Almost 1,400 people attended performances at Y Muni’s theatre in Pontypridd in August and September last year after it re-opened. Figures from a report to Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT) Council’s strategic culture and arts steering group show there had been a total 1,584 visitors to the theatre and that 1,385 people had attended events there in August and September which is 65% of the seats available for shows in that period.
There had also been a total 199 people participating in events at the theatre in that time. Y Muni, formerly known as The Muni Arts Centre, was open on August 3 to host a programme of events as part of the National Eisteddfod in Rhondda Cynon Taf 2024.
The report said that the Eisteddfod provided a great platform for the relaunch of the newly redeveloped venue. Y Muni then officially re-opened to an audience of over 250 people on Saturday, September 14 with Ponty Live! – a celebration of local professional and amateur musical talent, bringing together around 140 different performers including Pontypridd Male Voice Choir, Pontypridd Theatre Company, Hazel and Grey, Bethan Nia, and The People The Poet.
It has also hosted Wales’ regional heat of the BBC New Comedy Awards which was filmed for broadcast on BBC Wales, the Sustainable Schools Conference in partnership with RCT Council, live music from Dan Donnelly and Jon Sevink from folk-rock band The Levellers and events as part of the first Morfydd Owen Festival. In June 2019, the council agreed to take forward a tenancy with Awen Cultural Trust following consideration of the business plans for the asset transfer of the Muni Arts Centre, now known as Y Muni.
Major redevelopment of Y Muni started with a grant of £250,000 secured from the Welsh Government’s Transforming Towns Placemaking Grant, with match funding of £250,000 from RCT Council, to enable essential refurbishment works to be carried out. There was a grant of £5.383m secured from the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund, enabling the exposure of the original gothic architecture, improving the building’s environmental sustainability, eliminating the heritage deficit, making it an easier building to maintain and strengthening its viability and sustainability, the report said.
Awen also set up a programme of community development work, funded by the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund, to develop relationships and build partnerships in readiness for Y Muni’s reopening. This included Voice from the Market which was a project capturing Pontypridd Market stallholders’ and shoppers’ stories leading to the creation of two songs, a spoken word piece and a music video, performed by The Honest Poet.
It also included Music in the Market which involved weekly live music at The Market Quarter including range of musical talents. And there was “Tir Afonydd” – a new piece of music created with pupils from Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Evan James, exploring the heritage of Y Muni and the town of Pontypridd, with renowned Welsh chamber folk trio Vri. To get all the latest Pontypridd news straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here.
A lease and services agreement was signed on September 10, 2024 setting out the relationship between the council and Awen Cultural Trust in respect of operation of the venue up to 2028/2029. This includes the monitoring arrangements for the agreement and the responsibilities of the council in respect of repair and maintenance of Y Muni and ongoing support delivery for the service agreement.
Awen has agreed to manage and operate the facility and services and be responsible for minor repairs/replacement and general maintenance to things like the external walls (structure), flat and pitched roofs, floors, staircases, ceilings, windows and doors, internal walls and fixed mechanical and electrical services. It has agreed to develop and implement a range of strategic arts, music and cultural services and activities available at the facility, develop and implement marketing strategies to promote and encourage maximum participation, continually develop the programming to encourage new users and develop activities and programmes accessible to all section of the local community.
Awen has also agreed to ensure a balanced, commercially sustainable programme, with a focus on high quality live music, stand-up comedy and theatre, commit to becoming a member of an operational Creative PontypriddGroup and attend quarterly review meetings with the council to discuss future planned programme and the use of Y Muni, funding application, the financial position, complaints and customer feedback and maintenance issues. The trust has also agreed to attend bi-annual meetings with the director of public health, protection and community services and the cabinet member for communities and well-being to review performance and present service development plans.