Olion //\ Traces
an artist residency
and commission programme
new art inspired by landscape, history, ecology and deep time
Open Call Launching soon
Four artists, creatives or collaborators will each work with one of four partner organisations, using their knowledge, places, materials, research and questions as starting points for new work:
GeoMôn UNESCO Global Geopark
Heneb – the Trust for Welsh Archaeology
Red Squirrels Trust Wales
North Wales Rivers Trust
The Residency
Organised through an open call for proposals, each selected artist is paired with one of our partner organisations and embedded in their world of knowledge, places and practice.
Through meetings, conversations, site visits, shared research and hands-on exploration, the artist has time to follow questions, encounter new perspectives and develop ideas. Each residency is shaped around the artist and host organisation, so no two will look quite the same.
The Commission
Each residency leads to the creation of a new commissioned work, developed through the research, encounters and ideas that emerge along the way.
The new works are premiered at the annual Aberlleiniog Sculpture Trail, where artworks, performances and related events become part of a wider weekend of contemporary art across the landscape. In 2026, the Trail welcomed more than 1,300 visitors — an exceptional mix of local and national artists, naturalists, makers, volunteers, neighbours and friends, coppice crafters, dog walkers and sea swimmers.
Sharing the Process
The process is as important as the finished work. During the residency, each artist will take part in an informal online work-in-progress event, sharing some of the questions, discoveries and directions emerging from their research.
After the Sculpture Trail, the artists and partner organisations will come together again for a public film screening and panel discussion — a chance to reflect on what happened, exchange perspectives and continue some of the conversations that began during the residencies.
The Organisations
The 2027 Aberlleiniog Sculpture Trail will feature four new commissioned works inspired by:
• The diverse geology of Ynys Môn, with GeoMôn UNESCO Global Geopark
• The unique ecosystems of Ynys Môn, conservation and biodiversity, with Red Squirrels Trust Wales
• The unique history of Aberlleiniog Castle, and its surroundings, with Heneb – the Trust for Welsh Archaeology
• The ever-changing ecology of the Lleiniog River and its surroundings, with North Wales Rivers Trust
Diolch - Thank you
Olion //\ Traces is supported by the Arts Council of Wales.
The Aberlleiniog Sculpture Trail receives core funding from the Sustainable Development Fund, a Welsh Government initiative on the Isle of Anglesey ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’ (AONB).
Huge thanks to GeoMôn UNESCO Geopark, Red Squirrels Trust, Heneb – the Trust for Welsh Archaeology and the North Wales Rivers Trust for supporting the programme, allowing the selected artists to embed themselves within their organisations, generously sharing their expertise, resources and time.
Previous Commissions - 2026
Mai Thomas
GeoMôn UNESCO Geopark Commission
Mai spent time with the erratics of Lleniog Beach, learning their origin stories and understanding their complex material makeup. Her monumental scale drawings were created entirely from natural pigments derived from the landscape itself.
Angharad Ffion Martin
The Red Squirrels Trust Wales & Magical Mammals
Angharad learned about the complex and intertwined ecosystems of our most local environment - the Aberlleiniog woodland. She has created a series of animal forms, light and sound sculptures created from natural and foraged materials, covered with semi-translucent naturally preserved leaves.
Ellen Davies & Meilyr Tomos
GeoMôn UNESCO Geopark
They’ve created an interactive soundscape that turns geology and climate data into music and movement — blending live cello, traditional notation and immersive audio. They have tapped into the seismic activity of the Menai Strait and dove deep into the geological record, interviewing geologists and seismologists, recording in the field, composing, creating and writing.
About the Trail
The Aberlleiniog Sculpture Trail is a free annual event bringing contemporary art into the woodlands, waterways, historic sites and community spaces around Llangoed, Ynys Môn.
Featuring over 50 artworks, installations, performances and participatory projects, the Trail brings together artists, makers, local communities and visitors across one weekend each spring.
The Trail is produced by Plas Bodfa Projects CIC and headquartered at Llangoed Village Hall, working in partnership with the organisations and landowners who care for the places it inhabits.