‘Unplayable’ historic Welsh pipe organ to make music again thanks to grant

Emily Price

The full restoration of a “practically unplayable” historic Welsh pipe organ is one of 29 cultural projects to collectively receive over £3m in funding today.

The iconic 1910 Conacher Pipe Organ – the largest object on display in Pontypridd Museum – is currently in a poor state of repair.

Thanks to a grant of £150,000, visitors will soon be able to hear the organ play on demand through a digitally controlled trigger which allows a recital to be recorded and then played back without an organist being present.

Leading venues

This feature has only been installed in organs at a few of the world’s leading venues such as the Palau de la Música in Barcelona.

In the UK this facility features in the famous organs of Canterbury Cathedral and York Minster.

In total, 18 local museum, five library and six archive projects will receive funding from the Welsh Government to enhance their facilities and make them more accessible for visitors.

Projects include introducing a pollinator garden in Rogerstone library, lifts and braille interpretation in Dinefwr Park and digital enhancements for neurodiverse users in the Museum of Welsh Cricket.

Culture Minister, Jack Sargeant, said: “Our local museums, libraries and archive projects are vital community assets serving as visitor attractions, valuable resources for schools, and health and wellbeing hubs for the whole community.

“This fund will help protect them into the future.

“And it will do so with a focus on my priorities: improving access and facilities for visitors, diverse communities, families and young people; enhancing collection care and digital access; and developing the sustainability of the local culture sector.”

‘Beating heart’

Nigel Blackamore, Museum Business & Partnerships Manager at Pontypridd Museum, added: “The Conacher Pipe Organ is more than an instrument—it’s the beating heart of our museum and a living link to Pontypridd’s rich musical heritage.

“Restoring it will not only revive its powerful presence but also reconnect generations through sound, memory, and innovation.

“Thanks to the generous support of Welsh Government, and the expertise of leading organ builders, we’re harnessing digital technology to ensure this iconic object doesn’t fade into silence but sings once again for our community and the world.”

Local authorities can currently bid for a share of a further £2.5m for their local museums, libraries and archives over the next 12 months.

A total of £15m in funding attached to the Welsh Government’s Priorities for Culture  will be distributed to the culture sector in Wales by the end of March.