Wrexham grassroots arts space launches urgent fundraising appeal

A community-led arts space in Wrexham has launched an urgent appeal for donations to save the facility from closing down.

Ty Cornel, on Priory Street in the city centre, is the current home of Undegun Arts.

It houses a gallery and creative space, along with affordable studios and incubation spaces for artists.

However after a challenging few years post-pandemic, the community-led organisation is now urgently seeking funds to help Ty Cornel get “back on its feet and continue operating.”

Undegun Arts Chair and member of the Board of Directors, Katie Brute, said the services provided at the space are “absolutely essential for supporting the thriving arts and culture scene in Wrexham.”

“Ty Cornel provides an affordable, safe, and supported environment for local artists at all stages of their careers, particularly those who are not in a position to afford their own studios,” explained Katie.

“Following a challenging few years which have included the pandemic, struggling to secure new premises during lockdown, rebuilding our gallery and studios and recovering from the financial effects of prolonged closure, we are now urgently seeking funds so that we can get back on our feet and continue operating.

“We support talented artists to be able to live, work and develop their practice right here in the city centre, where they enrich our fantastic, local creative community.

“This community contributes enormously to so many great things that happen in Wrexham and add huge value to our national cultural credentials.”

“We support emerging and early career artists and post-graduate students as well as artists with disabilities, neurodiversity, and mental and/or physical health conditions. 88% of our current members fit one or more of these categories.

“The services we provide and the projects we deliver build on years of hard work and experience gained by the dedicated team at Undegun Arts.

“To lose Ty Cornel would mean losing all this established history and the support network we provide, which would be a real tragedy for grassroots arts in Wrexham.”

Local photographer, Oliver Stephen, said Ty Cornel has helped him to grow in confidence and provides a vital space for people to find “creativity, happiness and community in the arts.”

“The arts have always been a strong presence in the town, even if people aren’t aware of it, and for me, the arts are what make life worth living,” said Oliver.

“They’re the way of escaping, if only temporarily, the struggles of day to day life. Personally, I wouldn’t have the life and dreams I have now if it weren’t for Ty Cornel.

“I came to this town 15 years ago, severely depressed, dealing with past trauma, suicidal, and an alcoholic. Coming to Wrexham to study Fine Art started the change in my life, but it was UnDegUn that gave me direction.

“It’s where I began to take photos, just for myself really. I would photograph private views and events, as something to do to keep my mind off things.

“As time went on I realised more and more that photography was my passion and each time I went out there for an event I grew in confidence and I started to see a future develop for me.

“Years later and I’m at the point I’m at now where I’ve had solo shows, my work has been published, and I’m making a name for myself.

“I’ve also found incredibly deep and strong friendships I wouldn’t have found anywhere else but there, and I’m sure a lot of you can say the same.

“On top of that, and far more importantly, I’ve been sober for almost the entire time UnDegUn/Ty Cornel has existed, and I can directly link my sobriety to the hope that the community there gave me, and the space it gave me to learn my craft.

“To see it disappear wouldn’t just leave a building empty in town, but it would leave a massive gap in my heart and I suspect in others too. We would lose a cultural hub. We would lose part of the community.

“This is so someone else in the future may find creativity, happiness, and community in the arts world here. So that we know the arts community, and those it welcomes in, have a place they can meet, talk, and share their lives and work.

Katie added: “We are very optimistic that we’ll be able to get back on our feet and secure sustainable funding in future, but in order to survive until then, we need urgent financial support to pull us through this hugely challenging period.

“Without this, there is a very real danger that we will lose our home at Ty Cornel very soon. We care deeply about our town and we are personally committed to working with the creative community that exists here.”

“We believe that the arts and culture can make this town, and the world a better place, and that it is important to retain the community we have established at Undegun, so that the spirit of creativity can flourish.”

“Please show your support by sharing this fundraiser and donate if you can. All proceeds raised by Undegun Arts go back into making more things happen in the future and no profits are made”

You can find out more about the fundraiser here. You can Follow Ty Cornel on Facebook here.