Elysium Gallery Launches New Arts Centre in Swansea, Marking Nearly 20 Years of Cultural Impact
12-24 Belle Vue Way, SA1 5BY
Elysium Gallery is proud to announce the launch of its new Arts Centre, a major milestone in its near 20-year evolution from a roaming pop-up gallery into the largest provider of artist studios in Wales.
Established in the mid-2000s, Elysium began as a grass roots, artist-led initiative, bringing contemporary art into temporary and unconventional spaces across Swansea. Over the years, it has grown into a vital part of Wales cultural infrastructure, now supporting a thriving community of artists and playing a key role in the creative life of both Swansea and the wider Welsh arts sector.
Today, as the largest provider of artist studios in Wales, Elysium continues to nurture artistic talent while contributing to the sustainability and visibility of the region’s cultural community.
The launch of the new Elysium Gallery Arts Centre represents a significant step forward — creating a permanent, inclusive hub for creativity, collaboration and public engagement. The centre will deliver a year-round programme of exhibitions, workshops and talks, alongside Welsh language creative activities that celebrate and strengthen Wales’s cultural identity.
The development also highlights the wider importance of the arts — not only as a source of inspiration and expression, but as a driver of the local economy and a vital contributor to health and wellbeing. By supporting artists, attracting visitors and fostering community participation, Elysium plays an active role in Swansea’s economic and social resilience. Engagement with the arts has been shown to improve mental health, reduce isolation and enhance quality of life, making accessible cultural spaces more important than ever.
Designed with accessibility and inclusivity at its core, the new Arts Centre will also feature 63 new artist studio spaces, a welcoming café space with facilities for young children and disabled visitors, ensuring that people of all backgrounds can engage with and enjoy the space.
The Arts Centre will officially launch on Friday 12 June with a major solo exhibition by Andre Stitt, an internationally recognised artist whose practice spans performance, installation and painting. This inaugural exhibition sets the tone for an ambitious and forward-looking programme.
Elysium co-founder and creative Director Jonathan Powell says:
“The launch of the new Elysium Gallery and Studios marks an exciting new chapter not only for our organisation but for the cultural life of Swansea and Wales more widely. Artist-led spaces like this are vital because they give creatives the freedom, resources and community needed to experiment, collaborate and grow. By providing studios, exhibition spaces and a platform for artists at all stages of their careers, we’re helping to nurture the next generation of Welsh talent while bringing new ideas and international perspectives into the city.
The arts play a crucial role in shaping vibrant communities. They create places where people can meet, share experiences and see their own stories reflected through culture. Our aim has always been to make Swansea a dynamic cultural hub — somewhere artists want to stay, work and build their futures — and this new space allows us to deepen that commitment to the city and the wider Welsh arts scene.”
The opening of the Elysium Gallery Arts Centre marks an important moment for Swansea and Wales, reinforcing the city’s reputation as a dynamic centre for contemporary art and cultural innovation.
Additionally, Elysium’s previous home – at 210 High Street – will continue to provide a home for live music, performance, comedy, poetry & much more. Long-serving venue manager Scott Mackay will be taking the site on as a new concern, trading as Down By Here, and the eclectic & diverse range of events hosted at this site will continue apace, with the extra space gained from the former gallery site providing huge possibilities.
Scott says:
“I am so appreciative of the opportunities Elysium have afforded me – both in terms of allowing me to platform such a wide range of events during my time here as an employee, and also how they have supported me in allowing me to take the site on following their departure. I am massively proud to be a part of Elysium’s story but also hugely excited to see what the future holds for Down By Here.
More information on Down By Here can be found at their website www.downbyhere.co.uk or by emailing shwmae@downbyhere.co.uk
