new version of Nia Ben Aur for the National Eisteddfod 2024, and is currently collaborating with Leila Navabi on a new sapphic musical, Ar y Cae.