Plans unveiled for transformation of Wales’ Wyeside Arts Centre

Wyeside Arts Centre, a former Market Hall in the town of Builth Wells, has a long history as a gathering place for culture opening as the town’s first cinema in 1911. In the sixties, discussions opened as to the broader remit of the building and in 1971 the building reopened as the Wyeside Arts Centre, complete with performance space, cinema and a small gallery.

Now, funded by Arts Council Wales, a feasibility study has been completed which proposes the creation of an additional cinema studio, expanding catering and bar facilities and the opening up of both ground floor and rooftop areas for use as flexible, public space for events and intimate performance. Considering the close connection between the local community and the centre, De Matos Ryan has envisioned reinstating the original storefront arches with awnings, making use of the ground floor space to sell local produce once again.

We’re proud to once again partner with De Matos Ryan as Theatre and Acoustic Consultants, having previously worked together on the refurbishment of Theatre Royal York. We're working to significantly upgrade the building's technical infrastructure and ensure each creative space sounds its very best, no matter how busy the building may be. The original cinema will be replaced with two raked cinema studios fitted with high-definition screens and sound systems, while the Market Theatre’s audio-visual infrastructure will also be upgraded.

“The redevelopment of the much cherished Wyeside Arts Centre will drastically improve the sound separation between the Market Theatre and the surrounding areas – which will include a new flexible restaurant / intimate event space directly above the auditorium – enabling the various spaces to be used simultaneously,” explained Senior Consultant and Acoustician Vangelis Koufoudakis.

“We’ve worked with De Matos Ryan to find every opportunity in the building," added Consultant Matt Hall. “That includes adding more flexibility, where spaces can be used simultaneously while improving the current facilities throughout - including new cinema equipment in the cinemas and technical grid in the Market Theatre.”