Tŷ Newydd Writing Centre Awarded Arts Council Wales Capital Grant

Published Fri 12 Sep 2025 - By Literature Wales

Credit: Emyr Young

Llenyddiaeth Cymru | Literature Wales is delighted to have been awarded a capital grant of £159,610 by the Arts Council of Wales. The grant will enable us to carry out vital works at our headquarters, Tŷ Newydd Writing Centre, the National Writing Centre of Wales.

The historic, Grade II* listed house and grounds dates from the fifteenth century, with remodelling by Portmeirion’s Sir Clough Williams-Ellis carried out in the 1940s. We have been working with experts to put together a conservation management plan that will ensure Tŷ Newydd’s preservation while also improving sustainability, access and comfort for our visitors. This funding allows us to begin delivering our conservation plan, ensuring Tŷ Newydd is fit for the future by improving the external fabric of the building and replacing aged fixtures.

Our year-round bilingual programme aims to attract and engage the widest possible range of writers at every stage of their journey, and to do this we needed to improve the accessibility of our public spaces and bedrooms. Wi-fi will also be upgraded and we’ll be carrying out further works to explore the most sustainable option for replacing our aged gas heating system.

Executive Director Claire Furlong commented: “Tŷ Newydd is a truly unique place – both the building itself and the creative activities that happen within its walls. It’s a joy for Literature Wales to be custodians of this building, but that comes with the challenges of both conserving its past and ensuring it is accessible and sustainable to safeguard its future. We are very grateful to the Arts Council of Wales for this funding which will enable us to realise the first stage of our conservation plans. ”

Works will begin imminently and are scheduled to be completed by early spring 2026. Scheduled activity at the centre over the coming months won’t be impacted, but we will be closed for courses, retreats and other public activities for a short period over the winter months. Tŷ Newydd will remain open for staff throughout the project.

Tŷ Newydd’s breathtaking setting draws writers at every stage of their journey. Every year we welcome around 1,000 individuals through our doors to work on their writing or tutor courses. Whether they’re a child or a poet laureate, award winners or just getting started, Tŷ Newydd is a haven for everyone.

Gwyneth Lewis, the inaugural National Poet of Wales, endorsed the project, saying “There is no writing without learning and Tŷ Newydd has, since its beginning, been a powerhouse. It’s like a dance floor, partnering novice and veteran writers from Wales and further away so that they learn from each other. The beauty of that exchange is the essence of creativity.”