A Stage for Success
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Royal Welsh College of Music and
Drama?
We are the National Conservatoire of Wales, the only one in the
country. We train actors, musicians, scenic and costume designers,
theatre technicians and stage managers as both undergraduates and
post-graduates and we also run courses for young people and adults.
We put on over 300 public performances a year, both at the College
and at venues across the capital and have a successful track record
in helping develop new talent with celebrated alumni including Sir
Anthony Hopkins, Rob Brydon, Ruth Jones (both Gavin &
Stacey), Jo Joyner (Eastenders) and Eve Myles (BBC
Wales’ Torchwood).
The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama is part of the
University of Glamorgan Group.
What are we planning to do?
We aim to provide world class facilities in which to train our
students, and attract the best students to come to study in
Cardiff. In addition to our current facilities we’ll be adding a
450 capacity concert hall, 160 seat theatre, drama rehearsal rooms,
an exhibition space and public facilities
Why do we need to develop?
At the moment the Royal Welsh College is the only Conservatoire
without a concert hall and both drama students and the Symphony
Orchestra have to rehearse off-site. It will also
put the College in a position to attract the very best talent in
both students and teaching.
When will it happen?
Proposals were submitted to Cardiff Council on June 30th 2008.
Planning permission was granted in late 2008 and construction began
in the summer of 2009, with a 15-18 months projected build. The
build is due for completion in Spring 2011.
Who is paying for it?
Following the College’s strategic alliance with the University
of Glamorgan, we have now secured almost 80% of the funding via
HEFCW (Higher Education Funding Council for Wales), the Welsh
Assembly Government and loan finance. A further £3.5m is to be
raised via a capital fundraising campaign, which will launch later
this summer.
What type of building will it be?
A landmark civic building marking the entrance to Cardiff on a
major arterial road,
The new building will be sensitive to its historic and natural
setting, celebrating the surrounding landscape which includes
Cathay’s Park, Bute Park and Cardiff Castle. It will also aim to
reach the most advanced environmental standards, including a BREEAM
Excellent rating.
What are the green credentials of the
building?
There new development will seek to use some of the latest
technology for heating and cooling. Passive systems for natural
heating and cooling will be incorporated wherever possible, which
harness the thermal massing of the concert hall and theatre and
make use of natural ventilation.
Who are the architects?
Hamiltons architects were chosen because of their wealth of
experience in the arts and education sector. Established in 1967,
Hamiltons is a highly successful, award-winning, design led
architectural practice. Based in London with over 270 staff,
the practice has a diversity of skills and expertise in
architecture and master-planning spanning residential, offices,
hospitality, cultural, education, industrial and transport
infrastructure projects. In recent years the practice has undergone
an exciting process of transition responding to an increasingly
diverse and demanding range of projects.
How will the development impact on current
students?
It is of the utmost importance that the student’s college
experience is not adversely affected by the build and we are
currently working with the Project Managers to plan and manage
this. Much of our current music teaching takes place either in the
Anthony Hopkins Centre or at the rear of the Raymond Edwards
Building and so will not be affected. Similarly much of our drama
teaching currently takes place off-site. However, there will
undoubtedly be some disruption which we are working to minimise and
while the aim will be to conduct the most disruptive work during
College vacations, we might need to arrange alternative spaces for
some activities.
What are the benefits for the college?
There are many positive benefits for the college and its
students: as already mentioned the building is in need of
modernisation and will gain much-needed space for both rehearsal
and performance. It will also enable the College to attract the
very best students and international talent, as well as bringing
leading artists to perform and teach, and ensure that significant
events are performed here.
What is the public benefit?
There will be facilities available to a wider community both
within and outside the academic year; a significant performance
programme and other facilities such as the foyer, the exhibition
space and a café that looks on to the park. It will enable the
College to serve the wider public and bring more people in to a
creative environment. It will also help the College in its aim to
train future talent – the Ruth Jones, Anthony Hopkins and Jo
Joyner’s of tomorrow.
What are the wider benefits?
It will help to build local expertise and to build skills for
the creative industries in which Cardiff excels, music, drama,
film, television
What are the benefits for Cardiff?
It will heighten Cardiff’s profile as a centre of creative
excellence and also brings additional facilities to the capital
city such as the new concert hall. The building will present a new
and impressive gateway to Cardiff and will invite comparison to
Wales Millennium Centre as an iconic landmark building
What are the benefits for Wales?
It will focus on emerging talent and attracting international
talent to the city and will build on Wales’ national and
international reputation in music and drama. It will also enable
the Outreach programmes such as Young Actors Studio, Junior Music
Access Studies to thrive.
How much will the development impact on Bute
Park?
Some trees will have to be felled and a small parcel of
scrubland at the northern end of our site will be required to
accommodate part of the new development. We take our environmental
responsibilities very seriously and so we will replant trees for
every tree we remove and in addition will provide an avenue of
trees along the front of College along North Road, mirroring the
planting on the opposite side. As one of the key gateways to Bute
Park the development will improve this important access point. The
College has a long history in this area and has already
successfully and sensitively restored the old stable buildings to
create the Anthony Hopkins Centre.
What area of land is being used?
The new build will be situated on the College site to the front
of the main Raymond Edwards Building. It will be built on the
College car park to the north of the site and on the current
parking space in front of building. It will also include the parcel
of land to the north of the car park, currently infested with
Japanese Knotweed, but only as far as the pedestrian footbridge and
not extending across the dock feeder. The new build will mean
better lit, improved access to the park, will create a new public
vista and new facilities in the College foyer. The grass verge,
cycle path and pavement in between the College and the road will be
retained.
Will there be parking for bicycles?
Yes. The College wants to encourage the use of greener
transport and therefore there will be parking for bikes in as many
different areas as possible.
Will there be parking for staff and College
vehicles?
There will be very limited parking on site, but we aim to site
as many parking places as feasible on the site for College vehicles
and Blue Badge parking.