Cabinet Minister visits Wrexham as £10 million Transforming Towns funding announced

• £10 million in Transforming Towns funding has been approved for regeneration projects across Wales, with Wrexham receiving £5 million of the total investment. 
• The Cabinet Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning met with local artists at Tŷ Pawb to hear about their experiences of working and growing their businesses within the creative hub.
• This funding delivers on the priorities set out by the Town Centre Taskforce, helping to create communities across Wales where people want to live, work and visit. 

£5 million will also support projects in Brynmawr, Neath, Monmouth, Bala and Newport, as well as the South West Wales Placemaking Plan.

The announcement comes as the Cabinet Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning, Siân Gwenllian, visited Tŷ Pawb in Wrexham to see first-hand the impact of regeneration on the city centre and meet artists based there.

Tŷ Pawb, which combines market stalls, studio space and gallery facilities, has become a focal point for Wrexham's cultural and economic regeneration, supporting local artists and traders while drawing footfall into the city centre.

Among those the Cabinet Minister met was Liam Stokes-Massey, a muralist who has been based at Tŷ Pawb's Shepherds Hut for more than six years. Liam said the space has shaped his career significantly, offering low-rent premises on the high street alongside networking opportunities, talks, workshops and gallery curation experience.

Rachel West, who runs The Art Bunny, has worked as a freelance artist in Wrexham for around 14 years and has seen the local creative scene transform dramatically over the last five to six years. She credits Tŷ Pawb with playing a major role in her career, including the opportunity to paint a photo wall, hold her first solo exhibition, and open her own art shop within the space.

The Cabinet Minister said:

It's been a real pleasure to visit Tŷ Pawb and see the transformative impact this space has had on Wrexham's creative community.

Meeting artists like Liam and Rachel has shown me exactly what can be achieved when we invest in our town centres, not just in bricks and mortar, but in the people and ideas that bring them to life.

This £10 million will help build on the fantastic work we're already seeing happening in places like Wrexham, supporting local businesses, boosting footfall and creating spaces that communities can be proud of. It also reflects the priorities set out by our Town Centre Taskforce, which is helping to ensure that regeneration is driven by what communities actually need.

Councillor Mark Pritchard, Leader of Wrexham County Borough Council, said:

I’d like to thank Siân Gwenllian and the Welsh Government for backing Wrexham and recognising the huge potential this city has to offer.

We’ve already delivered a number of major regeneration schemes with support from Welsh Government, including the indoor markets, High Street, Old Library creative hub and the museum.

The exciting plans we have for Henblas Street, the former Hippodrome site and Chester Street will be another piece in the jigsaw, as we look to help Wrexham realise its true potential as a modern, confident city.