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Brief History


Yr Academi Gymreig, the national society of writers in Wales, was founded in 1959 on the basis of conversations between Bobi Jones and Waldo Williams, writers in Welsh who chose the adjective Cymreig (lit: of Wales) rather than Cymraeg (lit: Welsh-medium) to allow the subsequent inclusion of writers in English, and other artists. The creation of an English-language section in 1968 was the result of an initiative by Meic Stephens, in his then capacity as Literature Director of the Welsh Arts Council (now The Arts Council of Wales), in association with members of the Guild of Welsh Writers, a group based mainly in London.

The society exists to promote literature in Wales and to assist in maintaining its standards by providing a forum for writers. With funds mostly provided from public sources, it has been constitutionally independent since 1978 and has its own offices in Cardiff.

In 1998 the Society took on a much enlarged role when it won the Arts Council of Wales's franchise to provide a Welsh National Literature Promotion Agency.

Past Academi Officials