Much-loved arts centre to reopen following revamp

A major multimillion-pound revamp of a much-loved arts centre is on course to be completed this summer as planned.

Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT) Council has given an update on Pontypridd’s Muni project and confirmed “very good progress” is being made, with the work on course to be finished within the planned timeframe.

Y Muni will be operated by Awen Cultural Trust with live music, comedy and event cinema.

The venue will have a new bar designed over two storeys, while the auditorium is being refurbished and the foyer, mezzanine and bar areas are being remodelled.

Lifts, toilets, dressing rooms and Changing Place facilities are also being installed.

National Eisteddfod

The council said it will be a key supporting site for wider events during the National Eisteddfod of Wales 2024, which is being hosted at Ynysangharad War Memorial Park in Pontypridd from August 3-10.

The venue will then formally open to the public as an arts and events hub later this year.

Some of the external works completed include stonework repairs, thorough cleaning, a new roof with solar panels, new openings into the ground-floor section of the bar and replacement windows.

Internally, the auditorium ceiling has been completed, high-level work including mechanical and electrical services has been done in the auditorium, a new gallery has been installed in the auditorium, a mezzanine in the bar area has been formed, the lift shaft has been created, and an air handling unit for mechanical ventilation has been installed.

The works to be done in the weeks ahead include placing the flooring in the auditorium, installing the retractable seating area and fitting out the bar and kitchen areas.

The aim of the project is to create a modern arts and events hub, while enhancing and conserving the building’s original features.

Grade II listed

The redevelopment started in 2023 in a bid to revitalise the popular Pontypridd landmark.

The Muni is a gothic-style, grade II-listed building in the heart of the town, originally built as a Weslyan Chapel in 1895. More recently it became a recognised and valued regional hub for arts and music.

In 2019, the council and Awen Cultural Trust announced plans to redevelop the Muni into a fully-accessible arts venue, while repairing and refurbishing the building’s gothic features.

In 2021, £5.3m funding from the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund was secured for the project.