A NEW arts, cultural and community hub for young people in Bangor has officially opened.

Frân Wen theatre company has transformed the old St Mary's Church, a Grade II listed building on Garth Road, as part of a £4.5million project.

The development has turned the building into a fully accessible hub which includes spaces to create, rehearse and perform on a small scale, an underground cellar studio, and a number of smaller creative spaces for artist residencies.

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Gethin Evans, Frân Wen artistic director, said: "We are so excited to open the doors of our new home - Nyth.

“This space will be a hub for young people, artists and the wider community to come together, to connect, challenge, create and share through the arts.

"Supporting young people to reach their potential is what drives us, and giving them ownership over the development of the project has led to an inspiring building in terms of design and an ambitious and progressive program of creative activity for the future."

Established in 1984, Frân Wen delivers Welsh language participatory programme and theatre productions across North Wales and beyond.

The project has received support from:

  • National Lottery Capital Fund through Arts Council Wales.
  • Welsh Government's Transforming Towns Programme, through Gwynedd Council.
  • Welsh Government's Community Facilities Programme.
  • Heritage Lottery Fund.
  • Coastal Communities Fund.
  • Community Facilities Programme.
  • Garfield Weston Foundation.
  • Landfill Disposals Tax Communities Scheme WCVA.
  • Cist Gwynedd Community Support Fund.
  • Douglas Pennant Family Foundation, Oakdale Trust, Laspen Trust and the Moondance Foundation.
  • Crowdfunding campaign and individual contributions.

Minister for climate change, Julie James, added: “We want town and city centres across Wales to be the beating heart of Welsh communities, where people can access services, shops, communal and cultural spaces.

“I’m pleased to see the completion of this project which has transformed an empty church in the centre of Bangor into a fantastic arts and community hub, dedicated to young people and artists, that will promote the arts industry across the whole of North West Wales.

“Through our Transforming Towns programme, we were able to support the project with £1.2m of funding.

“This project is an excellent example of community engagement that we need to see in more of our town centres.”