The new director of an arts centre is urging North Wales companies to back school visits and inspire a new generation of creative talent.
Samantha Rhodes, who recently took the helm at Ruthin Craft Centre, is appealing to businesses to help fund trips for pupils across the region.
She warned that vital education work is now at risk as funding gaps grow, despite the centre’s international reputation.
Samantha said:
“I was made to feel immediately welcome by the brilliant team here and I couldn’t have wished for a better handover from my predecessor Philip Hughes, who took time and care making introductions and taking me on studio visits. He’s been incredible.
“I still get a feeling of excitement when I walk into the main gallery because contemporary applied galleries do not look like this – the scale, the ambition is exceptional and indeed unique. Artists and makers all say this is such a special place and the work we show permeates the fabric of the building. When the work is shown in this kind of venue, it elevates the work to the platform it deserves.
“Ruthin is significant not just nationally but internationally – people come here from all over the world. Visitors travelled all the way from Japan to come and the recent exhibition of the renowned artist and sculptor David Nash which attracted more than 55,000 people in total.”
Samantha said she is excited by the challenge and the possibilities created by planning her first programme of exhibitions but is concerned the centre is unable to fund the school visits that have previously been an important part of its role.
She said:
“We get amazing support from the Arts Council of Wales as we are a multi-year funded organisation and without their support we couldn’t do any of the work we do here. We’re also grateful for the support we get from Denbighshire Leisure and Denbighshire County Council.
“But the wider economic situation is undoubtedly having an impact on the arts and I am very keen to connect with the business community in North Wales. There are now areas within our funding that are not covered anymore including the wonderful work that Ruthin Craft Centre has done with schools across North Wales.
“We used to regularly have school groups come to visit our galleries and use the brilliant shows as inspiration as a starting point. They’d then go into the education areas and made work around the themes of the exhibitions, using the techniques on shows.
“Sometimes we’d have artists and makers who would work directly with those students to inspire a new generation to follow in their footsteps. We want to continue that amazing work and to do that we need financial support.
“What better way for successful businesses to invest in our local young people – it could be that some are the children of people who work for them. It’s not just about being artistic, it’s about the skills that working with your hands in artistic way can bring you, including problem solving and confidence building.
“Some people think we can do without art education but it’s at your peril that we do without art education. We want to bring the education space back to life and use it in the best way possible.”
One local company that has already stepped up to the plate is Ruthin-based civil engineering firm Jones Bros who are long-term supporters of the centre.
Samantha added:
“Jones Bros have been incredible partners. We’ve had this fantastic programme called Caffi Celf where Welsh learners can come along and take part in a creative workshop. During the workshop supported by Welsh-speaking artists and supported to speak Welsh and extend their vocabulary.
“It’s a programme Jones Bros have been supporting over the past couple of years and they have confirmed that continuing support into 2027.”
