Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre

Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre (Welsh: Canolfan Celfyddydau Llantarnam Grange) is located within a 19th-century Victorian manor house in Cwmbrân and is the regional centre for the applied arts in south-east Wales. It presents exhibitions promoting the applied arts, and extensive education and participation schemes of work to the local community.[1]

Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre
Established1966
LocationCwmbrân, Wales, United Kingdom
Coordinates51.65°N 3.02°W / 51.65; -3.02
TypeArts centre
OwnerLlantarnam Grange Arts Centre Ltd
WebsiteOfficial website

The arts centre is a registered charity governed via a voluntary board of trustees and is a revenue-funded client of the Arts Council of Wales. It holds a service level agreement with the local Torfaen County Borough Council. Additional funding comes from Monmouthshire County Council, Cwmbrân Community Council, Croesyceiliog & Llanyrafon Community Council and independent trusts and foundations.

Background

Llantarnam Grange is on the site of a much earlier property owned by Llantarnam Abbey, called Gelli Las. Some time after 1871 it became a farmhouse known as Llantarnam Grange. When the last occupier died in 1952, the building was purchased by Cwmbrân Development Corporation, becoming a postal sorting office. In April 1966, it reopened as Llantarnam Grange Societies Club. It was a place for club meetings, theatre performances and art exhibitions before being taken over as an arts centre by the trustees of Llantarnam Grange in 1983.[2]

The centre celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2016.[3]

The main gallery and gallery 2 house six temporary exhibitions throughout the year (featuring sculpture, ceramics, jewellery, textiles, paintings, photography and printmaking). At various times exhibitions of work from the local community are also displayed.[4]

Llantarnam Grange normally holds as many as 24 original exhibitions every year and, between 2011 and 2014, saw visitor numbers increase by one third.[5]

Family Group sculpture
Family Group by David Horn, 1965

Located directly outside the centre is the Family Group sculpture by David Horn. The fibreglass sculpture representing "a family group facing the stresses and strains of growth in a new community" was presented to the people of Cwmbrân by the Cwmbrân Arts Trust. It was unveiled by Leo Abse MP on September 23, 1965. It was relocated outside the arts centre in 2001.

Originally, the sculpture stood on a cobblestone base within a spiral walkway at the end of The Parade, near the south-east corner of General Rees Square. Unloved by the local population, it is currently in a state of disrepair caused by vandalism to the fibreglass and graffiti.[6]

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References
  1. Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre
  2. History, Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  3. Luke Jarmyn (31 March 2016). "Llantarnam Grange celebrates 50th anniversary (From Free Press Series)". Freepressseries.co.uk. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  4. Torfaen Online Services Archived 30 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  5. "Cwmbran arts centre visitor figures surge by third". South Wales Argus. 30 July 2014. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  6. Family Group statue Archived 20 February 2005 at the Wayback Machine
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