Nyth creadigol newydd i blant a phobl ifanc ym Mangor

MAE canolfan newydd am "roi cyfle cyfartal i bobl ifanc gael mynediad i'r celfyddydau creadigol i'w hysbrydoli i ffynnu a chyrraedd eu potensial.”

Mae Frân Wen, cwmni sy’n arbenigo mewn theatr i bobl ifanc, wedi cyhoeddi cynlluniau i greu hwb creadigol pwrpasol gwerth £3.2m i blant a phobl ifanc ym Mangor. Wedi ei leoli yn hen Eglwys Santes Fair ar Ffordd Garth, bydd y ganolfan gelfyddydol yn gartref newydd i’r cwmni cynhyrchu a bydd yn cynnwys gofodau ar gyfer ymarferion, gweithdai a pherfformiadau ar raddfa fechan ar gyfer amrywiaeth o brosiectau creadigol.

Mae Frân Wen, sydd yr wythnos hon wedi cyhoeddi penodiad Cyfarwyddwr Artistig newydd, Gethin Evans, yn gobeithio rhoi bywyd newydd i adeilad sydd mor bwysig i’r dreftadaeth leol a’i atgyfodi yn ased cymunedol fydd yn llenwi bwlch creadigol i bobl ifanc ac yn cyfrannu tuag at adfywiad a chynnig diwylliannol yr ardal. Dywedodd Irfon Jones, cadeirydd annibynnol bwrdd Frân Wen, ei fod am i'r celfyddydau i bobl ifanc fod yn "fwy hygyrch a pherthnasol" wrth iddo rannu cynlluniau ar gyfer y datblygiad newydd.

"Mae cysyniad Nyth yn seiliedig ar gydweithio a bydd yn galluogi Frân Wen i ffynnu’n artistig a datblygu partneriaethau newydd er mwyn hyrwyddo grym trawsnewidiol y celfyddydau mewn meysydd yn cynnwys iechyd a lles a dysgu creadigol."

Mae Frân Wen, a sefydlwyd ym 1984 ac sydd wedi'i leoli ar hyn o bryd ym Mhorthaethwy, yn darparu rhaglen gyfranogol a chynyrchiadau theatr drwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg ar draws Gogledd Cymru a thu hwnt.

"Mae'r celfyddydau yn rhan hanfodol o gyfansoddiad a bywiogrwydd ein cymunedau ac ar adeg pan fo gofodau a chyfleon i bobl ifanc yn arbennig yn brin, rydym am greu hafan diogel i’w meithrin a’u cefnogi ar amser mor allweddol yn eu bywydau," ychwanegodd Irfon.

Mae'r cynlluniau ar gyfer y cartref newydd wedi eu datblygu gyda phobl ifanc o bob rhan o Ogledd Orllewin Cymru. Un o'r rhai sydd wedi bod yn rhan o'r broses yw Nia Hâf: "Mae'r broses yma wedi bod yn wirioneddol gydweithredol ac mae'r weledigaeth yn adlewyrchu anghenion a dyheadau pobl ifanc - bydd yn rhoi lle diogel i ni ymgysylltu, creu, chwarae a phrofi popeth y gall theatr a'r celfyddydau creadigol ei gynnig."

Disgwylir i'r ganolfan newydd fod yn hwb i artistiaid ifanc a newydd yng Ngogledd Cymru.

“Bydd Nyth yn caniatáu i ni barhau i gyflwyno gweithgareddau celfyddydol o ansawdd uchel i ysbrydoli’r genhedlaeth nesaf o bobl ifanc creadigol a mentrus.  Mae rhoi platfform i artistiaid ifanc ddatblygu a rhannu gwaith yn greiddiol i’r weledigaeth,” meddai Nia Jones, Cyfarwyddwr Gweithredol Frân Wen.

"Mewn cyfnod o bwysau economaidd cynyddol, bydd y datblygiad yn cyfrannu tuag at gynaliadwyedd Frân Wen, a bydd yn ein galluogi i gyflwyno rhaglen artistig uchelgeisiol i gynulleidfa ehangach a mwy amrywiol."

Yn dilyn pryniant y salfe y cam nesaf yw gwahodd penseiri i ymateb i’r weledigaeth a datblygu cynlluniau i drawsnewid yr hen eglwys.

"Rydym yn annog penseiri i ddatblygu syniadau arloesol a beiddgar i adfer ac ailfodelu'r hen eglwys yn adeilad unigryw a chyfoes sy’n ateb ein gofynion," ychwanegodd Nia.

Bydd Frân Wen yn cynnal ymgynghoriad llawn fel rhan o gam nesaf y datblygiad.

"Rydym yn edrych ymlaen at gydweithio gyda’r gymuned ehangach i greu hwb y gallant deimlo perchnogaeth gwirioneddol drosto.”  

Mae’r cam datblygu wedi sicrhau cefnogaeth ariannol gan Gyngor Celfyddydau Cymru, Rhaglen Targedu Buddsoddiad mewn Adfywio Llywodraeth Cymru a’r Gronfa Treftadaeth Bensaernïol. Dywedodd Kath Davies, Cyfarwyddwr Gwasanaethau Buddsoddi ac Ariannu, Cyngor Celfyddydau Cymru: "Mae'n bleser gan Gyngor Celfyddydau Cymru gefnogi datblygiad celfyddydau gyda phobl ifanc drwy ailddatblygiad yr adeilad hanesyddol hwn. Mae'r cynlluniau sydd wedi eu datblygu gan Frân Wen - i greu canolfan greadigol bwrpasol gwerth £3.2 miliwn i blant a phobl ifanc ym Mangor - yn gyffrous iawn a gobeithiwn y bydd yn trawsnewid eu gwaith a’u cyrhaeddiad.

"Nod strategol allweddol Cyngor Celfyddydau Cymru yw sicrhau bod y celfyddydau ‘er budd pawb ’ac mae ailddatblygu'r adeilad yma gan Frân Wen yn gyfraniad amlwg i'r nod hwn."

Ychwanegodd Matthew Mckeague, Prif Weithredwr y Gronfa Treftadaeth Bensaernïol: “Mae gweledigaeth Frân Wen ar gyfer yr adeilad hanesyddol hwn wedi creu argraff mawr arnom ni yn ogystal â’u dull o gyflawni hyn. Heb os, bydd ymgysylltu â phobl ifanc yn y cam dylunio pwysig hwn yn dod â syniadau ffres a chreadigol i'r amlwg a fydd yn helpu i wireddu'r gweledigaeth. Rydym yn falch iawn o gefnogi datblygiad y prosiect a fydd, yn ei dro, yn elwa mewn sawl ffordd: rhoi bywyd newydd i adeilad hanesyddol, gwag; ychwanegu at gynnig diwylliannol Bangor; helpu cynaliadwyedd hir dymor Frân Wen; a gwella mynediad pobl ifanc i'r celfyddydau.”

Rhagwelir y bydd y cyllid cyfalaf ar gyfer Nyth yn dod o ffynonellau buddsoddi cyfalaf amrywiol gan gynnwys loteri, buddsoddiad preifat, grantiau buddsoddi cyfalaf, cyfraniadau a chodi arian. Amcangyfrifir y bydd y cam datblygol yn parhau am 12 mis a bydd amserlen pellach i'r prosiect yn cael ei ryddhau wedi hynny.

- DIWEDD

Am ragor o fanylion, cyfweliadau neu lluniau cysylltwch â Carl Russell Owen yn Frân Wen ar carl@franwen.com, 07557113046 neu 01248 715048. 

New creative arts nest for children and young people in Bangor.

NEW centre will “give children young people equal access to the creative arts to inspire them to flourish and reach their potential."

Young people theatre specialists Frân Wen has today announced plans to create a new £3.2 million purpose-built creative hub for children and young people in Bangor. Located in the old St Mary's Church on Garth Road, the new arts complex will become the theatre production company's new home and will include rehearsal, workshop and small-scale performing spaces which will be used for a range of creative projects. Frân Wen, who has announced this week the appointment of a new Artistic Director, Gethin Evans, hopes to bring a new lease of life to this important local heritage building and bring it back into use as a community asset, filling a creative void for young people and contributing to the regeneration and cultural offer of the region.

Irfon Jones, independent chairman of the Frân Wen board, said he wanted arts for young people to be "more accessible and relevant" as he revealed plans for the new development.

"The concept of Nyth is based on collaboration and will allow Frân Wen to flourish artistically and develop new partnerships in order to promote the transformative power of the arts in areas such as health and wellbeing and creative learning."

Established in 1984 and currently based in Menai Bridge, Frân Wen delivers a participatory programme and theatre productions through the medium of Welsh, across North Wales and beyond.

"The arts is a vital part of the fabric and vigor of our communities and at a time when spaces and opportunities for young people in particular are limited, we’re looking to create a safe place to nurture and support them at such a crucial time in their lives," added Irfon.

The plans for the new home have been developed with young people from across North West Wales. One of those involved in the process is Nia Hâf, she said: "This has been a truly collaborative process, and the vision for Nyth really does reflect the needs and aspirations of young people - it will give us a safe place where we can engage, create, play and experience everything that theatre and the creative arts can offer." The new hub is expected to act as an incubator for young and emerging creatives in North Wales.

"Nyth will allow us to continue to deliver high quality arts activities and inspire the next generation of creative and enterprising young people.  Giving young artists a platform to develop and share their work is a key part of the vision." said Nia Jones, Frân Wen's Executive Director.

"At a time of growing economic pressure, this development will contribute to the sustainability of Frân Wen, and will enable us to deliver an ambitious artistic programme to a wider and more diverse audience."

Having purchased the site, the next stage for Frân Wen is inviting architects to respond to the vision and develop plans to transform the old church.

"We're challenging architects to develop innovative and bold ideas to restore and remodel the former church into an unique and contemporary building that delivers on our requirements," added Nia Jones.

Frân Wen will hold full public consultations as part of the forthcoming development phase.

"We're looking forward to working with the wider community to create a hub that they can truly feel ownership of.”

The design and development stage has secured financial support from the Arts Council of Wales, Welsh Government's Targeted Regeneration Investment Programme and the Architectural Heritage Fund. Kath Davies, Director Investment and Funding Services, Arts Council of Wales said: "Arts Council of Wales are delighted to support the development of the arts with young people through the redevelopment of this historic building. The plans that Frân Wen have developed, to create a new £3.2 million purpose-built creative hub for children and young people in Bangor, are very exciting and we hope will transform their work and outreach.

"The key strategic goal of the Arts Council of Wales is to ensure that the arts are ‘for the benefit of all’ and the redevelopment of this building by Frân Wen is an obvious contribution to this goal.”

Matthew Mckeague, Chief Executive of the Architectural Heritage Fund added: “We are impressed by Frân Wen’s vision for this historic building as well as their approach to achieve this. Engaging young people at this important design stage will no doubt bring fresh and creative ideas to the fore that will help realise the concept. We are delighted to support the project’s development which, in turn will reap multiple benefits: new lease of life for a vacant, historic building; add to Bangor’s cultural offer; help Frân Wen’s long-term sustainability; and improve young people’s access to the arts.”

Proposed capital funding for Nyth will come from a combination of capital investment including Lottery, private investment, capital investment grants, donations and fundraising. It is estimated that the current design and development stage will take 12 months, after which a further timeline for the project will be released.

- ENDS

For further information please contact Carl Russell Owen at Frân Wen on carl@franwen.com, 07557113046 or 01248 715048.

NOTES TO EDITOR

- ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT

The designs for the new creative arts hub were created in consultation with young people from across North West Wales. Creating a centre that safeguards green space and works with the existing landscape is a high priority for Frân Wen. The initial plans demonstrate how Frân Wen intend to fully integrate outdoor space to the concept - with existing trees playing an integral part in the design.

- PUBLIC CONSULTATION

A pre-planning public consultation will be announced in the coming weeks.

- ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE FUND

The Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF) promotes the conservation and sustainable re-use of historic buildings for the benefit of communities across the UK. They do this by providing advice, information and financial assistance in the form of early project grants and loans for projects undertaken by charities and not-for-private profit organisations.

http://www.ahfund.org.uk

- TARGETED REGENERATION INVESTMENT PROGRAMME

The Targeted Regeneration Investment (TRI) programme was launched by the Welsh Government and will see £22 million invested in North Wales. Bangor, along with Wrexham, Rhyl and Colwyn Bay, has been identified as regional priorities for regeneration between 2018-21.