Welsh government urged to secure future of Theatr Clwyd

A multi-million-pound development of Theatre Clwyd could stall if the Welsh Government fail  to help secure funding.

That’s the view of North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood who has called on the Welsh Government to assist Mold’s Theatr Clwyd in its bid to secure enough funding for its proposed redevelopment project.

Mr Isherwood made the plea in the Assembly Chamber during questions to the Economy Secretary, He said:

“Theatr Clwyd is the biggest production centre or producing theatre in Wales, a major contributor to the North East Wales economy, a major employer, and seeing increasing turnover over recent years.

“The Arts Council have funded a feasibility study for the capital redevelopment project proposed, and have now put in their biggest ever funding of over £1 million for the design and development phase, with the Council match funding that.

But, in total, they’re going to need £15 million to £22 million over three years to complete the project, and they tell me that if they can’t deliver the capital programme now, the building will have to be closed.

“What involvement are you and your department having to support them, to give them the confidence to know that they can access that level of funding, to ensure that the biggest producing theatre in Wales will continue to prosper and grow?

In place of the Economy Secretary, the Minister for Culture, Tourism and Sport, Dafydd Elis-Thomas, answered Mr Isherwood’s question, He said:

“I am pleased to give the assurance that this building will be maintained as a live theatre, and will be refurbished over a period of time.

In fact, it makes its place, and gains its place already, as an example of late modernism in John B. Hilling’s latest edition on the architecture of Wales, which has just been published.

“I have visited Theatr Clwyd myself and have had long discussions with them.

We are unable to indicate clearly how we will progress this refurbishment, but I do recognise what the Member says about the importance of the theatre, not only as a cultural asset in North East Wales, but as an economic driver across the Marches, since it obtains a lot of support from the North West of England as well.

“It is a high-priority project, both for the Welsh Arts Council and for Welsh Government, and we will continue to ensure, as the Member says, that this building will remain to be a major production centre for live drama, set as it is in the beautiful countryside of Clwyd, and, in particular, in the area around Mold and the Alyn river.”

Mr Isherwood added: “Theatr Clwyd, which generates over £7 million for the North East Wales economy annually and employs over 200 core and relief staff, plus over 300 creative freelancers each year, deserves support.”

Flintshire County Council’s Cabinet gave its backing to the project back in June which will see the theatre refurbished and improvements to customer areas.

The funding needed has been estimated at £22m from Welsh Government, £5m from the Arts Council of Wales and £3m locally, with £1m identified as being from the Council.

The costs of detailed design and development is estimated to be around £1.2m, Flintshire council has allocated match funding of £330,000 while the Arts Council of Wales will contribute £1m funding it has also earmarked a further £5m for the project.

Welsh Government supports the scheme but said in June further information was needed before final confirmation of capital funding could be provided.

The scheme would not be able to go ahead without the commitment of funding from Welsh Government.