Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}

{{Infobox museum

| name = Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre

| image = Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre, Cwmbran - geograph.org.uk - 1611655.jpg

| image_upright = 1.3

| caption =

| location = Cwmbrân, Wales, United Kingdom

| coordinates = {{coord|51.65|-3.02|display=inline}}

| established = 1966

| architect =

| owner = Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre Ltd

| capacity =

| type = Arts centre

| opened =

| website = {{Official website|http://www.lgac.org.uk}}

}}

Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre ({{langx|cy|Canolfan Celfyddydau Llantarnam Grange}}) is located within a 19th-century Victorian manor house in Cwmbrân and is the regional centre for the applied arts in south-east Wales. It presents exhibitions promoting the applied arts, and extensive education and participation schemes of work to the local community.[http://www.lgac.org.uk Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre]

The arts centre is a registered charity governed via a voluntary board of trustees and is a revenue-funded client of the Arts Council of Wales. It holds a service level agreement with the local Torfaen County Borough Council. Additional funding comes from Monmouthshire County Council, Cwmbrân Community Council, Croesyceiliog & Llanyrafon Community Council and independent trusts and foundations.

Background

Llantarnam Grange is on the site of a much earlier property owned by Llantarnam Abbey, called Gelli Las. Some time after 1871 it became a farmhouse known as Llantarnam Grange. When the last occupier died in 1952, the building was purchased by Cwmbrân Development Corporation, becoming a postal sorting office. In April 1966, it reopened as Llantarnam Grange Societies Club. It was a place for club meetings, theatre performances and art exhibitions before being taken over as an arts centre by the trustees of Llantarnam Grange in 1983.[http://www.lgac.org.uk/history History], Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre. Retrieved 8 March 2016.

The centre celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2016.{{cite web |url=http://www.freepressseries.co.uk/news/14397385.Llantarnam_Grange_celebrates_50th_anniversary/ |title=Llantarnam Grange celebrates 50th anniversary (From Free Press Series) |newspaper=Freepressseries.co.uk |date=31 March 2016 |author=Luke Jarmyn |accessdate=31 December 2016}}

Family Group sculpture

File:family group sculpture.JPG

Located directly outside the centre is the Family Group sculpture by David Horn. The fibreglass sculpture representing "a family group facing the stresses and strains of growth in a new community" was presented to the people of Cwmbrân by the Cwmbrân Arts Trust. It was unveiled by Leo Abse MP on 23 September 1965. It was relocated outside the arts centre in 2001.

Originally, the sculpture stood on a cobblestone base within a spiral walkway at the end of The Parade, near the south-east corner of General Rees Square. Unloved by the local population, it is currently{{when|date=March 2016}} in a state of disrepair caused by vandalism to the fibreglass and graffiti.[http://www.cwmbran.info/the_family_statue.htm Family Group statue] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050220083400/http://cwmbran.info/the_family_statue.htm|date=20 February 2005}}

References