World Flocking To Swansea To Learn About Dylan’s City Links

Close to 2,000 visitors from across the world learned all about Dylan Thomas in Swansea last week. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Figures from the Dylan Thomas Centre show an incredibly busy week for the Dylan Thomas Exhibition, the attraction’s learning space and the variety of family workshops that have been held there. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

As well as from across Wales and the rest of the UK, visitors arrived from the USA, Canada, Italy, Austria and Belgium. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Swansea Council runs the exhibition and activity programme, which celebrates Dylan’s life, work and links with his home city. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The exhibition was extensively refurbished in readiness for the 100th anniversary of Dylan’s birth in 2014, thanks to a major grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) with support from Swansea Council. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Touch-screen displays and a 3D timeline exploring Dylan’s life and work are among the features of the refurbished exhibition. An interactive trail for children has also been introduced, as well as a deconstructed shed installation that focuses on Dylan the writer by exploring his methods of composition and his creative relationships. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The world-famous voices of Prince Charles and Richard Burton reading lines from Dylan’s works are among those included a new audio-visual installation. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Robert Francis-Davies, Swansea Council’s Cabinet Member for Enterprise, Development and Regeneration, said: “It’s really encouraging to see the visitor figures at the Dylan Thomas Centre last week. We’re really fortunate in Swansea to have world class coastal scenery at our fingertips, but attractions like the Dylan Thomas Exhibition, as well as those run by the private sector such as 5 Cwmdonkin Drive, ensure that we’ve got a range of top quality indoor attractions too. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We’re rightly proud of our links with Dylan Thomas, and the Dylan Thomas Exhibition, learning space and family workshops are combining to educate visitors from around the world about the wordsmith and introduce new generations of young people to his works and enduring relevance. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Attracting such a high volume of people to the Dylan Thomas Exhibition and programme will also hopefully have had a positive benefit for other nearby businesses and attractions in the Maritime Quarter.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Visitors have described the exhibition as ‘fascinating’, ‘very well-presented’ and ‘beautifully done’. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​