Arts showcase celebrates 30 years

A project which grew from an empty school building in Cardiff to one of Europe's major contemporary arts centres celebrates its 30th birthday this weekend.

Chapter Arts Centre is marking three decades of innovation with its Big Birthday Weekend.

Director Janek Alexander said part of Chapter's role now was to grow in line with Cardiff's development in Europe.

"People thrive on new ideas and experiences and that's what Chapter promotes."

The arts centre has been a success story for Cardiff

"We're celebrating 30 years of creativity, all the extraordinary art, films and events that we've promoted, " he said.

"Cardiff sees itself increasingly as a European capital. Wales is a very different county to thirty years ago."

"Part of Chapter's role is to anticipate the future. We're currently investing in digital arts and the internet - getting the tools and technology into the hands of artists is a real priority."

Among the famous names to pass through Chapter over the years have been Human Traffic film director Justin Kerrigan, Turner Prize nominee Cornelia Parker, musician John Cale, comedians Jerry Sadowitz and Ben Elton, and the creator of Wallace and Gromit Nick Park.

Part of this weekend's celebrations will be the screening of a ten minute film documenting the building of Chapter's first cinema in 1971.

The archive documentary shows the conversion of two former girls' cloakrooms in the old Canton High School into what is now the centre's Cinema 2.

People thrive on new ideas and experiences and that's what Chapter promotes

Janek Alexander

The centre itself was the brainchild of two artists Christine Kinsey and Bryan Jones and journalist Mik Flood.

Art centres were a new and untried phenomenon in the early 70s and the trio worked hard to raise interest in the centre which would serve the local community.

Among the fund-raising projects to get Chapter off the ground was a 12-hour pop concert in Cardiff's Sophia Gardens with rock icons Pink Floyd headlining and Black Sabbath and Quintessence in support.

Thirty years on Chapter remains true to the original vision of its founders, and it houses many of Wales's best known names in theatre, dance, art and animation.

It has managed to stand firm while other ventures, including the ill-fated Centre for Visual Arts in Cardiff's Old Library, have floundered.

Three days of celebration beginning on Friday will include many reduced price or free events.