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A £4m investment in Aberystwyth Arts Centre, made possible through a grant of £2.6m from the Lottery Board of the Arts Council of Wales and the continued support of the University of Wales Aberystwyth, has been one of Wales? major Lottery success stories, writes Louise Amery. The venue?s annual report for 2000/2001 revealed that, in the first full year since the redevelopment project was completed, there has been a significant increase in attendances at events across the board, plus an increase in overall turnover.
The Arts Centre originally embarked on its redevelopment plans to address three main areas where attention was badly needed. Firstly, the facilities for the public and particularly access for disabled people were not up to current standards; secondly, specific spaces were needed to develop our community arts provision - particularly for our thriving dance, drama,music, literature, film and visual arts courses; and thirdly new sources of income were needed if our programme was to be maintained and developed.The project was specifically focused on these three areas but it had an impact on every aspect of the programme of the Centre, either by enhancing the quality of the experience or by allowing an expansion to take place.


The new facilities at the Arts Centre include a new cinema, gallery, workshop spaces (from dance studios to ceramics, and darkroom to recording studio), and a performance studio.There has also been a total refurbishment of front of house areas and the theatre foyer.The distinctive dome-like structure, designed by architect Peter Roberts of Smith Roberts Associates, has won a number of awards in the last year, including a prestigious award from the Royal Institute of British Architects ? one of only two awarded in Wales this year.Artistically, the new facilities have enabled us to attract bigger and better exhibitions, companies and artists to mid Wales.They have included Van Morrison, Jools Holland,Anthony Gormley?s ?Field for the British Isles?, and international touring companies from USA, Japan, Australia, Belgium, France and Ireland.

The project itself was not always an easy period for the Arts Centre - remaining open throughout the two-year building process even when the place looked more like a bomb site than a theatre was entertaining, and having two cancelled ?official re-openings? when the project ran over time created nightmare scenarios for the marketing team! But despite this, the annual report reveals the true extent of the success of the project:

? Live Performances and other events: Over 81,000 attendances at 629 events ? 45% increase on previous year Over 460,000 visitors to the venue in total

? Cinema: Attendances of 18,769 ? 250% increase on previous year

? Community Arts and Education Service: Over 50,000 attendances at 3,427 sessions ? 40% increase on previous year

? Trading: Trading income £814,000 ? 43% increase on previous year

? Income: Total income of £2.3m ? 73% increase on previous year

Director Alan Hewson believes it was the preparatory research and the commitment of the staff which laid the foundation for the success:?We spent an intensive two year period of research and consultation with existing and potential customers and this, together with our own vision gave us an invaluable insight into the enormous potential of our redevelopment plans. In addition the tremendous support from the arts centre staff and our loyal audience meant that we kept going throughout the rebuilding programme.There was also invaluable support from the design team particularly the architect Peter Roberts and also from the University.?

But everyone agrees that the hard work was worth it in the end ? and it can?t have been that bad an experience as we?re already planning more expansion in the next couple of years - watch this space!

Louise Amery is Deputy Director at Aberystwyth Arts Centre t: 01970 622889 e: lla@aber.ac.uk. A copy of the Arts Centre 2000/2001 Annual Report is available online at {www.aber.ac.uk/artscentre}.