Oriel Mostyn

Mostyn, Vaughan Street, Llandudno

Oriel Mostyn ('Oriel' is Welsh for 'Gallery') is an art gallery in the North Wales town of Llandudno. It was rebranded as simply Mostyn following its 2010 revamp.[1]

Background

The gallery was re-established in 1978 in a building that was originally built for wealthy local arts benefactor and photographer, Lady Augusta Mostyn, in 1901. The original Mostyn Art Gallery ran from 1901 till 1913 and was the home of the Gwynedd Ladies’ Arts Society (GLAS).[2] It was believed to be the first art gallery in the world created for the purpose of showing the work of women artists.[3] The three (originally five) bay building, faced in red brick and terracotta, is Grade II listed, as a building by the Mostyn Estate architect, G. A. Humphreys, that helps define Llandudno.[4]

The same Edwardian building became available in the late 1970s and was proposed as the home of a new gallery for North Wales. It was officially opened on 11 August 1979.[2]

It reopened again in May 2010 after a £5 million refurbishment, partly financed by a £3 million grant from the Arts Council of Wales.[5] The refurbishment of the original galleries and the new extension was by Ellis Williams Architects, and won the Gold Medal for Architecture from the National Eisteddfod of Wales in 2011.[6] The gallery rebranded itself as Mostyn, dropping the word 'Oriel' and upsetting some local people by dropping the Welsh prefix.[1]

Facilities

The building, retaining its original terracotta facade, has been remodelled internally to create four major exhibition spaces and two smaller areas. It has a cafe, shop and educational facilities.[1]

Events

The gallery holds an annual open exhibition with a £10,000 first prize.[7]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Llandudno's controversial Mostyn art gallery reopens". BBC News. 20 May 2010. Retrieved 2015-01-30.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "History: A World First – And A Warning". Mostyn.org. Retrieved 2015-01-30.
  3. ↑ "Timeless quality owes much to Mostyn vision". Daily Post (Liverpool). 28 September 2007. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  4. ↑ "Mostyn Art Gallery, including Office and Shop on ground floor, Llandudno". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  5. ↑ Price, Karen (22 May 2010). "Landmark gallery for Wales reopens". Wales Online. Retrieved 2015-01-30.
  6. ↑ "£5m Mostyn gallery redesign wins Eisteddfod medal". BBC News. 31 July 2011. Retrieved 2015-01-30.
  7. ↑ Phillips, Judith (17 January 2013). "Winner of the open art competition at Oriel Mostyn in Llandudno will receive a £10,000 prize". Daily Post. Retrieved 2015-01-30.

External links