Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama celebrates its 75th anniversary with plans to restore and revitalise Cardiff's historic Old Library

Cardiff Free Library - photo by Bettia's puppet - Own work, Public Domain

The Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama will be celebrating its 75th birthday throughout this year. A year long programme of events will highlight its transformational journey since it started at Cardiff Castle in 1949 and draw attention to the work it does to innovate, champion collaboration, work with communities and empower excellence in all its many forms.

This week there was an added sense of celebration as the college had a public engagement day (on 7 February 2024) to present the reimagining of the latest addition to the college's campus, Cardiff’s historic Old Library, originally the Cardiff Free Arts School and Library.  

The college has successfully bid for a 99-year lease on the building which opened in 1882 to house Cardiff Free Library and has had a variety off uses since then. The plans, produced in partnership with architects Flanagan Lawrence, will fully restore the building and provide a second centre for the college including providing public access to the building.

Full details of the college's 75th anniversary celebrations from its website.