National Lottery Success For Conwy Culture Centre

Conwy County Borough Council wins Heritage Lottery Fund Support ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Conwy County Borough Council has been awarded £900,000 by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for the Conwy Culture Centre project. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The project aims to create a new integrated Culture Centre for Conwy County, incorporating a community heritage and arts hub, archive and area library. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The aim of the proposed Culture Centre is to improve access to and enjoyment of Conwy’s archive, heritage and library collections for residents and visitors to Conwy county and town. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Located on the site of the old Bodlondeb school just outside Conwy town walls, the design of the Centre will be sympathetic to the town’s history. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Council’s Archive and Museum collections comprise over 80,000 catalogued documents and nearly 1000 objects. Together, they help tell the story of the development of the area and its people from prehistory to the present day. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The collections shed light on every aspect of people’s lives throughout history: their communities, faith, school and education, working lives, culture, holidays and leisure. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Chris Hughes, Conwy’s Cabinet Member for Communities said: “We’re thrilled to be awarded this grant by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), it’s great news for this innovative and exciting project. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“By putting our library, museum and archive together under one roof there is tremendous potential for bringing our unique and rich heritage to as wide an audience as possible. We want to make sure that the county’s historical collections are developed for the benefit of everyone living in, or visiting, Conwy County. The Culture Centre will offer a hub for developing the heritage offer, and working with our independent museums, history groups, heritage volunteers and historical attractions.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Richard Bellamy, Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund in Wales, added: “Thanks to National Lottery players, projects such as the Conwy Culture Centre are combining history with the needs of today’s community, bringing a fantastic new local resource to the area. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Our historic archives are a valuable tool, and making them more accessible will help people connect with their community’s past. To do that under the same roof as other key facilities like a new library will benefit everyday lives and help make Conwy a better place in which to live and work.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The total project cost is £3million, which will include this £900,000 grant from HLF and £1.5 million capital funding and sale of buildings from Conwy County Borough Council. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The next step for the project team is to identify funding for the outstanding amount. Once confirmed the construction will then go out to tender. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​