Located on a peninsula in Great Britain, tiny Wales has long had a flourishing arts scene. The mountainous scenery has inspired and nurtured many artists, informing the designs of the late Welsh designer Laura Ashley and inspiring Portmeirion pottery, named for the fantasy village in North Wales. The capital city of Cardiff is home to the largest media centre in the U.K. outside of London.
Taking its recent £4.4 million transformation as well as its 25 year history into account, the Ruthin Centre is well on its way to solidifying itself as a key influence on Europe’s contemporary arts scene. Located in Denbighshire, North Wales, about one hour from the English cities of Manchester and Liverpool, in the Vale of Clwyd (pronounced Cloo-id), the new craft center is home to three galleries, six artist studios, a retail gallery and a café. Two of these galleries will display the best national and international crafts, and remaining one will be used to display collections.
In addition to exhibits, the Centre also offers workshops and residential courses. Artists can spend quality time honing their skills in a land known for its Celtic roots, its Princes(s) and Catherine Zeta Jones. Contact the Centre at +44 (0) 1824 704774 for more information about signing up for a workshop or residential course.
For more information on the Ruthin Craft Centre, visit the website: www.ruthincraftcentre.org.uk. Daily hours are 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and admission is free.
For additional arts and crafts hot spots in Mid Wales, be sure to look around on www.gomidwales.co.uk/thingstodo/artsandcrafts. More information on Wales can be found by visiting www.visitwales.com or calling 1-800-959-2537.