About The Centre
Ruthin Craft Centre is revenue funded by Arts Council of Wales and is part of Denbighshire Leisure Ltd, a Denbighshire County Council owned company.
Architecture
July 28th 2008 saw the re-opening of Ruthin Craft Centre, The Centre for the Applied Arts. The event marked the culmination of a four-year project to create a contemporary applied arts venue with exhibition, studio and educational facilities that could more than hold its own against similar institutions across Europe. Since it was founded in the early 1980s, Ruthin Craft Centre has established an impressive reputation as perhaps Britain’s foremost venue for the display and creation of contemporary craft. In 2005 it was decided to replace its old premises with a purpose built building. An alluring design by architects Sergison Bates won the commission and the £4.4 million project, was made possible by a major capital lottery grant from the Arts Council of Wales.
Inside are three galleries – two for displaying the best contemporary craft from Wales and around the world, the other a collections gallery and a retail gallery space. There are also studios for artists, educational and residency facilities, a café and a tourist information cultural gateway. The whole complex is set round a courtyard that acts as a focal point and outdoor social space. Outdoor furniture, for this area, has been designed by renowned designers Jim Partridge and Liz Walmsley.
The project had to blend into its beautiful surroundings and convey a sense of the spirit of Denbighshire. The building is built of cast stone whose reddish-pink tones shift across the building. The roof is of zinc and captures shapes and colours from the surrounding hills of the Vale of Clwyd.
Dewi-Prys Thomas Prize
The Dewi-Prys Thomas Trust was established in 1990 to celebrate the life of Dewi-Prys Thomas (1916-85), a charismatic teacher and advocate for Wales and the built environment. They award a prestigious, triennial award for good design in the built environment in Wales, and are open to collaborations with other organisations to promote the quality of life, identity and regeneration of Wales.
The third Dewi-Prys Thomas Prize was awarded in 2009. Forty-seven nominations were received with the following being announced as part of the proceedings of the annual conference of the Royal Society of Architects in Wales (RSAW) in Cardiff on 21 November 2009:
Winner:
Ruthin Craft Centre, Ruthin, Denbighshire
Architect: Sergison Bates architects www.sergisonbates.co.uk
Prize: silver medal and prize certificate
History / Grand Opening
25 July 2008
The new Ruthin Craft Centre was opened on Friday 25th July 2008 by acclaimed Welsh actress, Siân Phillips, before a host of well-known figures from the arts world and Welsh culture. A spectacular one-man show, ‘An Artistic Adventure’ by Andrew Logan, the famous sculptor, jeweller and organiser of the Alternative Miss World contest, was unveiled at the same time.
The event marked the culmination of a four-year project to create a contemporary applied arts venue with exhibition, studio and educational facilities that can more than hold its own against similar institutions across Europe.
View more of the event here