Ceredig

Artists Meinir Mathias, Hattie Morrison and Heledd Wyn joined forces to create Ceredig the Fish; an imaginative and accessible artwork inspired by Ceredigion’s rich fishing heritage, that also shines a light on contemporary issues around environment and sustainability. Through Ceredig’s eyes, the team documented and mapped a playful yet thought-provoking journey around the county.

The herring, featured on Ceredigion’s coat of arms, symbolises the historic importance of the fishing industry—particularly the herring trade—to the county’s economy. It represents prosperity and sustenance for coastal communities such as Borth and New Quay. So vital was this trade that, in 1937, the herring earned its place on the official arms alongside a golden lion (representing Gwaithfoed, a medieval prince), a wheatsheaf (agriculture), and roses (linked to St. David, Wales’ patron saint, who was born and preached in Ceredigion).

To make the community sessions feel welcoming and engaging for children and adults alike, the artists created Ceredig the Fish puppet. Ceredig became a friendly, sensory companion, helping ease communication and build confidence to enable the team to gather authentic feedback in a relaxed setting. Children from local schools were invited to design their own coat of arms or shield, depicting what matters most to them in their community.

Ceredig also accompanied the artists and the wider Llunio Lle team on their journey through the 13 villages. Equipped with GPS, Ceredig’s route across Ceredigion is mapped here. Along the way, Ceredig was photographed in each community and appears in most of the project films. Ceredig’s journey has already taken on a life of its own, and we aim to free Ceredig to the wider community and to receive photographs of Ceredig in front of famous landmarks.