Aberystwyth Arts Centre

The University College of Wales, Aberystwyth began building Aberystwyth Arts Centre on its Penglais campus in the 1960s to serve the College, the town of Aberystwyth, and the surrounding counties. The first phase was the concert hall (the Great Hall), which opened in 1970. Designed by architect Dale Owen of the Percy Thomas Partnership, the building was awarded the RIBA Gold Medal for Architecture in Wales. The hall also received the Gold Medal for Architecture at the National Eisteddfod of Wales of 1971. The second and final phase was the theatre ('Theatr y Werin', literally ‘theatre of the people’), completed in autumn 1972. From the outset the Arts Centre pursued a diverse programming…

The 312-seat theatre's programme mixes professional and community productions. In-house productions are also taken on tour. The programme includes a range of theatre, dance and music events, with a family show at Christmas and a traditional pantomime. The summer season production runs for five weeks in July and August. The Arts Centre has an active youth theatre programme with members who have continued to professional careers in the performing arts. Taron Egerton and Gwyneth Keyworth both went on to win places to study at RADA. They performed together in a production of Little Shop of Horrors in 2007.