Latest news with #TŷPawb

Leader Live
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Leader Live
International Spirit Fest set to bring dance to Wrexham
International Spirit Fest '25, now in its third year and produced by Paallam Arts, will take place in the city on Saturday, July 19. The free outdoor festival promises a vibrant celebration of dance and movement for all ages and abilities, featuring performances from professional artists, theatre troupes, and community dance groups. Krishnapriya Ramamoorthy, festival producer and CEO of Paallam Arts, said: "Spirit Fest '23 and '24 proved that art has the power to unite, inspire and uplift, making it a cornerstone event for Wrexham and beyond. "Creating and providing free high quality experiences to the public outdoors in the centre of their community is the perfect way for people to enjoy dance and movement without any barriers. "The festival is a celebration of dance and movement with artistic excellence at its core. "At Paallam Arts our aim is to build an interest around the art of dance and movement and presenting this accessible festival each year takes us one step closer to our mission." Queen's Square will be transformed into a lively performance space, with acts spanning local, national, and international talent. This year's line-up includes Hijinx Theatre, No Sleep Dance Theatre, Le Physical, Dope Dance Company, A Bird In the Hand Theatre, and Krystal Lowe's Daughters of the Sea. International performers will also feature, including Roseta Plancia from Spain and a Kalaripayattu team from Ayodhana Kalaripayattu Gurukkal in Bangalore, India. Two newly commissioned pieces will debut at the festival. Hijinx Theatre (Image: KIRSTEN MCTERNAN) The first, titled The World As We Know It, is choreographed by Tarun Dhaliwal and explores the theme of climate justice. The second, supported by the National Eisteddfod, is called Between the Hills and the Ocean: A Dialogue of Distant Songs. It will be performed at 1.45pm and tells the story of two strangers from different cultures meeting in a foreign land. The piece will be performed by Tarun Dhaliwal and Dina Robinson, with music by Cadi Glwys. Spirit Fest '25 is funded by the Arts Council of Wales, Wrexham Council's Community Cohesion team, the Multicultural Hub, and Community Foundation Wales. The event also includes school workshops at Tŷ Pawb in the days leading up to the festival, promoting movement, wellbeing, and early engagement with dance. READ MORE: Employment falls to record low in North Wales after NI changes Jo Marsh of Tŷ Pawb said: "Spirit Fest is a unique part of the cultural landscape in Wales, bringing together exceptional artistic talent in dance and movement art from across the world, alongside local and regional performers. "It is a privilege for Tŷ Pawb to be a partner with Spirit Fest, as part of our core aim of championing multicultural participation, artistic excellence and togetherness. "We are delighted to see the festival growing from strength to strength each year, for the benefit of both audiences and the artistic community. "Paallam Arts, led by visionary leader Krishnapriya Ramamoorthy, is an asset to Wrexham." The festival will also feature street food vendors and stalls hosted by community organisations such as Refugees Kindness and the North East Wales Multicultural Hub. Volunteers from Wrexham University will be on site to support the event and welcome visitors.

Leader Live
08-07-2025
- Business
- Leader Live
Lead member defends Tŷ Pawb as jewel in Wrexham's cultural crown
That was the core of an impassioned defence of the cultural market by Hugh Jones, Wrexham Council's lead member for Strategic Planning and Public Protection. Wrexham County Borough Council's Employment, Business and Investment Scrutiny Committee was examining a report into Tŷ Pawb's finances which showed the centre is improving it's financial position, but is still making significant losses. This year it is projected to make a loss of £89,000 – it's lowest loss for four years. Labour group leader Dana Davies led the probe by councillors. 'We're in a better position than we've seen previously and overspend is coming down year-on-year,' she said. 'Where are we sitting with our repairs and maintenance? I know we've had issues with the roof but I want to understand the future R&M costs. 'We also need a breakdown of the premises cost – R&M, utilities, rates, cleaning and waste removal come to £374,000, that seems high.' Cllr Jones said he would ask finance to provide that breakdown, but Plaid Cymru Cllr Andy Gallanders of Rhosnesni criticised the lead member. 'I'm disappointed in the reply you gave to Cllr Davies,' he said. 'You should know the finances inside out. 'It's also interesting Hugh, as lead member, that you've now admitted that the building once highlighted as the 'Crown Jewel' is not so sparkling anymore. 'Are the losses just the price for culture or a project that wasn't done right in the first place – i.e the building not being watertight? 'If this was a school, we'd be putting it into a three-year plan for deficit recovery. So what's the difference between this and our schools – where our headteachers are losing staff left, right and centre? Is it simply the cost of culture?' Read more: Popular arts centre still struggling to make profit Cllr Jones and Amanda Davies, city centre arts and culture lead, highlighted progress that had been made to reduce energy costs through solar power and challenges, including the allocation of 50 corporate car parking spaces at Tŷ Pawb for council staff. Cllr Jones defended Tŷ Pawb – arguing that the value of its contribution to culture and society in Wrexham far outweighed the costs it continued to incur. 'There is a cost of culture. There is a cost of fulfilling the council priorities, there is a cost to fulfilling the Welsh Government priorities in terms of community engagement and involvement,' he said. 'That's never going to come for nothing. 'When the Quarterbridge report first came out people were skeptical about our ability to get 100,000 people a year through the door at Tŷ Pawb, we've actually got 471,000 people through the door in the last 12 months. 'Tŷ Pawb is still the jewel in the crown for Wrexham. We have to realise the contribution that Tŷ Pawb makes to the community of Wrexham. Particularly to those communities that are difficult to reach. 'This doesn't cover the contribution Tŷ Pawb makes to improving people's lives across a wide section of the community in Wrexham. You can't put that down in pounds, shillings and pence. It delivers a huge community benefit and a benefit to us all. 'Yes we've got problems with the building but we're dealing with that. Overall, I believe Tŷ Pawb has been a success. You can't put a price on enriching people's lives so I would defend everything we do.'


BBC News
30-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Wrexham Ty Pawb cultural hub could overspend by £500,000
An arts venue seen as crucial to a UK City of Culture bid is facing a projected overspend of £89,000 this rents and charges have risen at Tŷ Pawb, which is set to form a key part of Wrexham's bid to take the title for 2029. The city missed out to Bradford for the UK City of Culture award in 2025, but councillors are keen to try again for 2029. However, unless further savings or additional revenue can be found by April next year, Tŷ Pawb is projected to have overspent its budget by more than half a million pounds since 2022. Wrexham council's Employment, Business and Investment Scrutiny Committee will examine the situation next week, with one area of the venue, the Maker Space, being converted into a retail unit for the budget pressures, the Local Democracy Reporting Service reported how the venue's popularity increased by 17% last year in terms of "everyone's house" in English, the space brings together market stalls, arts, and play for children, as well as gatherings of local groups."Tŷ Pawb is a vital and much loved community hub," said chairwoman of the Wrexham Community and Culture Trust, Joanna Swash."Its diverse cultural programme of internationally renowned exhibitions, performing arts, markets and family activities attracts local, national and international visitors to Wrexham city centre."Tighter financial monitoring has been put in place, while charges have also been introduced for an arts space which was previously available for a result, in 2024-25 it brought in £23,513 and is aiming to bring in a further £22,000 this is still needed at Tŷ Pawb which is contributing to the financial are ongoing into issues with the roof and the installation this summer of a new £63,000 car park management system to improve year the venue spent £42,000 on roof patching, flood repair works and upgrades to car park lighting. This article was written by a trusted journalist and then edited for length and style with the help of AI, before being checked again by a BBC Journalist. It's part of a pilot.

Leader Live
27-06-2025
- Business
- Leader Live
Popular Wrexham arts centre still struggling to make profit
The venue – a key part of Wrexham's UK City of Culture 2029 bid – has actually reduced its overspend year-on-year since over the last four years. Next Wednesday, Wrexham County Borough Council's Employment, Business and Investment Scrutiny Committee will consider the performance of Tŷ Pawb over the last 12 months and the venue's projected performance for 2025/26. Unless further savings of additional revenue can be found, by April next year Tŷ Pawb is projected to have overspent its budget by more than half a million pounds since 2022. Proactive measures to improve revenue at the venue include the creation of an income maximisation group which has tightened up Tŷ Pawb's financial monitoring and ensures opportunities to bring in new revenue are taken. In 2024/25 it brought in £23,513 and is aiming to bring in a further £22,000 this year. Market rents have increased 5% to keep up with inflation and the Useful Arts Space can no longer be used for free, with a charging framework in place and provision for eligible groups with external funding to use the space. Other measures to reduce the budget pressure have included the implementation of new venue hire rates. 'Tŷ Pawb is a vital and much loved community hub,' said Chair of Wrexham Community and Culture Trust Joanna Swash. 'Its diverse cultural programme of internationally-renowned exhibitions, performing arts, markets and family activities attracts local, national and international visitors to Wrexham City Centre. 'Tŷ Pawb supports many of the objectives of Wrexham's bid to become UK City of Culture in 2029. The importance of a thriving and dynamic cultural spacer cannot be overstated.' Investment is still needed at Tŷ Pawb which is contributing to the financial pressure. Investigations are ongoing into issues with the roof and the installation this summer of a new £63,000 car park management system to improve efficiency. Last year the venue spent £42,000 on roof patching, flood repair works and upgrades to car park lighting. The venue will also convert its Maker Space into a rentable retail unit, with its existing 'artist in residence' programme becoming a roaming role occupying vacant spaces as they occur. Tŷ Pawb's popularity continues to increase however, with footfall increasing 17% last year and its profile was raised in both the media and social media as it became a magnet for international media looking to learn more about the fabric of Wrexham society as the city's global reputation has blossomed. 'We are incredibly fortunate to have a vibrant and dynamic arts scene here in Wrexham, which Tŷ Pawb plays a pivotal role in,' said Vice-Chancellor of Wrexham University, Professor Joe Yates. 'Tŷ Pawb is one of the jewels in our city's crown and enriches the lives of our community.'


Business News Wales
21-06-2025
- General
- Business News Wales
WeMindTheGap Celebrates a Decade of Supporting Young People
Patron Sir John Timpson WeMindTheGap, a charity dedicated to supporting underserved young people in North Wales and the North West of England, has marked its 10-year anniversary with a special event at Tŷ Pawb in Wrexham. The celebration brought together current and former participants, trustees, funders, community leaders and supporters, honouring a decade of positive impact on young people who are not in employment, education, or training. Since its founding in 2014, WeMindTheGap has grown from supporting eight young women in its first year to now working with over 160 young people each week across the North West of England and North Wales. The charity, founded by Rachel Clacher and supported by Diane Aplin, offers a range of tailored programmes focused on life skills, coaching, emotional support and work readiness, all designed to help young people build confidence, independence, and brighter futures. Founder Rachel Clacher, co-founder of Moneypenny, reflected on the organisation's journey, saying: 'Diane and I started with one simple question—what could happen if young people who hadn't had the same chances as others were surrounded by love, care, and opportunity? Ten years later, we're seeing the answers every day.' The evening featured reflections from young people, known as 'Gappies', who shared personal stories of resilience, growth, and transformation—highlighting the long-term impact of the charity's wraparound support. Karen Campbell-Williams, Chair of Trustees, said: 'From supporting eight young people a year to walking alongside over 160 each week, the growth of WeMindTheGap reflects the scale of the need and the power of our model. We're proud of what we've achieved, but we know there is much more to do.' As part of its anniversary, the charity announced two new initiatives aimed at deepening its reach and accessibility: Discovery City: a gamified, digital platform co-created with young people, offering 24/7 access to personal development and life skills content. The Power of 10,000: a campaign to create 10,000 meaningful connections—personal and professional—for young people lacking the networks that often lead to opportunity. Ali Wheeler, CEO of WeMindTheGap, said: 'These initiatives reflect our commitment to meeting young people where they are—online, in their communities, and through sustained relationships. By creating meaningful pathways into work, education and independence, we're helping to build futures full of possibility.' Sir John Timpson, Patron of the charity, added: 'WeMindTheGap started as a brave idea. A decade later, it's a proven model that transforms lives through opportunity and care. I'm proud to see the charity's impact growing year after year.'