Transforming culture in communities – millions to modernise Welsh museums, libraries and archives

Trawsnewid diwylliant mewn cymunedau – miliynau i foderneiddio amgueddfeydd, llyfrgelloedd ac archifau Cymru

Funding for 31 projects spanning the whole of Wales
Cabinet Minister for Culture visits Newport Library ahead of major refurbishment
“These are places where people connect with our culture and history.”

Thirty-one local museums, libraries and archive projects across Wales are set to receive part of a £5.28million funding boost, helping to improve access to culture, protect collections and modernise facilities for communities.

The funded projects span all three sectors and include organisations of different sizes, from large local authority services to small independent and community-run museums.

They range from Holyhead Maritime Museum on Anglesey and Penmaenmawr Museum on the north Wales coast, to Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre in the south-west and the Egypt Centre and Swansea Museum in the south.

Projects stretch from the Richard Burton Archives in Swansea and Firing Line Museum in Cardiff, to the Opening Up Powys project in mid-Wales - with further investment in Ceredigion, Gwynedd, Denbighshire, Conwy, Monmouthshire and Merthyr Tydfil.

Marking the announcement, the Cabinet Minister for Culture and Sport Heledd Fychan visited Newport Library where grant funding will be used to transform the children's library, creating a more welcoming and inspiring space for young people and families.

The Cabinet Minister said:

"Museums, libraries and archives are at the heart of our communities across Wales. These are places where people connect with our culture and history, where children discover a love of reading, and where older people share their memories. They are places everyone should feel welcome. This investment will make a real difference, protecting vital collections, improving access and ensuring our cultural spaces are fit for the future.

“I'm delighted to see Newport Library among the projects receiving support and learning more about the transformation of its children's library firsthand."

This investment has been made available thorough cultural grant schemes designed to be accessible to organisations of all sizes, including smaller independent and voluntary bodies, where grants of up to £500,000 were available for projects.

Councillor Jason Hughes, Newport City Council's cabinet member for communities and sport, said:

"We would like to thank Welsh Government for this funding which will allow us to transform the children's library into a fully accessible and inspiring environment that will be used for class visits, early years groups and sensory play as well, of course, by those that want to borrow from a wide selection of fantastic books."

Notes to editors

Organisation	Project title
North East Wales Archives (NEWA)	Preparing for Creative Archives
Swansea University - Richard Burton Archives	Showcasing the Richard Burton Archives: creating a new physical and digital exhibition space
Newport CC - Newport Libraries	Central Library; Children’s library refurbishment
Conwy County Borough Council	Conwy Creative Culture Futureworks
CARAD Community Arts Rhayader and District	TimeScape Rhayader: Prioritising care for the buildings, collections and stories of our shared heritage.
Holyhead Maritime Museum	New Horizons - Ehangu Gorwelion
Internal Fire Museum of Power	The New Power Project: Decarbonising Internal Fire
MOMA Machynlleth	Environmental Efficiency Improvements
MonLife - Shire Hall	The Monmouth Story – Shire Hall Museum Project
Merthyr CC - Joseph Parry's Ironworker's Cottages	Future proofing and improving access to Joseph Parry’s Ironworker’s Cottage to ensure longevity and enhancement for its building, collections and visitor experience.
PDHT - Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre	Protecting our Cultural and Historical Assets: Infrastructure Repairs Urgently Needed for the Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre
Porthcawl Museum	Essential repairs to cell windows and essential renewal of CCTV cameras / Environmental and Security Upgrades
Llangollen Museum	Improving access to, and care of, Llangollen Museum assets, via digitisation and conservation.
Firing Line Museum of The Queen's Dragoon Guards and The Royal Welsh	Improving Access, Sustainability and Inclusive Digital Interpretation at The Firing Line Museum
Monlife - Abergavenny	New Display cases for Abergavenny Museum
Penmaenmawr Museum	Let’s Get Digital! Transforming Penmaenmawr Museum’s digital infrastructure and assets
Cyngor Gwynedd - Amgueddfa Lloyd George	Adnewyddu Bwthyn Highgate, cartref plentyndod David Lloyd George
National Trust - Plas Newydd	Improving Access to Plas Newydd Mansion
Powys County Council	Opening up Powys: Culture, Collections and Communities
Ceredigion Museum	Amgueddfa Ceredigion Museum Display Infrastructure Improvement Project
Denbighshire CC - Rhyl Library	To Reconfigure and Update Rhyl Library First Floor
Swansea Museum	Reliquiæ diluvianæ – protecting the relics of the deluge
Swansea University – The Egypt Centre	Enhancing the Legacy of the House of Death: Advanced Collections Care and Digital Engagement at the Egypt Centre
Ceredigion Archives	Combatting Climate Change through Archives Climate Control
Scolton House	Scolton House: “it’s bigger on the inside”
Museum of Land Speed	Igniting curiosity: enhancing accessibility and cultural engagement at the Museum of Land Speed
Pembrokeshire’s Mobile Library Service	Green miles: Pembrokeshire’s Mobile Library Service
Caernarfon Library	Caernarfon Living Library – Library Transformation Project
Colwyn Bay Library	Colwyn Bay Library Improvement and Sustainability Project
Pontypridd Museum	Pontypridd Museum Permanent Gallery redisplay