A new exhibition and two creative workshops will be held at Blaenau Ffestiniog Library to celebrate the area's quarrying heritage thanks to the LleCHI LleNI project.
Blaenau Appreciated is an exhibition of the work of local artist Falcon Hildred which highlights the landscape and heritage of Blaenau Ffestiniog through a series of watercolour and ink drawings.
There are seven main themes to the exhibition:
- Blaenau at a glance,
- the quarries,
- art in our everyday surroundings,
- the importance of good and bad design,
- losses and features that are still at risk,
- atmosphere and change,
- how it all comes down to people.
To inspire others to explore their creativity, two workshops have been organised led by the artist Jwls Williams. There will be an opportunity to experiment with a variety of multimedia techniques inspired by Falcon Hildred's designs.
The workshops will be held on:
- 26 October 2026 (workshop suitable for the whole family)
- 30 October 2026 (workshop for adults)
Places are limited, and it is essential to book in advance via the Eventbrite Llechi Cymru-Wales Slate page.
Councillor Medwyn Hughes, Cyngor Gwynedd's Cabinet Member for the Economy and Community, said:
Culture is important to the people of Gwynedd, and supporting events, and community activities is essential to sustain the rich and diverse identity, language and traditions of our residents.
"The designation of the Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales World Heritage Site and projects such as LleCHI LleNI under the Wales Slate banner, offer an opportunity to create a buzz. I'm pleased that we are able to give artists a platform and an opportunity for people of all ages to take part in activities that nurture their creativity within our communities.
"I encourage anyone with an interest in art or the history and heritage of the slate landscape to come along and discover the inspiring work of Falcon Hildred, enjoy a day full of creativity at one of the workshops and come and learn more about this special area."
The exhibition is a collaboration between Falcon Hildred and Reg Angel, who are co-designing the exhibition and the technical production.
As part of the exhibition there will be a visual record in film telling Falcon Hildred's story.
Artefacts related to the slate industry, such as the Oakeley quarry horn, counting slate, kettle, pitchers and a caban food tin will be on display thanks to the STORIEL (Gwynedd Museum and Art Gallery) collection.
Falcon Hildred said:
“It’s a collection of work that had started in 1968 when I came on holiday here and was quite bawled over by the industrial archaeology. The industrial archaeology was the best and the most concentrated I’d ever seen.
“I started recording straightaway and I’ve been recording ever since, and I still think it’s the richest concentration of industrial heritage surviving in Britain.
“This exhibition is a celebration of the fact that we have, thanks to Gwynedd Council and all its’ helpers, become a World Heritage Site along with other areas. That for me is a wonderful vindication of my interest in a place.”
Alongside the paintings are Falcon Hildred’s observations, in his handwriting. Amongst the work, is an imagined aerial view of the complete Blaenau Ffestiniog landscape showing an area of 6.8 miles that includes twenty or so quarries.
The artist adds:
“What I say in the end of the exhibition, is if you like my drawings, go out and preserve the things that inspired them. They're far more valuable, they are the authentic thing, built by the people out of necessity, you can’t get more authentic than that. It's absolutely precious.”
The exhibition will run from 19 October 2026 to 19 January 2027.
The opening hours of the exhibition are in line with the opening hours of the library. Check in advance on www.gwynedd.llyw.cymru/library or by telephoning Blaenau Ffestiniog Library on 01766 830415.