News
Bryn Terfel to Head Royal Welsh College’s Fundraising
Campaign
The Royal Welsh College is
delighted to welcome Bryn Terfel as the Patron of its fundraising
campaign, ‘A Stage for Success.’ Planning permission
has just been granted for the multi-million pound development to
create a suite of world class training and performance facilities
in a landmark building at the northern approach to Cardiff city
centre.
80% of the funding for the £22.5 million
scheme is already in place, including a grant of £10 million from
the Welsh Assembly Government.
The College now aims to raise £3.5 million and
is seeking support from donors across Wales and the UK.
This landmark development on the College’s
historic site will deliver world class training facilities,
enabling the College to attract the best students from Wales, the
UK and internationally to study in Cardiff. It will also
provide increased opportunities for local performing arts
organisations to access training and promote their own work in
state-of-the-art performance spaces.
A bold design will transform the existing
site, bringing a new Recital Hall, Theatre, Acting & Movement
Studios and an Exhibition Gallery to complement the College’s
existing training and performance facilities. The College will
remain open throughout the construction period.
‘The Royal Welsh College of Music &
Drama has a pedigree which stretches back sixty years, during which
time it has seen some of the UK and Wales’ finest performing
artists pass through its doors,’ says Patron Bryn Terfel.
‘Over the last decade Cardiff has been transformed and has a
new sense of purpose. These stunning facilities will create a new
gateway to Wales’ capital city, and will perfectly complement the
great performing venues we already have in Wales Millennium Centre
and St David’s Hall. These are state-of-the-art facilities that I
could only have dreamed of when I entered the profession. They will
beckon talented young people from around the world to study in
Wales. When these emerging artists step into the professional world
they can be confident that they have been prepared to the highest
level.’
‘The College has a great reputation. We
operate at the forefront of our international peer group,
delivering the finest artistic tuition to exceptional students from
the UK and abroad, many of whom go on to work at the highest levels
internationally,’ adds College Principal, Hilary Boulding.
‘This wonderful development will allow us to complement
our first-class teaching with the very best facilities.’
The fundraising campaign was launched on
4th November at Cardiff Castle. The Campaign
Patron, Bryn Terfel, was joined by representatives from
business, supporters of arts and education, politicians, College
Fellows and Alumni. Rhian Lois Evans, a final-year music student at
the College and winner of the 2008 Bryn Terfel Urdd Gobaith Cymru
Scholarship sang at the event.