Celf Te Cacen / Art Tea Cake exhibition returns to Preseli Hills

THE MUCH-LOVED Celf Te Cacen / Art Tea Cake exhibition returns for its fifth year to Canolfan Llwynihirion, Brynberian, celebrating the landscapes, stories and creative spirit of Mynyddoedd y Preselau – The Preseli Hills. Beneath wide Welsh skies and shifting mountain light, this year’s exhibition, ‘A Sense of Place – Siarad am Gynefin’, explores the deep connections between people, materials and the land itself; that feeling of cynefin: a profound sense of belonging to place.

Art Tea Cake is a collective of artists living and working in and around the Preseli area who come together most years to create an immersive exhibition inspired by this wild and ancient corner of Sir Benfro (Pembrokeshire). Here, sheep tracks cross the open rhos, streams tumble down the hillside, and the weather rolls in from the Irish Sea with its own rhythm and temperament.

The exhibition brings together paintings, ceramics, sculpture, original prints, photography, woodcraft, book arts, cards and installation work : a rich and varied collection shaped by the rich tapestry of landscapes within the Preselis.

Many of the materials used are gathered directly from the surrounding environment. Local clays and slips are worked into ceramics; fallen branches from Preseli trees become finely crafted wooden boxes; spring water from the hills is used in watercolours and etching grounds; found natural objects are stitched, assembled and transformed into installations and textile works. Across the exhibition, the landscape is not only depicted, but embedded within the work itself.

Paintings and sculptures evoke the rhos (moor) and mynydd (mountain); prints and photographs capture fleeting weather, distant sea light and the ancient atmosphere of the hills. Hiraeth, memory and close observation quietly run through the exhibition, creating a portrait of place that feels both deeply rooted and alive.

Each year, Art Tea Cake also invites a selection of guest artists whose work resonates with the spirit and theme of the exhibition, bringing new voices and perspectives into conversation with the landscape.

Alongside the exhibition, visitors can enjoy the much-loved volunteer-run café in Ystafell Meibion Owen, overlooking the beautiful pollinator garden and patio area. Run by local volunteers, the café serves a delicious selection of cakes, tea and coffee to raise funds for the upkeep of the Canolfan. With sweeping views towards the Preseli Hills, it offers a place to pause after a walk, share stories, and enjoy the simple pleasure of a paned gymreig, or dished o de!

The venue itself, a stunningly renovated rural school building, sits in one of the most beautiful parts of north Pembrokeshire, close to many places of interest, including Pentre Ifan, one of Wales’ most celebrated prehistoric monuments; Ty Canol National Nature Reserve, ancient Celtic woodland rich with moss and birdsong; and Mynydd Carn Ingli, whose slopes and sea views continue to inspire artists, walkers and storytellers alike.

The exhibition and café are open daily from 11am–5pm, from Saturday, May 23 to Sunday May 31, 2026.

Art Tea Cake artists: