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08/09/2026

📢Tickets going fast for NUJ conference: TICKET DEADLINE TOMORROW (09.09.26).

I'm very grateful to be invited on to a panel at this brilliant NUJ conference on the future of the Welsh media on 19th September.
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-state-of-media-in-wales-cyflwr-y-cyfryngau-yng-nghymru-tickets-1989906027495?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true

I'll be speaking about the reasons why hybrid political-cultural-literary magazines like Planet are vital specifically for a nation like Wales (and are now so critically endangered), identifying the core problems with the current funding system, based on Planet's experience but affecting so many publishers, and if I can squeeze this in, proposing some solutions too.

I’ll be sharing the panel with Books Council of Wales CEO Helgard Krause, David James from WalesOnline and Rhys Owen from Golwg.

I only have 5 minutes to do a presentation so won’t be able to include all the reasons why all the other kinds of media form are also essential for Wales, but here’s a sneak preview of a paragraph that I hope addresses this!

‘Caveat number 1: the dynamics of neoliberalism force very different and equally essential media forms to compete over inadequate funds, undermining solidarity between workers in the sector, and have led to apples being compared to oranges. Therefore I’m making the case for magazines like Planet to be supported within a wider media eco-system where publications complement each other.’

While thankful to have the chance to speak, I am of course rather daunted about revisiting some pretty demoralising issues within this context. However, this is a vital opportunity to convey the core issues and why there is urgent need for reform under a new government.

The programme is wide-ranging, excellent and would be of relevance to any writers and media workers among you. It would also be great to have among the audience representatives of organisations which stand up for literature, culture and freedom of expression in a Welsh context.

I'm particularly grateful to the NUJ for giving a space to discussing hybrid publications, as magazines such as Planet so often fall between the cracks of 'culture' and 'journalism' within policy debate.

If you would like to show solidarity towards magazines like Planet, and/or think this would be of benefit to your work - please get a ticket. They are free (with a deposit) and have almost run out...

If you would like to read more context in advance about Planet’s rather extraordinary story, please see a free, updated version of the final Planet editorial: https://www.planetmagazine.org.uk/planet-online/253/editorial/emily-trahair
Emily

It was a struggle to work out how on earth to write this editorial, so I took a twilight walk up Constitution Hill, to gain some perspective. From there, if you squint a little as you look down on the sweep of the bay as the lights come on, Aberystwyth looks like a city in miniature, a Donostia perh...

06/07/2026

Many thanks to Amy K Grandvoinet for this lovely blogpost about our sell-out event in May! 'For Planet': https://goingaboutbaby.wordpress.com/2026/06/02/for-planet/

🌎❤️❤️

02/06/2026

A huge thanks to everyone who came to Planet's sell-out event at y Cŵps from as far away as San Francisco & Iceland, & apologies to those we had to turn away. (Including an ambassador, oops!)

The night was a combo of belated post-election after-party, a mini issue of Planet delivered down a microphone, & remembering 30 years since the legendary party in y Cŵps following the protests against the Queen.

We heard a moving account from someone who was there in May 1996 discussing the troubled yet ultimately triumphant confluence between the language movement & LGBT+ movement; a fresh & inspiring perspective on decolonising the colony via Welsh textiles & Gramsci; an exquisitely timed insight into a powerful art project on selective breeding, inherited beliefs, toxic masculinity & class politics (you'll never look at King Charles or a French bulldog in the same way again); and literary visions of Welsh political freedom (with a democratically chosen conclusion via a show of hands - you don't get that in a printed mag). Thanks to Richard Crowe, Charlotte Williams, Lewis Wright & Jamie Harris for your wonderful contributions.

The reflections on Welsh utopias were complemented by a reading of searingly bleak yet subtly compassionate & witty poems from John Barnie (the perfect counterpoint to the current fad for nature poetry as spa experience).

Then we were delighted to welcome our surprise guest: our founding editor Ned Thomas! Ned revealed himself as the voice behind the anonymously written, unnervingly prescient 1990s satirical series 'From the Planet Anthology', a reading in light verse from which we enjoyed before raising a glass to wish him a happy 90th birthday...

We ended the evening with a beautiful solo harp set from Georgia Ruth Williams, and were honoured to be the debut audience for tracks from her new album 'Uncanny Valley', a witty, eloquent and sonically lush suburban pastoral inspired by Comins Coch - the home of several ex-Planet editors. No better way to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of a west Walian summer.

Diolch yn fawr hefyd i Ma***n Delyth am ei lluniau gwych o'r noson yn 1996, to Sid & Nia from Y Cŵps, Gwen & Arddun for volunteering & to for her brilliant photographs selected here.

Many thanks to all who contributed to our charity bucket - we raised £128.27 for Medical Aid for Palestinians and Canolfan a Theatr Soar (all ticket proceeds are going to our performers and speakers).

02/06/2026

Llun hapus! A happy photo, showing a quiet but monumental shift - me, finding my way back to this beautiful instrument, realising she’d been waiting for me the whole time. Diolch i bawb yn y Cwps neithiwr - noson arbennig. Aberystwyth ❤️

Keep your eyes peeled for an announcement tomorrow! 👀

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29/05/2026

Planet event: there are still some tickets left, but they are selling quite fast!

Couple of updates: there can be a glitch purchasing with a phone, so it's recommended to buy online on a laptop/PC, apologies: https://see.tickets/planet26 For more info about the event please scroll through the images.

Also: as well as the wonderful people pictured, we have a surprise special guest! Really excited to welcome him to the evening.

Apologies for the very DIY graphics - it's been a long day...

27/05/2026

*Planet event: 30.05.26*

While all the ticket proceeds will go to our speakers and performers, there will also be a bucket passed around to raise money for two important causes, one in Wales and another beyond our borders, so please remember to bring your cash and express your Welsh internationalism!

The first cause is Medical Aid for Palestinians and the other organisation is Canolfan a Theatr Soar in Merthyr Tydfil.

Canolfan a Theatr Soar is at the heart of the development of the Welsh language and Welsh-language culture in the Merthyr area. One of the historic aims of Planet was to bridge the language communities of Wales so it's a pleasure to offer them our support.

Here is more info about MAP: https://www.map.org.uk/
And Canolfan a Theatr Soar: https://www.theatrsoar.cymru/cy/index.html

For more info about the event see the images below.

For tickets see https://see.tickets/planet26 (Advance and door tickets are £10, concessions are £8. Please use code 'CONC' at checkout.)

*Digwyddiad Planet: 30.05.26*

Bydd yr holl elw tocyn yn mynd i'n siaradwyr a'n perfformwyr, ond
bydd bwced a***n parod hefyd i godi a***n ar gyfer dau achos pwysig iawn, un yng Nghymru ac un sy'n rhyngwladol, felly dewch eich a***n gyda chi i fynegi eich rhyng-genedlaetholdeb Cymreig os gwelwch yn dda!

Yr achos cyntaf yw Medical Aid for Palestinians a'r sefydliad arall yw Canolfan a Theatr Soar ym Merthyr Tudful.

Mae Canolfan a Theatr Soar yn ganolbwynt i ddatblygiad y Gymraeg a chelfyddydau Gymraeg yn yr ardal Merthyr. Un o'r amcanion hanesyddol Planet oedd pontio rhwng y Cymry Cymraeg a'r ddi-Gymraeg, felly mae'n bleser cefnogi'r canolfan a theatr yma.
Dyma mwy o fanylion am MAP: https://www.map.org.uk/

A Chanolfan a Theatr Soar: https://www.theatrsoar.cymru/cy/index.html

Am fwy o wybodaeth am ein digwyddiad, sgroliwch drwy'r delweddau.

Am docynnau gweler https://see.tickets/planet26

Tocynnau ymlaen llaw a drws £10. Consesiynau £8 (defnyddiwch y cod CONC).

27/05/2026

*Planet event, Y Cŵps, Aberystwyth, 30.05.26*
Introducing the panellists at Planet’s next event...

Sadly, due to family circumstances Adam Johannes will not be able to speak at the event, but many thanks to Richard Crowe for stepping in.

We’re delighted to include Richard on our panel. Planet readers may remember his thought-provoking article on ‘Adnabod’ for our Welsh Keywords series, and Richard was present at the protest after-party in the Cŵps in 1996 when the Queen had to curtail her visit to Aberystwyth. He will be giving insights into that legendary evening, and also the confluence between the language movement and the LGBT+ movement that emerged from that era.

Richard hails from England originally, but has spent his adult life in Wales, working as a lexicographer and legislative translator. He has been a member of the Welsh Language Society on and off since his student days and was a prominent member of CYLCH, the Society for Welsh-speaking Le****ns and G**s. He is now retired and lives in the uplands near Penrhyn-coch where he spends his time translating literature from foreign languages to Welsh.

Planet sought to be a ‘bridge’ between the language cultures of Wales, and also long offered a platform for pioneering writing on LGBT+ themes by writers including Jan Morris, Mike Parker and Pamela Petro. So the topic of Richard’s talk is ideal for the evening.

For more info on our event, scroll through the images.

For tickets see https://see.tickets/planet26 Advance & door tickets £10. Concessions £8 (use code CONC at checkout).

All ticket proceeds will go to our panellists and performers. If you would like to support them further a solidarity surcharge will be available on the door.

There will also be a cash bucket to raise money for some brilliant local and international charities - so bring along your coins and notes!

Yn cyflwyno'r panelwyr yn nigwyddiad nesaf Planet...

Yn anffodus, oherwydd amgylchiadau teuluol ni fydd Adam Johannes yn gallu siarad yn y digwyddiad, ond diolch yn fawr i Richard Crowe am gyfrannu ar fyr rybudd.

Rydym yn falch iawn o gynnwys Richard ar ein panel. Efallai y bydd darllenwyr Planet yn cofio ei erthygl diddorol iawn ar 'Adnabod' ar gyfer ein cyfres ‘Welsh Keywords’, ac roedd Richard yn bresennol yn y brotest ar ôl parti yn y Cŵps yn 1996 pan fu'n rhaid i'r Frenhines leihau ei hymweliad ag Aberystwyth. Bydd Richard yn rhoi mewnwelediadau i'r noson chwedlonol honno, a hefyd sut y daeth y mudiad iaith i gydgyfeirio â'r mudiad LHDTC+.

Mae Richard Crowe yn hanu o Loegr yn wreiddiol ond mae wedi treulio ei fywyd fel oedolyn yng Nghymru.

Mae wedi gweithio fel geiriadurwr a chyfieithydd deddfwriaethol. Mae'n aelod o Gymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg bob un ail â pheidio ers dyddiau coleg a bu'n aelod blaenllaw o CYLCH, Cymdeithas yr Hoywon a Lesbiaid Cymraeg eu Hiaith. Mae e bellach wedi ymddeol ac yn byw ger Penrhyn-coch ac yn treulio ei amser yn cyfieithu llenyddiaeth o ieithoedd tramor i'r Gymraeg.

Roedd Planet yn ceisio bod yn 'bont' rhwng diwylliannau iaith Cymru o sefydlu'r cylchgrawn, ac roedd hefyd yn cynnig llwyfan ers amser maith ar gyfer ysgrifennu arloesol ar themâu LHDT+ gan awduron gan gynnwys Jan Morris, Mike Parker a Pamela Petro. Felly mae themâu sgwrs Richard yn ddelfrydol ar gyfer y noson.

Am fwy o wybodaeth am ein digwyddiad, sgroliwch drwy'r delweddau.

Am docynnau gweler https://see.tickets/planet26

Tocynnau ymlaen llaw a drws £10. Consesiynau £8 (defnyddiwch y cod CONC).

Bydd yr holl elw tocyn yn mynd i'n panelwyr a'n perfformwyr. Os hoffech eu cefnogi ymhellach, bydd gordal undod ar gael ar y drws.

Bydd bwced a***n parod hefyd i godi a***n ar gyfer elusennau lleol a rhyngwladol gwych - felly dewch â'ch darnau a***n a'ch nodiadau gyda nhw!

23/05/2026

There are many themes to the forthcoming Planet event, but one will be remembering 30 years since the celebrations in Y Cŵps following the protests against the Queen’s visit to Aberystwyth...

Gather in the same venue to enjoy a panel discussion that touches on many subjects relating to the events in 1996 – such as the legacies of Empire, monarchy and inherited privilege, literary visions of Welsh freedom, and – from a panel member who was in Y Cŵps on the night – how the language movement came to converge with the LGBT+ movement (epitomised by the appearance of the drag queen Brenhines y Cŵps).

We’re very grateful to the brilliant photographer Ma***n Delyth, whose photographs of the night will be displayed/projected, along with other material from the protests (including a Planet editorial!)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-57276978

The Planet events are a way of keeping consciousness alive about the magazine, with the long-term aim of a relaunch. The idea is for Planet to stir in its dormancy and create a kind of ‘mini issue’ through a microphone.

Scroll images for more info. You can buy tickets here https://see.tickets/planet26 This is an English-language event.

Mae yna lawer o themâu i'r digwyddiad Planed sydd i ddod, ond bydd un yn cofio 30 mlynedd ers y dathliadau yn Y Cŵps yn dilyn y protestiadau yn erbyn ymweliad y Frenhines ag Aberystwyth...

Dewch i’r un lleoliad i fwynhau trafodaeth banel sy'n cyffwrdd â nifer o bynciau yn ymwneud â digwyddiadau 1996 – megis ôl-effeithiau'r Ymerodraeth, brenhiniaeth a braint etifeddol, gweledigaethau llenyddol o ryddid Cymru, ac – gan aelod o'r panel a oedd yn Y Cŵps ar y noson – sut y daeth y mudiad iaith i gydgyfeirio â'r mudiad LHDTC+ (wedi'i ymgorffori gan ymddangosiad y frenhines drag Brenhines y Cŵps).

Rydym yn ddiolchgar iawn i'r ffotograffydd gwych Ma***n Delyth, y bydd ei ffotograffau o'r noson yn cael eu harddangos/taflunio, ynghyd â deunydd arall o'r protestiadau (gan gynnwys colofn olygyddol Planet!)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/cymrufyw/36427710

Mae digwyddiadau Planet yn ffordd o gadw ymwybyddiaeth yn fyw am y cylchgrawn, gyda'r nod hirdymor o ail-lansio. Y syniad yw creu rhyw fath o 'mini issue' y cylchgrawn trwy feicroffon.

Sgroliwch drwy'r delweddau am fwy o wybodaeth. Gallwch brynu tocynnau yma https://see.tickets/planet26 Mae hwn yn ddigwyddiad Saesneg.

19/05/2026

A petition below of relevance not only for people studying or working at Cardiff University. In a small country, developments like these have a steadily corrosive effect on the future of culture and critical debate in Wales as a whole.

How many of us have stumbled across a book or periodical on a library shelf that went on to have a formative impact on how we see the world and act within it?

This part of the library has displayed the full run of Planets for ages, plus one of the most wide-ranging collections of Welsh-language and Welsh-interest titles in the world.

7km of books and crucial study spaces are at risk. Cardiff Uni wants to repurpose the busiest library on campus into classrooms. Help protect our library and sign the petition today.

19/05/2026

*Planet event, Y Cŵps, Aberystwyth, 30.05.26*
Introducing the performers at Planet’s next event...
Next up: Georgia Ruth Williams!

Georgia Ruth is a musician from Aberystwyth, who won the Welsh Music Prize for her debut album, Week of Pines, in 2013. A regular broadcaster on BBC Radio Cymru, Georgia is working on her fifth album.

In the absence of much sun for the past few weeks, what better way to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of a west-Walian summer than an evening listening to Georgia Ruth Williams?

Her unique blend of folk, Americana, 1960s-influenced dreamscapes and what Neil Spencer of The Guardian described as ‘lush Welsh pastorals’ combine with an expression of tenacity in turbulent times, which will resonate with many. As Thomas Blake put it, her work ‘could be the soundtrack to a Wim Wenders road movie shot on the North Wales Expressway’.

Here’s more of what the critics have had to say about her work:

‘Cool Head’ is defined by subtle experimentation, highly accessible melodies and clever, heartfelt lyrics that have always been Georgia Ruth’s forte. Her attention to the smallest musical detail allows her to draw out the latent emotion of a moment…it’s her strongest offering yet. – KLOF mag

On ‘Mai’:
“Atmospheric spirituality runs through an album underpinned with natural world imagery, poetic lyrics and subtle soundscapes” – Mojo

“an unobtrusive delight where the alternately lush and sparse conjured textures beguile the attentive listener in their careful response to Georgia’s ever-intriguing lyrical vision.” – David Kidman, Folk Radio UK

On ‘Week of Pines’:
“The Welsh harpist Georgia Ruth is a rare talent, able to transcend borders of language, style and age with apparent ease … A dazzling debut, rich with sweet pain and joy.” Andy Gill, The Independent ****

For more info on our event, scroll through the images.

🎟️For tickets see https://see.tickets/planet26 Advance & door tickets £10. Concessions £8 (use code CONC at checkout).

All ticket proceeds will go to our panellists and performers. If you would like to support them further a solidarity surcharge will be available on the door.

There will also be a cash bucket to raise money for some brilliant local and international charities - so bring along your coins and notes!