THIS weekend is the annual Art on the Hill festival in Newport - and it is bigger and better than ever. The festival, which is a celebration of Newport's creative community and their work, runs between Friday, November, 22 and Sunday, November 24. There are multiple exhibitions across a whole range of the usual venues plus the more unusual. ELIZABETH BIRT found out more.

Friday November 22

  • Newport Civic Centre invites you to see the 12 murals showing the city’s history created by German artist Hans Feibusch between 1960 and 1964. This will take place between 9am-5pm.
  • Cwtsh will be hosting a Cwtsh Mandala Unveiling between 4-6pm with artwork from the children’s community art project led by Andy O’Rourke.
  • Riverfront Theatre and Arts Centre will be hosting a public exhibition of this year’s Newport Photomarathon between 6.30-7.30pm.

South Wales Argus:

(A part of one of the exhibitions from last year's Art on the Hill)

Saturday November 23

  • Riverfront Theatre and Arts Centre will be hosting a range of activities, including the pictures taken during the recent Newport Photomarathon, as well as Newport Writers Group, K-Pop taster dance and graffiti sessions with Newport Youth Service and an arts and craft market. This will all be running between 9am and 4pm.
  • Hounds the Barbershop will host the first exhibition of father and son John and Ben Meredith between 9am and 5pm. They will be showing a collection of figurative paintings, drawings and hand embroidery as well as making art on the day.
  • Cwtsh on Stow Hill will hold free drop-in art workshops for children and families. There will be art on show from the children’s community art project led by Andy O’Rourke. This is open between 2-4pm.
  • Shirehall in Pentonville will see a group show exhibition of 22 Newport artists working across all mediums. The organisers have said that parental guidance is advised for this. 10am-6pm.
  • Church of St Mark also has a Lead and beehave with TEMMAH exhibition between 10am and 10pm. This performance starts at St Mark’s Church and ends on Victoria Crescent. They advise warm and sensible clothing and footwear.
  • Newport Museum and Art Gallery will be hosting a sketch book personalisation between 11am and 2.30pm. This is suitable for children aged between three and 11 who must be accompanied by an adult. The children can personalise their own sketch books and use the museum’s collections to create their own artwork.
  • The Westgate Hotel will host Operasonic presents Re-Sounding Turmoil between 11am and 7pm. This is six digital compositions inspired by protest and created by students studying at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.
  • Le Public Space will be hosting art work from the Fugly Art Society between 12-5pm. There will be a variety of sets of pen and ink drawings on show.
  • 8 Victoria Crescent will be home to Express Yourself between 7-10pm. This is a curated event that is a celebration of all things creative. Each artist has up to 15 minutes to perform in however they choose.

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Sunday November 24

  • Gary-Martin Rolinson will be doing mini performances across venues throughout the day. He will also be creating a podcast. He said: “The idea is that if people haven’t got the time to go to see live music or to mindfully listen to an album all the way through, I could go to them.”
  • Cwtsh will be hosting a photo book sale thanks to John Crerar between 10am-6pm.
  • Between 10am and 5pm there will be an exhibition by Rhys Powell and Serafina Grafton Beaves at 22 Stow Park Avenue.
  • 44c Bryngwyn Road will have a Cointeen Canteen between 12-6pm. It is a family friendly café that will be serving hot drinks and cake. It does however, have restricted access for wheelchair users and less able-bodied people.
  • 6 Albert Terrace will host The Abstract Man between 4.30-6.30pm. This will be a fun time with singing of fieldfares, red carousels, the absent moon and more.
  • LePub will be hosting Carpet between 7-10pm. It will be an evening of poetry and music hosted by Frank Thomas and Justin Cliffe. There will be an open mic as well as four featured artists.
  • Cwtsh will have a session with Bafta Award winning cinematographer Keefa Chan between 7.30-10.30pm. She will share thoughts and stories from more than 15 years working in the film and television industry.

South Wales Argus:

(A live mural painting as part of Art on the Hill 2018.)

Events and activities running throughout the entire weekend

  • Transformed at the Gaer Christian Centre. The Diverse Manners Art Group, a group of Newport- or formerly Newport-based artists, will showcase the work of their members from Wednesday, November 20 to Saturday, November 24 between 2-8pm.
  • At 18 Stow Park Circle in Newport there will be a display of work by Kate Mercer. Titled Wall Murals, it explores human relationships with memory, identity and perception through photographs. It will run daily across the weekend of Art on the Hill.
  • Stephen Hammett will take you on a Wonder Wander with images taken from walks around the area at 26, York Place, Newport.
  • That Café will play host to the work of two photographers – Lucy Jane Purrington and Susan Williams works on November 22 and 23. There will also be chances to anonymously submit a few words about your own mental health struggles which will then form part of another piece by Ms Purrington, who uses her own battles with mental health as an inspiration for her work.
  • Ella Wilding’s postcards will be on display at 220 Stow Park Circle on November 22 and 23. Her postcards will include designs from her travels to Tuscany, West Wales, Devon and more. All her designs are done in pen and watercolour.
  • The Handpost Pharmacy will be getting into the act with a display titled Just What The Doctor Ordered by Andrea Lloyd-Carney. The artist will be creating apothecary-inspired displays available to view on November 22 and 23.
  • Across all three official festival dates there will be a window display at Alan House, 2 Risca Road made by Flexible Options, a disability support group in the local community.
  • Caroline Mercer’s exhibition Heads Up will also be available across the three dates. Her clay sculptures will show abstract pieces and ‘biographical’ pieces and are specially made for Art on the Hill. Viewings must be booked in advance, for Friday and Saturday, but Sunday is an open house. The location is Basement Flat, 19 Oakfield Road, Newport.
  • The historic Westgate Hotel will also be a venue for the event, hosting artwork by Josh Cranton, Miss Rie, Art by Jorj, Lianne Bowen and Jon Beddall on November 22 and 23. Lianne Bowen and Jon Beddall will be hosting their exhibitions at the Westgate Hotel too. On the same days, you will be able to view Ms Bowen’s Whatever Happened to Stella Farmer and Mr Beddall’s life drawing studies.
  • An exhibition by photographer Faye Griffiths will be held at Ye Olde Murenger House across all three dates, while The Escape Rooms host a joint exhibition from Alun Jennings, Becky Lewis, John Crerar, Dean Lewis and Kim Partridge.
  • North Street Bar and Grill will host Ron McCormick’s Dayz Out in Porthcawl.
  • Vin Dyke Art and Wood’s Portraiture will be shown in 7, Caerau Crescent on November 23 and 24.
  • The Church of St Mark hosts a group exhibition curated by John Briggs, including his work as well as Anthony Carter, Jonathan Sherwood, Leigh Davies, TEMMAH, Alix Edwards, Chris Langely and Red Zip.
  • 50 Llanthewy Road will be A House Full of Visual Arts and Crafts from Sarah Goodey and Rosemary Edwards. This will run on November 23 and 24.
  • Richard Frame’s The Art of Wandering will be on display at 7, Windsor Terrace, Newport on November 23 and 24.

South Wales Argus:

(Sarah Goodey talking to John Briggs at one of last year's Art on the Hill events. Picture: www.christinsleyphotography.co.uk)

  • The Public Gallery on St Edward’s Street will see some of the houses display their own work on the theme of space in their windows on November 23 and 24.
  • How Green Was My Valley shows the landscape of the South Wales valleys after the demise of the coal mining and steel industries. Ron McCormick’s exhibition can be viewed at Newport Museum and Art Gallery between 9.30am-5pm throughout the three days.
  • St Marks Church, Stow Hill will see a Playces exhibition by Leigh Davies. Running between 10am and 6pm on November 23 and 24, there will be a series of audiovisual sculptures. This exhibition is supported by the Arts Council Wales.
  • Cellar Door will host Babblin’ On by Conor Elliott between 3-11pm across the weekend. The three sets of photographs are presented in the style reminiscent of 17th century Dutch still life.

For more information on events throughout the weekend visit www.facebook.com/AOTH.NP20