Funding for a new arts and cultural hub in Wrexham town centre has been approved by the Arts Council of Wales.
Construction on the project, located at the People’s Market site, is scheduled to begin in January 2017, with an anticipated launch date in Spring 2018.
The Arts Council approved £2.3 million of funds which will combine with £1.5 million from Wrexham County Council and the Welsh Government’s Vibrant and Viable Places programme.
The arts hub will act as a major regeneration trigger for Wrexham, and will see a multi-storey car park and indoor market transformed into a facility with multiple uses, including a rejuvenated people’s market.
The new space will comprise a doubling of exhibition space to allow Oriel Wrecsam to present a variety of exhibitions, and improved learning studios to expand the offer to children and young people. A mixed use space will see film, performances and conferences held.
The development of creative industries in the town will be encouraged through the provision of studio spaces and there will be a food court with bar facilities to compliment the evening economy in the town centre.
Gallery retail space will enhance the exhibition programme and a multi-function flexi-space will provide monthly markets and performances in addition to improved market trading and retail opportunities.
Cllr Neil Rogers, Wrexham’s Lead Member for Economy and Regeneration, said: “It is an innovative scheme and one which see the regeneration of the People’s Market for use as a dual purpose facility for the benefit of the traders and the arts in Wrexham.”
Kath Davies, Director of Investment and Funding Services with Arts Council of Wales, said: “This project provides an exciting opportunity to create an innovative hub for creative activity that will inspire and nurture the ambition of communities across Wrexham and the wider area. This is a unique opportunity for the arts community and market traders to work alongside each other to develop a vibrant space which will play a key part in the regeneration of the town centre.”
Steffan Jones-Hughes, Arts Manager at Oriel Wrecsam, said: “We will draw on a rich seam of creative thinking in Wrexham that stretches back to paper-making for the first bank notes and world class ironwork. We believe this new space will harness Wrexham’s history of risk and experimentation by providing future generations with opportunities in this creative town.”
Oriel Wrecsam is widely anticipated by arts professionals across Wales. Chris Brown is an artist and musician, and co-founder and co-director of the artist-run gallery g39 in Cardiff. He said: “The scale and ambition of the project are equal to the significance of the arts scene in Wrexham and to the reputation Wrexham has developed as a home for the arts in North East Wales.”