Running through to June, the project is a collaboration between Vale of Glamorgan Council Libraries and Makerspaces and Arcade Campfa, and is supported by Arts Council Wales.
It will see artists working within library locations in Penarth and Barry, offering the public a chance to engage with creativity up close.
Jordan Forse, libraries and cultural services manager for the Vale of Glamorgan Council, said: “We are proud to be working in partnership with Arcade Campfa and Arts Council Wales to bring this exciting Artist in Residence programme to our libraries.
“This project reflects our ongoing commitment to supporting creativity at a local level and providing meaningful opportunities for people to engage with the arts in accessible, welcoming spaces.
“By working directly with artists, library users can take part in creative processes, share their own experiences and contribute to new work that is rooted in the communities of Barry and Penarth.”
Two artists have been selected for the residencies, each bringing a distinct focus to their work.
Dela Anderson will run a print residency and will explore themes of memory and place in the Vale.
Ms Anderson said: “During my residency I will explore nostalgia for lost leisure spaces in Barry and Penarth.
“Engaging with local literature, archival images and oral histories, I’ll produce a risograph printed zine that reflects on our relationship to leisure and public space.”
Mab Jones will invite community participation through creative writing and making.
Ms Jones said: “Your Words Belong Here Too is a participatory poetry residency transforming community-contributed words into wearable text pieces and growing installations using reclaimed materials and textile techniques.
“The project will culminate in a celebratory community sharing event.”
Both residencies will conclude in June with public launch events, where the artists’ final works will be revealed.
Mr Forse said: “We look forward to celebrating the outcomes with the public at the final showcase events.”
This exciting initiative highlights the leading role of libraries as dynamic cultural spaces, fostering creativity, collaboration, and community engagement through opportunities such as the Artist in Residency programme right across the Vale of Glamorgan.
