Royal Welsh College of Music

The Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama competes alongside an international peer group of conservatoires and specialist arts colleges for the best students globally, enabling students to enter and influence the world of music, theatre and related professions.

The £22.5 million project, completed by Willmott Dixon in 2011, saw construction of a 450 seat concert hall and 160 seat courtyard theatre with a new public foyer for the Royal Welsh College. It provides a suite of rehearsal, performance and exhibition facilities for musicians, actors, theatre designers and stage managers and will host renowned events for the College which counts Sir Anthony Hopkins, Rob Brydon, Ruth Jones and Eve Myles among its alumni.

Since completion, 10,000 students have learnt life long skills in a performance arts centre that is a hub of cultural life in Cardiff.

Built by our local Cardiff team, it follows a rich heritage of artistic venues we have create in South Wales, such as Newport Theatre, and was included in the long list for the Sterling Prize.

The new building now incorporates:

• Richard Burton Theatre
• Four state-of-the-art full-sized, double height rehearsal studios
• The Linbury Gallery
• Cafe bar and terrace overlooking the beautiful Grade I listed Bute Park.

These new buildings complement and enhance the College’s existing facilities which include the Anthony Hopkins Centre - an award-winning restoration of the former castle mews building, which opened in 1999.

“Offering world class facilities in such a stunning location allows us to continue to attract leading international arts practitioners to work here, and to increase national and international recognition for Cardiff as a home of world-class artistic training."

Hilary Boulding, Principal