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Slate inspired artwork on display at National Slate Museum Llanberis

Artwork by local schoolchildren inspired by visiting slate quarrying areas of north Wales can be seen at the National Slate Museum Llanberis until 30 April 2017.

Snowdonia Slate Trail  Field work

Tiny little slate roofs and sculpted slate bowls are just some of the items completed by children from 6 local schools located on the Snowdonia Slate Trail – an exciting 85-mile-long walk through the slate areas of Snowdonia, which is due to launch in October 2017. As part of the project the school children have been learning about their locality by working on art projects inspired by field visits to slate quarrying sites along the route. 

The trail is the idea of Aled Owen, originally from Tregarth, and has been developed in order to encourage local people to interact more with the slate quarrying areas of north Wales and to learn more about the industry and their own locality. Funding has been secured from The Heritage Lottery Fund, Magnox and a range of local groups and companies to kick start the project. He explained further:

“The trail guides people to explore examples of our industrial past and complements the work being undertaken by Gwynedd Council, Snowdonia National Park Authority and others to secure World Heritage status for the Snowdonia slate communities. We are grateful to all the funders who have made this project possible and allowed so many local children to learn a bit more about their wonderful industrial past of the area”.

Anita Daimond, Education coordinator on the project and local artist Julie (Jwls) Williams have taken over 300 pupils on field visits along the route to discover more about the trail and to create 2D and 3D artwork, to help interpret it. On 14 and 15 February pupils involved in the project visited the Museum to help set up the exhibition and to see and celebrate each other’s artwork displayed around the site in Llanberis.

She said “It’s been so wonderful to work with Jwls to take pupils out to learn about their local environment and use art to help them to explore their cultural history. We are delighted that members of the public will be able to see the pupils artwork inspired by their visits on display in the Slate Museum”.

Dafydd Roberts from the National Slate Museum said: “We are delighted to be supporting the Snowdonia Slate Trail project as it will further promote and enhance the industrial heritage of our area, hopefully bringing in more visitors to the area bringing valuable income. The trail passes by the Museum so people can pop in and learn more about the history of the places they will visit on the journey”.

Follow the progress on the slate trail development at snowdoniaslatetrail.org and on Twitter @snowdoniaslate1. For more about the National Slate Museum visit museum.wales/slate/ 

Notes to Editors

Photos are available of the schools event and trail activities.

For further information please contact: Anita Daimond anitacdaimond@yahoo.co.uk Schools Project Manager, Snowdonia Slate Trail  / Aled Owen aledocwm@uwclub.net

Julie Wiliams, Press & Marketing Officer, National Slate Museum julie.williams@museumwales.ac.uk (029) 20573707

Snowdonia Slate Trail :  Aled Owen; a member of the ‘Cwm Community Action Group’ Cwm Penmachno, has designed a walking trail that visits slate quarries as well as towns and villages where quarry workers and their families lived.The circular walk starts at Port Penrhyn, Bangor namely the port used for exporting slate from the Penrhyn quarry. It is 85 miles long and visits 11 slate communities. It has designed to be walked in a week officially finishing in Bethesda but with an option to return to the start.

The project has had support from:  Heritage Lottery Fund /  Magnox /  Snowdonia National Park CAE Fund  / The Foyle Foundation / The Garfield Weston Foundation / The Oakdale Trust  / Community Fund in Wales  /  HF Holidays / Horizon  / First Hydro / The Laspen Trust / Bethesda Town Council  / Ffestiniog Town Council

About the Heritage lottery fund: Using money raised through the National Lottery, the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) aims to make a lasting difference for heritage, people and communities across the UK and help build a resilient heritage economy. From museums, parks and historic places to archaeology, natural environment and cultural traditions, we invest in every part of our diverse heritage.  www.hlf.org.uk  Follow us on Facebook HLFUK and Twitter @HLFCymru

National  Slate Museum: The National Slate Museum is one of the museums of Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales. It is located in the original Victorian Industrial workshops built to support Dinworig Slate Quarry and tells the story of  the slate industry in Wales. Admission is free thanks to support from the Welsh Government