Blackwood Miners' Institute

• Theatre ID
  1776
• Built / Converted
  1925
• Dates of use
  • 1925 - 0: until when unknown.
  • 1992 - 0: continuing
• Current state
  Extant
• Current use
  Arts Centre (core regional arts centre)
• Address
  High Street, Blackwood, Gwent, NP12 1BB, Wales
• Websites
  • Blackwood Miners Institute
  • B3 Live website

Details

Built as a welfare institute in 1925 with miners' contributions. By the 1980s the building had fallen into disrepair and the Trustees sold the building to Islwyn Borough Council in 1989. The building was resuscitated in 1992 with funding from the Welsh Office and Islwyn Borough Council and now includes the Memorial Theatre, two bars, a restaurant and gallery area. The Memorial Theatre is the centrepiece of the venue with a flat floor, raked at the rear, within a plain-walled auditorium with minimal decoration and a curved barrel ceiling divided by a series of decorated arches. No balcony. The proscenium stage has a grid and there is an orchestra pit which can accommodate 30 musicians. The free standing building has a stone façe in three bays of three storeys. The outer two advanced with stepped parapets. Ground floor with rusticated ashlar piers; plain ashlar above; free rather than classical ornament to windows and pilasters.

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• Other names
  Blackwood Miners' Welfare Institute
• Events
  • 1925 Design/Construction:
    • F Beaton (Islwyn Borough Council) - Architect
  • 1992 - 0 Alteration: refurbished and reopened (architect unknown).
  • 1925 - 0 Use: until when unknown.
  • 1992 - 0 Use: continuing
  • 1989 - 0 Owner/Management: Islwyn Borough Council - later Caerphilly County Borough Council, owners.
• Capacities
  • Original: 404
  • Current: 412
• Listings
  • Grade Not listed
• Stage type
  • Pros flat
• Dimensions
  • Stage dimensions: Depth: 5m, apron 1.25m Width: 11m
  • Proscenium width: 7.1m
  • Height to grid: No grid
  • Orchestra pit: None