Dawn Bowden MS, Deputy Minister for Arts and Sport, and Chief Whip
I am delighted to announce over £750,000 of Welsh Government funding through the Transformation Capital Grant Scheme to help local libraries and museums to develop their facilities and services to facilitate wider access, partnership working, decarbonisation, and the development of more sustainable services.
The scheme has provided over 10 years of capital investment in public library services and in 2017 the eligibility was extended to cover museums and archives. Between 2017 and 2021 we have awarded 44 grants to Museums, Archives and Libraries in Wales, (21 Museums, 21 Libraries and 2 Archives). In this funding round, the fund will support the development of a Virtual Reality Hub at Penygroes Library and a well-being garden at Dyffryn Ogwen Library, Gwynedd. At Rhymney Library in Caerphilly an educational reading and support hub for local residents will be created, and refurbishment at Pencoed Library in Bridgend will see the development of an energy efficient, flexible space for community use.
Port Talbot Library and Barry Library will benefit from the creation of ‘Makerspace’ areas – dedicated spaces where people can gather to co-create, work on projects, and share resources and knowledge. They will help users to develop their skills and creativity and inspire younger generations to engage with Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and the Arts (STEAM).
Funding will enable Monmouthshire County Council to secure the preservation of their collections for future generations in secure accommodation that meets professional standards for the long-term storage of museum objects. Funding will also support Newport Museum and Art Gallery’s decarbonisation project. This will enable the museum to install a solar PV system and upgrade its existing halogen lighting to UV, thereby reducing the museum’s carbon footprint and its overall energy use and expenditure.
The Welsh Government remains committed to supporting these important services that fulfil a valuable role at the heart of community life. This fund will widen access for our communities, promote cultural engagement, provide learning opportunities and support community cohesion, sustainability and prosperity. It is a key component to delivering our Programme for Government commitment ‘Invest in our theatres and museums’, which has also seen Welsh Government recently fund a series of training and support programmes for local museums to create resources linked to the new curriculum and to increase representation of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic histories in their displays and exhibitions.