Arts festival to celebrate heritage and communities in UNESCO World Heritage site

Incorporating 11-miles of the Llangollen Canal and incorporating the Grade I-Listed Aqueduct, the communities of Trevor, Froncysyllte, Cefn Mawr, and Chirk are all along the World Heritage Site. They are being celebrated as part of a year-long community art placemaking project which is being funded by Shared Prosperity Funding through Wrexham County Borough Council and delivered by Glandŵr Cymru, the Canal & River Trust in Wales.

‘The Bridge that Connects’ has been exploring the vibrant cultural heritage of the communities that surround the iconic Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, telling the stories of the people who live there and the roles they’ve played in history, through art, storytelling and film.

A weekend-long celebration is set to encourage people to visit the communities to discover more about them and to find out more about the local places that make up the World Heritage Site, beyond the aqueduct.

Mark Evans, regional director for Wales at Canal & River Trust, said: “These communities are located within the World Heritage Site and are testament to the area’s industrial ingenuity, drawing up to 500,000 visitors annually.

“The Canal & River Trust value the transformative power of art and storytelling to celebrate heritage and identity. The Bridge that Connects has been exploring the rich tapestry of stories, people, and history that connects these communities and it’s a brilliant opportunity for people locally, from across Wales and further afield, to discover more about them and the roles they’ve played in this special part of North Wales.”

A packed weekend of art and performance

The weekend will feature outdoor art, performance and poetry, giving a taste of the resilience, humour and strong sense of community that thrives in the villages.

On Saturday 23 November, in Trevor and Froncysyllte, the first ever floating market at Trevor Basin will be taking place on the Llangollen Canal. You can explore temporary outdoor art installations, pop up exhibitions, family arts and crafts activities and take a boat trip across Pontcysyllte Aqueduct on board the Seren Fach trip boat. Boat trip tickets and availability can be booked online. Wrexham based theatre group Dirty Protest will also be performing.

In Chirk, there will be an exhibition of local art, workshops, talks by local historians, and a launch of artwork by local artist Jim Heath that he has produced across several decades of the area. St Mary’s Church will be hosting a Christmas fair, there’s a craft fayre in Caffi Wylfa and an opportunity to visit Chirk and discover its amazing aqueduct and viaduct.

On Sunday 24 November, Cefn Mawr hosts a celebration of outdoor art, poetry, a signposted heritage trail, art installations and street performances. The Ebeneezer Chapel will be hosting an exhibition, with George Edwards Hall offering family craft activities, while Cefn Mawr Community Museum will be open for the event.

Bringing heritage to life

Claire Farrell, The Bridge That Connects project director, said: “Cultural programmes like these are so valuable in allowing the space and time to engage with and understand what makes these communities so special, and what matters to them. Heritage is beyond architecture and monuments; this is just half the story.

“To truly bring heritage sites to life we need to preserve and share the lived histories that span generations of families here, and the entrepreneurship and creativity that has followed, and is visible in the present day. When we plan for the future to support sustainable economic, cultural and social development, we need to harness and elevate rather than reinvent, the solutions are within the communities that live there.”

Richard Nicholls, the vice chair of the Wrexham2029 board, said: “Congratulations on this innovative project fusing industrial heritage with contemporary art co-created with the communities of Cefn Mawr, Froncysyllte and Acrefair.

“It’s a wonderful example of historic environment professionals and contemporary artists joining forces to showcase our shared culture and history to shape our future by reimagining and reinterpreting industrial landscapes.”

Visitors are encouraged to park in the Trevor Basin Visitor Car Park where you will experience some of the first of the outdoor artworks and trails, you will be greeted by event staff and given programme information for both days.