Welsh Government invests £2m in Venue Cymru transformation
Llywodraeth Cymru yn buddsoddi £2m i drawsnewid Venue Cymru
Llandudno’s flagship entertainment and conference hub – which is the second largest arts venue in Wales after the Millennium Centre – is set for a major upgrade thanks to a £2 million investment from the Welsh Government Transforming Towns Programme.
The funding will help support the revitalisation of the 30-year-old venue, which currently employs 179 people and welcomes over 300,000 visitors annually, contributing £38.4 million to the regional economy.
Awarded to Conwy County Borough Council through the Welsh Government’s Transforming Towns programme, the new funding will enable essential internal and external refurbishment works.
This latest investment builds on over £500,000 already provided by Welsh Government Transforming Towns in 2024–25 for urgent upgrades and is part of the larger Venue Cymru Futures project—a collaborative initiative also supported by Arts Council of Wales.
Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government, Jayne Bryant, said:
“Venue Cymru is a cornerstone of North Wales’s cultural life and a vital economic driver for Llandudno. This funding reflects our commitment to breathing new life into our towns—creating places where people want to live, work, and visit.
“Through Transforming Towns, we’re investing in the future of our communities and ensuring that iconic venues like Venue Cymru continue to thrive.”
Sarah Ecob, Head of Service for Economy and Culture at Conwy County Borough Council, said:
“We are thrilled to receive this funding as part of the Transforming Towns programme.”
“This investment in the cultural future of our region will bring lasting benefits to the communities in Conwy County and beyond for many years to come. We’re all incredibly excited about the project and can’t wait to get started.”
Notes to editors
To date, the Welsh Government has invested a total of over £2.5m in the regeneration of Venue Cymru.
The Welsh Government’s Transforming Towns programme is also driving wider regeneration across Llandudno:
- £850,000 has been allocated to the Empty Spaces to Living Places scheme, converting long-term vacant properties into much-needed homes.
- £700,000 is supporting the redevelopment of the former M&S building into a family-friendly indoor entertainment hub, set to open in 2026.
Since 2022, £100 million has been invested across Wales through Transforming Towns, with a further £57 million available in 2025–26. The programme is helping to create jobs, boost local economies, and reimagine high streets as vibrant, mixed-use spaces for living, working, and leisure.
Transforming Towns is a Welsh Government programme providing £100 million to town centre regeneration in Wales. Town and city centres are an essential and personal part of Welsh heritage and community, and the Transforming Towns programme is dedicated to serving and connecting the people who live, work, learn and spend leisure time in them.
Link: Transforming Towns: support to improve town centres: Transforming Towns programme | GOV.WALES