Inside the Victorian church converted into a stunning arts centre

Last year, the Welsh-language youth theatre company Frân Wen moved into a new home in what used to be St Mary’s Church in Bangor.

A Victorian religious building, with all its attendant access difficulties, acoustic complexities and energy inefficiencies, might not seem like the most logical home for a performing arts centre, but thanks to an inspired restoration programme led by architects Manalo & White, the new arts centre – named ‘Nyth’ – is a thriving, dynamic space that has proven itself for performance, rehearsal, set building, scriptwriting, and more.

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Nyth‘s design was recognised earlier this year with a clean sweep of prestigious architectural awards (namely Building of the Year, Client of the Year, a Welsh Architecture Award, and the Sustainability Award), but perhaps most importantly, it has already become a beloved and well-used hub for both Frân Wen and the surrounding Bangor community.

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Next month, there is a unique opportunity to visit Nyth and explore the space, and to speak directly to the architects responsible for the transformation. On Wednesday 8 October 2025, Manalo & White will be leading exclusive behind-the-scenes tours of the building, including the three performance areas, rehearsal spaces and dressing areas, exterior landscaping – and even the artist-designed internal wayfinding system built using the old organ pipes.

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There are two tours, one at 4.30pm, and one at 7pm, both led by Takuya Oura, Associate Director, Manalo & White in conversation with Nia Jones, Artistic Director of Frân Wen. If you’d like to attend one of the tours – you can book a spot HERE

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