Hot on the heels of the cultural extravaganza that was Ruthin Festival came the first ever Ruthin International Arts Festival (RIAF).

Supported by Ruthin Global Arts and Education Foundation, the inaugural RIAF has been directed by Beijing-based poet Yu Er and curated by Cheng Xi. 

And following a launch week packed with exhibitions, screenings and activity, RIAF will continue with screenings of powerful, internationally acclaimed artistic films until Sunday, July 28.

The opening week was a flurry of activity, with art exhibitions, film showings and poetry and dance performances. It featured work from Anne Bean, Yang Lian, Sean O’Brien, and more, centred around the theme of ‘Elsewhere’, with activity centred around Ruthin Castle and Manorhaus.

Each of the opening days carried a theme - Liveness, Intervention, Serendipity, Togetherness, Diaspora, Vision, and Good Night.

It also offered a platform to Welsh artists, with a series of local artist Open Calls centred around the diaspora of the Welsh language.

Ruthin Global Arts and Education Foundation also partnered with the Y Arts Centre to support the Y Talent Award. As a result 10 prize winners aged 13-18 currently have their work on show at Ruthin School as part of the festival. They will also undertake a 10-day art residency at the ‘Twelve Behind’ retreat in the Chinese Province of Guizhou, worth £5000.

The festival continues for the rest of the month with showings of Pickpocket by Jia Zhangke, Shanghai Dreams by Wang Xiaoshuai, East Palace, West Palace by Zhang Yuan, Crazy Stone by Ning Hao, Once Upon a Bridge in Vietnam by François Bibonne, Tricky Disco by Sebastian Weise, Holding Shards by Holly Slingsby, Seine by Dan Horrigan and Pouring Water on Troubled Oil by Nariman Massoumi.