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The Welsh have retained more of the culture of their Celtic forebears than have either the Scots or the English. A strong feeling of national solidarity exists in Wales, and a revival of Welsh nationalism has received political support; representatives of Plaid Cymru (the Welsh Nationalist Party) serve in the House of Commons in London. The Welsh are best known outside the country for their bardic and choral traditions exemplified in the eisteddfod, and in the male-voice choirs which have their roots in the chapel. The eisteddfod is a celebration of Welsh music, poetry, and culture. Eisteddfodau are held throughout the country each year, culminating in the annual Royal National Eisteddfod, attended by Welsh natives and those of Welsh descent from all over the world. The International Musical Eisteddfod is also held annually in Llangollen, in Denbighshire, north Wales. The Welsh literary tradition is one of the oldest and richest in Europe, dating back more than 1,000 years to the bardic poets. The most notable of the early Welsh bardic poets were Taliesin and Aneirin; the latter wrote the long poem Y Gododdin in about 600, describing the ill-fated efforts of a group of British warriors to recapture a fortress from the Saxons. The Mabinogion, composed between the mid-11th and late 13th centuries, is a collection of 11 prose stories and one of the most important works of early medieval European literature. Dylan Thomas is the best known of 20th-century Welsh-born poets, though he wrote in English.

Cultural Institutions

Principal libraries include the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth, one of Britain's copyright libraries, and the Library of the National Museum of Wales in Cardiff. Some major museums are the National Museum in Cardiff, the Museum of Welsh Antiquities of the University College of North Wales in Bangor, and the Welsh Folk Museum in St Fagans.

Art and Music

Wales has had it's share of famous painters, Richard Wilson and Augustus John are world-famous. As for music, the long and rich folk tradition has been maintained throughout the rural districts especially, and since 1906 the Welsh Folk Song Society has done valuable work in collecting and publishing this material. Choral singing, stemming from the religious revival of the late 18th century, is an extremely popular and characteristic part of Welsh musical life. Traditional instruments, especially the harp, are still played. The Welsh National Opera Company and the Welsh Theatre Company are notable contemporary arts companies. Wales also has a number of notable orchestras and an important dance company, Diversions, based in Cardiff.