Communities & Artists
We have been journeying back in time, being present, and manifesting ‘future history’ with members of the Trevor, Froncysyllte, Cefn Mawr, and Chirk communities. These are just a few of the many post-industrial towns and villages that make up the UNESCO World Heritage Site, National Landscape, and surrounding areas.
The remnants of architectural and industrial heritage still visible in the landscape attract hundreds of thousands of people each year. The World Heritage Site continues to be shaped by the communities that surround it—their innovation, culture, entrepreneurship, wide-ranging social histories, and lived experiences—some much celebrated, others yet to be discovered.
We are fortunate to be working with so many inspirational individuals, community groups, councils, partners, artists, multi-agencies, schools, and creative practitioners on this epic discovery of the World Heritage Site in Wrexham rural.
Some of the projects, people, events, and discoveries so far are below. Join us on the 23rd & 24th November to discover an alternative World Heritage Site on your doorstep for yourself.
Cefn Mawr
A town with an industrial background of stone quarries, ironworks, clay works and coal mines.
Trevor
The small village of Trevor sits on the Northern end of the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.
Froncysyllte
Colloquially known as 'THE Fron', stands on the banks of the River Dee and the Llangollen Canal.
Chirk
A thriving local community with a medieval history dating back to the 11th Century
-
Nan Pickering
Works with the communities of Trevor, Cefn, and Fron, focusing on storytelling and how the surrounding landscape affects wellbeing. This work is part of a project with the Canal & River Trust in Wales and Green Health Wales, exploring Green and Social prescribing. Nan is also collaborating with clinicians.
-
Chiana Hurst
Chiana Hurst is an illustrator and poet, based in and around Wrexham. Her work depicts bright dream-like worlds, presenting unusual, sometimes grim perspectives elevated through colour and fantasy. This can be seen in her detailed coloured pencil work and narrative-rich poetry.
-
Sara Wheeler
Writer and artist from Rhosllanerchrugog, Wrexham. She writes the columns O’r gororau (from the borders) for Barddas Welsh poetry magazine, and Synfyfyrion Sara for Golwg360. She won Disability Arts Cymru’s ‘Creative Words’ award (Welsh medium) in 2022. Sara’s personal essays have been featured in Barn, Cara, and Cwlwm magazines. Together with Stephen Rule she presents the podcast ‘Doctoriaid Cymraeg’. She is a member of the Voicebox collective and Olivet artist studio in Rhosrobin.
-
Chantelle Purcell
London-based artist and curator who has led two calls for ethnic minority artists. She’s also developing her own practice, focusing on heritage, duality, and loss, enabled and disabled by land and water.
-
Cathy Wade
Artist who works through collaboration, writing and research. She has exhibited extensively in both the UK and internationally working with galleries and projects including Werk, Vertigo Gallery, Vivid, Rope Press, Toomey Tourell Gallery, Ikon, Newlyn Art Gallery, Capsule, Clarke Gallery & A3 Project Space.
-
Graham Greasley - Historian
Graham Greasley is passionate about protecting our heritage and has an extensive collection of postcards / photographs and old documents relating the history of the town. Graham feels that it is important to record as much as we can about the town do that future generations will be able to look back and see how the town developed into what we see today.
-
Tina Rogers
Chirk-based artist, Tina Rogers is a working class, self-taught artist, writer, filmmaker and podcaster from a small mining town in North Wales. Her work explores stereotypes, body image and inspired by her lived experience as a (disabled) woman.
-
Ian Richards
Artist and designer with a practice spanning two decades exploring diverse mediums within the context of communication; often one-way dialogue that mirrors traditional advertising techniques.
-
Sammy S
Professional & award winning dog photographer based in Llangollen, North Wales
-
Dirty Protest Theatre
Wales’ new writing theatre company.
leading award-winning development, promotion and production of new writing for performance across wales and internationally.
-
Jodie Nicholson
Dance artist based in South Wales. Since training at Laban and studying Fine Art at Cardiff School of Art and Design her creative work interrogates the construction of the self and identity.More recent work has led Jodi into deeper explorations between text/language and dance, linking this work into her ongoing enquiries as an artist.
-
Jenny Berrisford
Alongside filmmaker, photographer, storyteller and actress Jenny Berrisford, schools from the local area are re-imaging the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct World Heritage Site through co-creation and place-based creative learning.
-
Jim Heath
Public art trail across Chirk.
-
Oliver Stephen
Documentary and Fine Art photographer based in Wrexham.
-
Emma-Jayne Holmes
Initially trained as a printmaker but her life changed course after meeting a painter who inspired her to develop a studio-based practice in oils.
For over 30 years, she has moved between still-life and landscape painting, as well as sketching people and life drawing.
-
Sophia Leadill
Freelance Creative Practitioner & Artist Facilitator, based in Wrexham. She devises and delivers vibrant, inspiring and accessible art workshops for health & social care, educational, museum & gallery, public/private/third sector organisations and community settings. Sophia has over 25 years' experience in Community Arts, Art Education and Project Management, and has worked with client groups of all ages, abilities and backgrounds. Her creative, friendly and supportive approach ensures workshops are fun, inclusive, welcoming and accessible for all.
-
Sarah Bridgland
For The Bridge That Connects, Sarah invites participants to design and make three-dimensional landscapes celebrating the past, present and future of Trevor, Froncysyllte, Cefn Mawr, and Chirk. A blend of old and new. Draw, cut, and tear paper to tell stories and describe journeys. Make real and imagined landscapes - what was there? And what could be there?
-
Bruce Barkley
One of the exhibitions in the Fron Community Centre on 23rd November will feature the late Bruce Barkley’s prints, some of which were in his ‘In Light and Shade’ publication. Bruce was an artist-in-residence with the Wrexham Leader Newspaper and well known for his beautiful drawings of landmarks, villages, towns, and waterways. Bruce and his family were from Froncysyllte, with a family tree dating back to the 1700s. The prints are courtesy of June Smith, Angela Lawrenson, and Hilary Edwards, Bruce’s daughters and niece.
-
Claudia Frost
Claudia Frost is an artist based in North Wales who works predominantly in encaustic wax media.
She is also a chartered landscape architect and urban designer who delights in exploring and trying to create new ways of seeing the world around her, through both art and design.
-
Liz Carding
Liz Carding was born and brought up in mid Cheshire, then moved to Dorset to study for a degree in Geography. This led to a 40-year career in countryside management. Moving to the Wrexham area in 1987, Liz helped develop and manage many of Wrexham’s parks and green spaces, as Senior Countryside Officer for Wrexham Council.
-
Deryn Poppitt - Historian
Deryn is a former Green Badge Visit Wales tour guide. He has helped record the gravestone inscriptions in Chirk Cemetery around 2008 which was later published.
Deryn has written a dozen booklets on the social history of Chirk, Glyn Ceiriog and Llangollen.
-
Martin Brown - Photographer (People and Places)
Martin is a retired photographer having lived in Chirk all his life. These days his photography mainly focuses on ongoing projects around Chirk and his passion for the people, place and history, with a particular interest in the local collieries his family were involved in and the Glyn Valley Tramway. Martin is a Licentiate of the Royal Photographic Society and has achieved numerous successes with awards. He is also a member of the Marches Independent Photographer’s Group.
-
Juneau Projects
Juneau Projects are Phil Duckworth and Ben Sadler, two artists based in Birmingham. They have worked together for over twenty years producing artworks in all shapes and sizes, from printed books to large outdoor sculptures.
We also extend our gratitude to the following valued contributors and supporters:
-
Catrina Rowlands
Acre Fayre Events. Event Organiser based in North Wales, Shropshire & Cheshire. Markets, Charity Fundraisers & More!
-
Cefn Community Council
Cefn Community Council was created in 1974, it represents the community and is classed as the first tier of Local Government – The grassroots.
-
Chirk Community Council
Supporting a town that's a great place to live, work and visit.
-
Xplore!
Xplore! is an educational charity and science discovery centre within Wrexham and a subsidiary company to Wrexham University. Xplore! Support STEM and STEAM initiatives throughout the county borough. The project is engaging with their network of community events, educational resources and science educators in the area.
-
Ty Pawb
Tŷ Pawb is Wrexham’s multi-award winning, cultural community resource, bringing together arts and markets within the same footprint.
-
AVOW
AVOW (The Association of Voluntary Organisation in Wrexham) are the local County Voluntary Council in Wrexham County Borough.
-
Incredible Edible
In 2012 the Incredible Edible Network started to support the work of the Incredible Edible groups across the UK.
-
Green Health Wales
Green Health Wales is a network of healthcare professionals who are making healthcare more sustainable.
Their vision is health care without harm and acting positively towards nature. Their mission is to connect, learn and transform the health care system across Wales to deliver high quality health care for now and the future which is underpinned by sustainable value.
-
Ebenezer Chapel
Ebenezer Chapel was first built as a Baptist Chapel in 1873-74; it was extended in 1899 and in 2006-08 converted into a business centre with a cafe, gallery, studio and offices. The conversion was part of the Townscape Heritage Initiative scheme for the historic core of Cefn Mawr.
-
Glyn Wylfa
Glyn Wylfa Ltd has been established as a social enterprise and Development Trust by a committed team of Chirk residents who have complementary business and social community skills, to develop and refurbish the old Chirk Estate Office and surrounding site, known as Glyn Wylfa.
-
The Old Milk Bar
‘The Old Milk Bar- Local Craft & Eco Hub’ is a Not For Profit Community Interest Company run entirely by a staff of volunteers in the heart of Chirk. We sell locally produced Art & Craft and Eco Refills of household products and toiletries. We also provide a hub for local information and collect hard-to-recycle items such as batteries, light bulbs and make-up.
-
Advance Brighter Futures
A mental health and wellbeing charity, established in Wrexham since 1992.
-
CRNCA
Community hub in Cefn, Rhosymedre & Newbridge. With diverse clubs and programs, we empower individuals, fostering unity and personal growth.
-
Cefn Museum
Opened on Friday 28 November 2014 by Ken Skates AM (then Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism), the Museum evolved from the custom that members of the Historical Society would bring items to their regular monthly meetings for discussion.
Phil Vaughan works with Cefn Museum and organises local heritage walks.
-
Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board
The largest health organisation in Wales responsible for the delivery of health care services to more than 700,000 people across the six counties of north Wales.
-
North Wales Police
North Wales is an area of great beauty, diversity, culture and popularity, with residents, those who work here and visitors. As a police force, we play an important role in supporting and protecting all sections of the community.
-
This is Wrexham
The official tourism partnership for the City & County of Wrexham, North Wales! #ThisisWrexham
-
Wrexham County Borough Council
Wrexham Council is the the Unitary Local Authority responsible for Wrexham County Borough.
-
Llangollen Community Council
The Council serves the communities of Froncysyllte, Garth and Trevor which are situated within the eleven mile stretch of the Dee Valley, that was granted World Heritage Status in 2009.
-
Mared Dafydd Jones
Mared is a translator who is originally from Dyffryn Nantlle (The Nantlley Valley) in NorthWales but who now lives in Crickhowell with her family. Translating and writing is her passion and she is incredibly proud that, through her work, she is able promote the Welsh language and the unique culture of Wales, ensuring they thrive and are available for future generations.
-
Rhys Iorwerth
Rhys Iorwerth is a poet, an author and a translator. He has won numerous literature prizes including the Chair and the Crown in the National Eisteddfod. He has his own writing and translating business in Caernarfon.