International Dylan Thomas Day 2020 was thrown into chaos, when, a few months before May 14th, much of the world had locked down.  Doors were bolted, events were cancelled and we all had to come together to find ways to work, socialise and celebrate in a new online environment.

We had always had a writing competition as part of International Dylan Thomas Day, but, last year, we felt that more was needed and introduced the Dylan Thomas at Home photography competition. The photos that were sent or shared on social media humbled us.  There was something very simple and familiar about them.  They demonstrated the beauty of nature – in contrast to the destructive element we were viewing on our news channels – and the loveliness and imperfection of everyday life.

This year, we will be having both a Love the Words Poetry Share and a Dylan Thomas Photo Share.  The idea of a competition with winners and losers did not sit well after this challenging time. We wanted something that was inclusive and allowed participants to share their contributions so we can slowly and jointly recover and heal from this collective trauma.

The criteria for the Dylan Thomas Photo Share has been slightly widened and, as well as photos, we welcome short videos and artwork too.  My grandfather has always inspired writers, musicians and artists alike and it seems appropriate to give people the opportunity to express, in whichever form they choose, the impact of Dylan Thomas’s words.

Please share your images, short videos or artworks, inspired by the words of Dylan Thomas. You can take your inspiration from any of Dylan’s words, but if you would like a specific challenge, we have chosen the line “How time has ticked a heaven round the stars”, from Dylan’s poem The Force That Through The Green Fuse, as our inspiration.

Please share your submissions on social media using the hashtags #DylanThomasPhotoShare and #DylanDay. You can share any time between now and International Dylan Thomas Day on May 14, and we will share as many as we can on our social media channels and on the DiscoverDylanThomas website.

Below are some of the wonderful and inspiring contributions that were shared last year.

Hannah Ellis – March 2021