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Take a look at our frequently asked questions to learn more about the project.
In the 2024 Spring Budget, HM Government confirmed the allocation of £100 million of funding for culture projects, recognising the important role that culture and pride in place have to play in levelling up. After the 2024 Election, this funding was put on hold while the new administration settled in.
Following a review and consultation, the current Government decided to support a combination of nationally significant cultural investments from across the UK. Venue Cymru was awarded £10 million.
The largest contributions to this project are coming from the UK Government (£10m), UK Growth Deal (£5m), Arts Council Wales (£2m), and Welsh Government Transforming Towns (£2m). We have been fortunate to be supported by a wide range of funders, and we are hugely grateful for all the support we have received.
A list of funding streams is outlined below.
Conwy County Borough Council is only using grant funding for this project.
The council is facing significant financial pressures and must review how services are delivered to ensure they remain affordable and sustainable. The Tourist Information Service is a non‑statutory service, meaning the council is not legally required to provide it in its current form. Bringing the Tourist Information Service together with the area library at Venue Cymru allows both services to continue while reducing running costs and making better use of an existing council‑owned building.
Venue Cymru is already a well‑used, accessible location with good public transport links, step‑free access and longer opening hours. Co‑locating services helps reduce duplication, share accommodation and utilities, and enables staff to work more closely together. This creates opportunities to develop joint activities, events and advice, while operating within tighter budgets.
For residents and visitors, this change means simpler, one‑stop access to library services, local information, culture, events and tourism support in a single, welcoming and familiar venue.
No services are being withdrawn as a result of this change, but they are being delivered in a more cost‑effective way to help protect them for the future.
By bringing the area library and Tourist Information Service together at Venue Cymru will help make best use of a public building, owned by the council, and will deliver savings on running costs. Venue Cymru is already a well‑used, accessible location with good transport links, step‑free access and extended opening hours, making services easier to reach for more people. Co‑locating services also creates opportunities for staff to work more closely together, share information and develop joint activities, events and advice services. For residents and visitors, this means simpler, one‑stop access to library services, local information, culture, events and tourism support in a single, welcoming place.
No services are being withdrawn as a result of these changes.
This investment opportunity allows the Council to secure the ‑long-term future of core cultural, library and visitor services at a time when many public buildings face rising costs and declining budgets. Acting now helps avoid higher repair costs in the future and protects services for the long term.
No, the money is awarded for this specifically for this project. It can only be used to develop a cultural hub at Venue Cymru aimed at future-proofing the theatre, library and Tourist Information Service and creating a vibrant cultural shared space for both cultural practitioners and the public. The funding cannot be redirected to other council projects, used to support general staffing costs, or spent on unrelated services. Using the money for any other purpose would breach the terms of the award and is not permitted.
This project is being delivered using external capital grant funding that has been secured specifically for the Venue Cymru Cultural Hub. It does not divert or reduce funding from other council services or operational budgets. In addition, by bringing services together in a single, council owned building, the project is expected to reduce ongoing running costs through shared accommodation, lower maintenance and utilities, and more efficient use of space.
The proposed key elements of this project are:
Venue Cymru has an ‑on-site pay‑and‑display car park. In addition, there is a good amount of free on‑street parking available within a short walking distance of the building.
The car park to the rear of Venue Cymru includes several accessible parking bays located directly outside the entrance, providing easier access for Blue Badge holders.
Electric vehicle charging bays are available on site, and a small number of free short‑stay parking spaces are also provided.
The library collections will be located on the ground floor, removing the need for library users to navigate lifts or stairs.
Accessible parking bays, close to the entrance doors, will be available for library users.
Venue Cymru already offers a high standard of accessible facilities including multiple accessible toilets, dedicated baby-change areas and a Changing Spaces facility supporting users with a wide range of access needs.
Access to library facilities, including self-service for book loans and public computers, will be available throughout Venue Cymru opening hours, significantly extending the times when the library can be accesses. Staff hours will transfer to protect the full remit of the library service.
The services will be co-located with a café, free to use working spaces and community facilities.
Whilst Venue Cymru will remain open during the works, the main auditorium will close temporarily during the refurbishment programme. Confirmed closure dates will be shared publicly as soon as the programme timetable is finalised.
The temporary closure will cause some disruption to programming. However, the upgrades will ensure the theatre can continue to host high‑quality productions in future years, while also significantly enhancing the experience for audiences, performers and visiting companies.
We are actively exploring opportunities to programme shows and activities outside of the main auditorium during the closure period and will share further information when we have considered this further and plans have been fully developed.
The project includes a modest extension to the Venue Cymru building to provide dedicated space for the Culture Hub, supporting creative industries and community use.
The Culture Hub will be a welcoming, shared space within Venue Cymru designed to bring creativity, learning and community activity in one place. It will offer flexible areas for cultural organisations, freelancers, community groups and partners to meet, work, rehearse, learn and collaborate, alongside access to library and visitor services. By bringing cultural activity together under one roof, the Culture Hub will help make culture more visible and accessible, support local creative industries, and create opportunities for new partnerships, events and activities that benefit residents and visitors alike.
The project has been carefully designed to make the best possible use of both existing space and a modest new extension to the Venue Cymru building.
This will provide dedicated space for the Culture Hub, creative industries and community use, helping to ensure the theatre, conference, library service and Tourist Information Service can continue to operate effectively without competing for space. The library will be located across the ground floor foyer area including the new build and the existing box office / cafe bar areas. All layouts have been informed by professional design and operational planning to ensure Venue Cymru continues to function effectively as a major regional venue, while also accommodating new services and cultural activity in a coherent and well‑managed way.
Venue Cymru will remain open during the programme of works and conference events will continue as planned.
As refurbishment progresses, some entrances may be temporarily closed or re-routed, and conference clients will be guided to use revised access routes around the building. Venue Cymru staff will work closely with event organisers and the contractors to minimise disruption and ensure conferences continue to run smoothly during the works. All construction work required for this project will take place well away from our conference spaces and we do anticipate noise or dust transfer to affect our bookings.
Upon completion, our new Library facilities will provide well connected, quiet foyer desk space for delegates needing to catch up on work whilst attending an event.
Yes. In addition to physical improvements, the project delivers a range of wider benefits for residents, visitors and service sustainability:
We’re working closely with the project team to shape the plans for the library’s move and what the new space will look like. We’ll keep everyone updated as things progress.
The library currently occupies one floor within a building that is shared with other tenants. The library area will revert to the owner of the building who will be responsible for deciding on any future use of the space.
Yes
The Tourist Information Service was in a rented retail space. The unit has now reverted to the property owner who will be responsible for deciding on any future use of the space.
The Tourist Information Centre is now referred to as the Tourist Information Service. This reflects a more flexible way of delivering support to visitors. Co‑locating the service at Venue Cymru allows staff to be more mobile and visible across the venue, while continuing to provide trusted local advice and information.
The Tourist Information Service relocated into Venue Cymru on 1 May 2026. The service is now primarily based at the conference reception desk, with staff also working from the main theatre foyer when appropriate. This flexible approach allows the team to be more visible and responsive, depending on events and activity taking place within the building, while continuing to provide trusted local advice and visitor support.
No, the Tourist Information Service will be open Monday to Saturday, 9:30am to 5.00pm. During the summer months, we will also trial extended opening hours to align with scheduled shows at Venue Cymru. These additional times are currently being finalised and will be published once confirmed.
