BRECON Women’s Festival returns for its eighth year with a programme that celebrates the creativity and achievements of women in and around Brecon.

This year the festival is bigger than ever and its organisers are delighted with the response from local venues and organisations who have submitted events for the programme.

The festival launch was due to take place at The Hours Cafe & Bookshop on Ship Street at 7pm last night (Wednesday, February 27) with Kathryn Roberts, the internationally renowned glass maker and owner of the Gate Gallery & Glassworks in Brecon, doing the honours and opening the Brecon Women’s Festival Art Exhibition – which sees 25 women artists respond to the theme of self portrait.

Leigh Hendra, one of the festival founders and co-owner of The Hours Cafe, Bookshop & Deli said: “We are thrilled to be putting on the eighth Women’s Festival in Brecon and we’re proud to have organised the Art Exhibition and other events including a workshop with artist Karin Mear, a display of children’s work organised by Calan DVS and a poetry reading celebrating Women in Words.

Emma Bevan, organiser of the Artisan Craft Market in Brecon Market Hall on Saturday, March 2 said: “I’m delighted that Brecon Women’s Festival is bigger than ever, with new venues and organisations getting involved to celebrate the achievements of women and it’s also an opportunity to raise awareness of local charities”. The Artisan Market is open from 10am – 4pm with free entry.

Other venues include Theatr Brycheiniog, The Muse and Brecon Library.

Theatr Brycheiniog’s programme includes Extraordinary Women Talking – an evening of talks and images from some of Wales’s most inspiring women – and Celebrating the Ordinary and the Extraordinary, an exhibition of art and photography. There are also outdoor events such as canoeing, walks and a canalside amble with ‘dinky’ donkeys raising money for Brecon Foodbank.

The Muse is holding art workshops and an evening of music with Bristol based songstress, Lady Nade, while Brecon Library is offering various workshops including a coding club, a Lego Club and a Poetry Group event. Ardent Gallery is showcasing the work of women artists while Kathryn Roberts at Gate Gallery & Glassworks is also displaying art by women.

New to Brecon Women’s Festival this year are the Aberhonddu Angels (WI), who are holding a special open meeting at Bishop Bevan Hall featuring a talk from Ceri Williams of Victim Support.

Brecon Women’s Festival will close with the planting of a tree on Brecon Promenade on Sunday, March 17.

Details of these and more venues and events are on www.breconwomens festival.co.uk and programmes are available at most venues – be quick though as supplies are limited and they’re very popular! For more details call 01874 622800 or follow Brecon Women’s Festival on Facebook.