Former church opens as arts centre after £4.5m redevelopment

An arts centre housing a Welsh language theatre company has opened in Bangor following a £4.5m redevelopment.

Located in a renovated Grade II listed church, Nyth includes rehearsal and performance spaces, an underground cellar studio and smaller creative spaces for artist residencies. It will be the base for the Welsh language participatory theatre company Frân Wen.

The project received an investment of £1.8m from the National Lottery, administered through Arts Council of Wales, £1.2m through Cyngor Gwynedd by Welsh Government’s Transforming Towns programme, £300,000 from the Coastal Communities Fund, £250,000 from the Community Facilities Programme, £200,000 from the Garfield Weston Foundation, and £172,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Gethin Evans, Frân Wen's Artistic Director, said: "This space will be a hub for young people, artists and the wider community to come together, to connect, challenge, create and share through the arts.

"Supporting young people to reach their potential is what drives us, and giving them ownership over the development of the project has led to an inspiring building in terms of design and an ambitious and progressive program of creative activity for the future."

Maggie Russell, Cadeirydd Cyngor Celfyddydau Cymru said: "It’s amazing to see new life injected into this old building, and great to know that Fran Wen, a cornerstone of Welsh theatre for almost four decades, is continuing to develop and inspire young people to participate in theatre.

"Nyth will undoubtedly be an asset to the creative economy of the north-west as it provides new opportunities for those who wish to tread the boards or work backstage in the world of the theatre.”