Inside the Victorian church converted into a stunning arts centre
Last year, the Welsh-language youth theatre company Frân Wen moved into a new home in what used to be St Mary’s Church in Bangor.
A Victorian religious building, with all its attendant access difficulties, acoustic complexities and energy inefficiencies, might not seem like the most logical home for a performing arts centre, but thanks to an inspired restoration programme led by architects Manalo & White, the new arts centre – named ‘Nyth’ – is a thriving, dynamic space that has proven itself for performance, rehearsal, set building, scriptwriting, and more.
Nyth‘s design was recognised earlier this year with a clean sweep of prestigious architectural awards (namely Building of the Year, Client of the Year, a Welsh Architecture Award, and the Sustainability Award), but perhaps most importantly, it has already become a beloved and well-used hub for both Frân Wen and the surrounding Bangor community.
Next month, there is a unique opportunity to visit Nyth and explore the space, and to speak directly to the architects responsible for the transformation. On Wednesday 8 October 2025, Manalo & White will be leading exclusive behind-the-scenes tours of the building, including the three performance areas, rehearsal spaces and dressing areas, exterior landscaping – and even the artist-designed internal wayfinding system built using the old organ pipes.
There are two tours, one at 4.30pm, and one at 7pm, both led by Takuya Oura, Associate Director, Manalo & White in conversation with Nia Jones, Artistic Director of Frân Wen. If you’d like to attend one of the tours – you can book a spot HERE
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Although not religious myself, it pains me to see such beautiful buildings go to rack and ruin. How many chapels or churches do we see boarded up, stained glass windows smashed, slowing crumbling. I think by saving and converting once places of worship into a community hub, whatever, is wonderful. Too many are simply demolished destroying our cultural heritage in the process. I think those religious leaders of yesteryear would be happy that their hallowed halls , once a focal point, is again serving a purpose.