Old College needs a project director

NO other project within Wales or the rest of the United Kingdom is more deserving of being supported by substantial lottery money than that of developing new life for the old college. So the announcement on Wednesday July 26th made by Aberystwyth University and the Old College project board has been successful, is very good news. Extensive consultation with the local community, present and past students and an international profile, ensures that this will be a welcoming and dynamic institution, which will be of national significance.

Momentum needs to be maintained with the earliest possible appointment of a project director, female or male; who can now lead and co-ordinate the complex task of creating new life for an extraordinary building. The new director, assisted by a small group of two or three representing other disciplines within the university, will need to be visually literate, to have a passion for architecture and creativity, but above all to have a vision of the potential to be realised in this amazing building “Y Coleg ger y Lli”. In addition to having galleries in which to house a permanent collection celebrating good Welsh art from all periods, the building with over 200 rooms is big enough to house and inspire international residencies, and a moving programme of concerts, lectures, installations, performances, and forms yet to be named.

The post of director for this project is a plum job for anyone with ambition, energy, and a desire to be part of history. A tradition for the pursuit of excellence, innovation and experiment was set up by the Davies Sisters of Gregynog, who were avid collectors of paintings, ceramics, and museum artefacts, in the earlier years of the college. Connecting with Maria Balshaw, the new director of Tate, could create constructive links for the future development of The Old College. Mary Lloyd Jones First Resident Artist in The Old College