I was really inspired by how Ponty is so unapologetically itself.
Bando’r Beirdd interviews the Pontypridd Green Week artist Natasha Borton…
What’s your favourite memory of Pontypridd?
My favourite memory was walking down the high street on the Saturday of Ponty Green Week, the sun was shining and myself and Rufus – who I’ve known for a few years were popping into shops to say hello. We’d just come out into town to talk to as many people as we could about the new art and community space YMa. People told us stories about the old YMa building and we bumped into people on the street who had been strangers a few days before, who remembered me and our conversations throughout the week. It felt like being welcomed home by an entire town!
One friend we made just because we’d bumped into them three times already, and that’s all it took.
What does it say in your bio?give us the elevator pitch!
Natasha Borton is a Poet, Musician and Theatre-maker inspired by local & global communities. Performances include Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, Wales Millenium Centre, Liverpool Everyman, The Lowry Salford, and supporting acts such as Neil Hilborn and Rudy Francisco (Button Poetry). Voicebox Wxm founder, a spoken word organisation and co-founder of Gog Smacked, a theatre company in North Wales.
What was the thing that most inspired you about your residency?
I was really inspired by how Ponty is so unapologetically itself.
The way the town and houses are nestled into the hills, the collection of bridges that link otherwise isolated streets to create a community. Ponty said “we need a public Lido” and it got one. Ponty said “we WILL hold our local languages close to our tongues” and does. Ponty said “here we’re all neighbours”, and we are!
Download Natashas EP https://natashaborton.bandcamp.com/