CLARSACH is a Celtic Consortium of 13 institutions, and is sponsored by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (ARCH). Consortium Members are the universities of Aberdeen, Bangor, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Oxford, Swansea, Queens University Belfast, the University of Ulster, the University of the Highlands and Islands/Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, and the University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies

As part of the conference, an open talwrn (a head-to-head poetry writing competition) will be held in the Taliesin Arts Centre at 7pm on Wednesday 12 September.

There will be an event at 5.15pm on Thursday, 13 September to celebrate the Criticism and Theory Encyclopaedia with two of the project leaders, Dr Simon Brooks (Morgan Academy) and Robert Rhys (Department of Welsh) in Taliesin (ground floor). It is an open, multidisciplinary online resource  created by the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol. The entries are a database of standard information, created by lecturers and post-graduate students in the Coleg to facilitate students’ research work. Light refreshments will be provided and all are welcome.

Professor Tudur Hallam of Swansea University’s Department of Welsh (pictured) said: “CLARSACH is a unique research school for Welsh and Celtic Studies research students. There will be lively discussions, research posters, talwrn, folk music and an opportunity to listen to experts in the fields of language, culture and language campaigning. We will hold a Question Time session, launching the Esboniadur project and welcoming a number of guest speakers, including the Chief Bard Christine James and Dr Heini Gruffudd. It will be an opportunity to compare the context of the Celtic languages and the ongoing research work in this field in thirteen higher education organisations in Wales, England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.”