News

£654,000 secured for new outdoor cultural and events space

15 Aug 2026 3 minute read

A sketch of what the new-look outside area at Storiel will look like, once completed

Nation.Cymru staff

Plans to create a new outdoor cultural and events space in the heart of a Welsh city have secured £654,000 in Welsh Government funding.

The Connecting Storiel project in Bangor will transform the area around the city’s Storiel museum and gallery, with space for performances, events and community activities.

The scheme is also intended to improve links between Storiel, Pontio and other parts of the city centre.

Plans include an amphitheatre-style seating area, landscaping, a more accessible entrance, improved outdoor café seating and new lighting to allow the space to host events throughout the year.

Cyngor Gwynedd said the project forms part of wider plans to create a cultural corridor through Bangor, linking the cathedral, library, Storiel and Pontio arts and innovation centre.

The funding was confirmed by Welsh Government Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning Siân Gwenllian during a visit to Bangor earlier this week.

The £654,000 will come from the Welsh Government’s Transforming Towns Programme.

The project has also secured support from the UK Government’s Pride in Place Impact Fund, while Shared Prosperity Fund money was used during the design stages.

The announcement comes as Storiel marks 10 years since opening. The museum and gallery, which houses collections relating to the history of Gwynedd, has welcomed more than 370,000 visitors during that period.

Councillor Nia Jeffreys, Leader of Cyngor Gwynedd, said: “This is great news for Bangor, for local people and for visitors to the city.

“We are delighted with the announcement and welcome the £654,000 investment. We were very pleased to welcome the Minister to Bangor and to talk her through the exciting plans for the outside space.”

Regeneration

Councillor Medwyn Hughes, Cyngor Gwynedd’s Cabinet Member for Economy, said: “Bangor has some excellent facilities and the Connecting Storiel project will strengthen the links between them by creating a high-quality outdoor space that supports events, culture and community activity.

“This investment is another important step in the regeneration of Bangor city centre, and we look forward to seeing the project progress over the coming months.”

The £654,000 award was announced alongside the establishment of a new Welsh Government Town Centre Taskforce, which has been set up to advise ministers on measures to support town and city centres across Wales.

Construction on the Connecting Storiel project is expected to be completed by spring 2027.

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