Exhibition Material: Oriel Myrddin Gallery, Carmarthen

The collection comprises a wide range of items relating to the history and activities of Oriel Myrddin Gallery from 1991 to 2022 when it closed to the public for an extensive refurbishment and expansion project. Items include documents relating to its re-opening as a public venue in 1992, with plans and reports on the visual arts in the former county of Dyfed and its existing resources in the form of exhibition spaces maintained by Dyfed Cultural Services Department.

Included are exhibition catalogues with accompanying posters, press releases, correspondences between artists and curators. There is also an extensive photographic, slide, and Compact Disc collection with exhibition installation images, participating artists and individual artworks. It also contains a list of documents detailing activities provided by the gallery’s outreach programme for the public, schools and other educational organisations.

Oriel Myrddin Gallery, Carmarthen, originally known as Carmarthen School of Art opened in 1892. Designed by architect George Morgan and built with public conscription it served as a purpose built Art School for one of the oldest Art Schools in Wales, the first Carmarthen School of Art dating from 1854. Former alumni and staff include Ernest Tristram, Stanley Lewis, Paul Fripp, James Dickson Innes and John Elwyn.

It closed its doors in 1977 when it merged with Llanelli Art College to form Dyfed College of Art at a new purpose-built location in Job’s Well Road in 1979.

In the mid 1980’s efforts were made to save the building and a campaign to transform its use saw it opening as a modern contemporary art venue in December 1991. Showcasing modern art and applied art there was an emphasis on innovation and quality from both local and international practicing artists. The Gallery’s programme consisted of originally curated exhibitions as well as regular touring exhibitions from renowned institutions such as the National Library of Wales, Arts Council of Wales, Jerwood Centre, Arts Council Collection, South Bank Centre, and Hayward Gallery, London.In 2022 the gallery closed to the public whilst a major expansion and refurbishment project began, this included an ingression into an adjacent property on King Street. This would substantially increase the gallery’s exhibition capacity as well as provide workshop areas, offices and a café.

By type and then in chronological order

Ar Agor / Open

Dim cyfyngiadau / No Restrictions

Adnau preifat / Private deposit

Acc No: 8903.

Mae copiau clawr caled o`r catalogau ar gael yn Archifau Sir Gaerfyrddin ac yn y Gofrestr Cenedlaethol Archifau. Polisi Archifau Sir Gaerfyrddin yw catalogio yn iaith y ddogfen / Hard copies of the catalogue are available at Carmarthenshire Archives and the National Register of Archives. It is the policy of Carmarthenshire Archives to catalogue in the language of the document.

Cyflwr gwael / Poor condition

Compiled by Gareth H. Davies for Archifau Sir Gaerfyrddin / Carmarthenshire Archives using the following source: Carmarthenshire Archives Service, Business Records.

Mae'r holl gofnodiadau sy'n cydymffurfio â pholisi casglu Archifau Sir Gaerfyrddin wedi eu cadw / All records which meet the collection policy of the Carmarthenshire Archives have been retained

Deposited on the 15th July 2022.

Ni ddisgwylir croniadau / Accruals are not expected