News

Wrexham’s £200m City of Culture dream gets major boost from leading arts centre

16 Jul 2026 5 minute read

Wrexham Business professionals; guest speakers Samantha Rhodes director of the Ruthin Craft Centre and Sir Terry Waite with Louise Harper WBP. Image: Mandy Jones

Nation Cymru staff

A leading north Wales arts centre has backed Wrexham’s bid for a potential £200 million City of Culture windfall.

Wrexham is one of nine places across the UK to be longlisted for the prestigious title in 2029, with the winner set to receive a £10 million UK government prize to help deliver a year long programme of cultural events

The accolade is expected to unlock up to £200 million of additional investment and spending to boost the local economy.

Speaking at a meeting of Wrexham Business Professionals, Ruthin Craft Centre director Samantha Rhodes said the arts and the business communities had an important role to play in strengthening the city’s bid.

The influential group, made up of successful businesses and skilled professionals working together to promote regional prosperity and shine a light on the enterprise and expertise that exists in the region, has also thrown its weight behind the campaign.

Ms Rhodes revealed that textile artist Haf Weighton, whose work, including Wrexham’s High Street, was recently exhibited at the centre, has been appointed a cultural ambassador for the City of Culture campaign.

She has already showcased the project internationally, at the Costume and Textile Association of New Zealand’s annual symposium, after securing a Wales Arts International grant.

“Haf’s work interprets the many faces, surfaces and meanings of the High Streets she depicted in north and south Wales, including Wrexham, through stitch, paint and print,” said Ms Rhodes.

“For centuries the High Street has been at the heart of every community. Formed by shopfronts, buildings and pavements that line a main road it’s where place is born.

“She has been contacted recently by Mary Portas, the Queen of High Street shops, and asked about the context of the Wrexham High Street works which can only be good for the bid.”

Wrexham Business professionals; guest speaker Samantha Rhodes director of the Ruthin Craft Centre. Image: Mandy Jones

Ms Rhodes appealed to businesses to help fund arts activities for young people at the centre and referred to initiatives available through Arts & Business which provides some match funding.

“The economic situation is undoubtedly having an impact on the arts and I am very keen to connect with the business community in north Wales.”

Her fears were echoed by another speaker at the meeting, the peace campaigner and renowned humanitarian, Sir Terry Waite.

Sir Terry, 87, said: “The way modern society is moving forward is led by technology and the emphasis of our educational policy is geared towards that and the arts are being gradually pushed to the extreme. In some schools arts subjects are being dropped.

“This is a fundamental mistake because the brain, as neuro scientists have found, has two hemispheres with the left side doing the computing and the right is the area of imagination and creativity.

“Neglect that right area you become off-balance and we see that is small ways these days where young people taught with technology have difficulty conversing with others.

“So don’t dismiss the arts as something of an added extra on the periphery. It’s vitally important to personal and corporate health and that’s why any sensible government will take care of the arts.”

The former Archbishop of Canterbury’s peace envoy was attending the International Musical Eisteddfod at Llangollen where he served as the festival’s president for 15 years from 2006.

Sir Terry, who hails from Bollington, Cheshire but who now lives in Suffolk, spoke about how Hostages International, a charity he founded, supports people who are taken hostage over business disputes.

Louise Harper, from Wrexham Business Professionals, who chaired the meeting, said: “Winning UK City of Culture would be a real boost for businesses across Wrexham. It’s an opportunity to raise the city’s profile, attract more visitors and investment, and create lasting benefits for the local economy.

“Supporting the bid fits perfectly with Wrexham Business Professionals’ commitment to championing the region and highlighting the talent, innovation and expertise we have here.

“It’s also really encouraging to see the Welsh Government and Wrexham County Borough Council putting so much work into the bid. We all hope Wrexham can secure the UK City of Culture title.”

Ms Harper added: “We have had a wonderful morning in the company of two inspiring speakers.”

She then introduced a surprise when three youth choirs who were competing at the Llangollen International Eisteddfod filed into the room.

Members of Coro Vivo, Camerata and Arioso are part of the Seattle Children’s Chorus who are touring Wales and Scotland this summer.

Led by Dr Jean-Marie Kent the choirs sing a wide range of repertoire from folk songs to newly commissioned works and joined together to perform three songs at Wrexham to the delight of the audience.

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