Arts and Entertainment

Eight museums and libraries in Wales to get share of £1.1m for new community facilities

Published

2 years ago

23rd June 2021

Editor

Eight museums and libraries will benefit from £1.1million funding through the Welsh Government’s Transformation Capital Grants.

The Scheme aims to support local museums, archives and libraries to revitalise facilities with a particular focus on widening access, partnership working and developing sustainable services.

Five libraries will be modernised with the funding going towards new community facilities, and supporting the establishment of wider ‘hubs’ where people can access library services alongside a range of other amenities. Treorchy Library will be redeveloped and will work in partnership with the Park & Dare Theatre to create a new cultural hub for Treorchy to create a more modern and flexible space which can hold a wide range of events and activities.

In Rhayader, the Rhayader Museum & Gallery will see an Installation of a new mezzanine floor in a volunteer run museum to improve the exhibition space within the museum and create new storage areas for the collections.

As part of the multi-million Pendine Tourism Attractor project, the Museum of Land Speed, is being completely rebuilt. The funding will support the fit out of a multi-function education room, and a new exhibition space which will allow temporary displays and loans from national collections when the new development opens.

Maesteg

Awen Cultural Trust will get £46,833 for Maesteg Library and Town Hall fit out. The funding will be used to bring together the lending library and the local studies and family history resources into one space in a newly-developed library in Maesteg town centre.

New Tredegar

Caerphilly Council will get £50,000 for improvements to collections care and environmental monitoring at the Winding House Museum, which is located in the grade II* listed Elliot Winding House in New Tredegar.

Rhayader

CARAD will get £140,589 for Rhayader Museum & Gallery. The funding will be used for the installation of a new mezzanine floor in the volunteer run museum to improve the exhibition space within the museum and create new storage areas for the collections.

Pendine

Carmarthenshire Council will receive £150,000 for the Museum of Land Speed. The funding is for part of the multi-million Pendine Tourism Attractor project, focusing on the Museum of Land Speed, which is being completely rebuilt. This will support the fit out of a multi-function education room, and a new exhibition space which will allow temporary displays and loans from national collections.

Neath

Neath Port Talbot Council will get £250,000 for the relocation and redevelopment of Neath library to provide a modern and fit for purpose service, as part of a wider redevelopment of Neath town centre.

Pembroke

Pembrokeshire Council will get £250,000 for the relocation of Pembroke Library to a new facility, which will see derelict buildings transformed into a library, visitor centre, community space and café in a location close to Pembroke Castle.

Treorchy

Rhondda Cynon Taff Council will receive £128,400 for the redevelopment of Treorchy Library to create a more modern and flexible space which can hold a wide range of events and activities. The Library will work in partnership with the Park & Dare Theatre to create a new cultural hub for Treorchy.

Rhiwbina

Cardiff City Council receives £120,000 for the re-modelling and upgrade of Rhiwbina Library, transforming it into a new integrated Community Hub

Deputy Minister for Arts and Sport, Dawn Bowden, said: “The Welsh Government remains committed to supporting these important services – which will be so important in helping Wales to recover from the impact of the pandemic. These projects will widen access for our communities, promoting cultural engagement, providing learning opportunities and supporting community cohesion and prosperity – which is needed now more than ever.”

Minister for Finance and Local Government Rebecca Evans, said: “Our museums, libraries and archives provide crucial services for both the community and visitors across Wales.

“I am pleased to help fund the upgrades and improvements needed, and look forward to seeing the results as these vital projects progress.”