What is the Eisteddfod?

It’s Europe’s largest cultural festival and proudly, uniquely Welsh. Every year it changes location as it celebrates Welsh language, heritage and traditions.

The word ‘Eisteddfod’ means ‘seating place’, and one of the festival’s most iconic moments is the annual awarding of the Bard’s Chair to a Welsh poet – a tradition that goes back to the 12th century.

But it’s not just a week-long event. The Eisteddfod brings people together all year through music, poetry, art and community gatherings. It’s open to everyone and blends ancient customs with modern Welsh culture, from 18th-century ceremonies to today’s live performances. 

Celebrating Wales’ history and culture

We’re proud to have supported several projects connected to the Eisteddfod over the years – from funding the festival’s first local history tent back in 2015 to the renovation of Yr Ysgwrn, home of the poet Hedd Wyn who was posthumously awarded the Bard’s Chair just weeks after his death in the First World War.

We also recently awarded £900,030 to Margam Castle, which hosted this year’s Urdd Eisteddfod, the National Eisteddfod’s counterpart for young people. Our grant will support the restoration of the Tudor Gothic mansion, improving its sustainability and accessibility, and creating versatile new public spaces.

Meet the Heritage Fund

This year we joined the Eisteddfod in Wrecsam – an area where we’ve invested over £21million to help preserve industrial and maritime heritage, protect landscapes and support local culture and community stories.

Across the week we shared available funding opportunities, spread the word about how our grants support bilingual projects, and connected with projects we support and other funders including:

• Brymbo Heritage Trust
• The National Lottery Community Fund
• the Welsh Language Commissioner’s Hybu team
• The National Churches Trust
• Avant Theatre CIC.