strategy

• Mapping
  We mapped 197 cultural assets across Wrexham and the wider region, identifying gaps in both creation and presentation spaces. The analysis made clear that while the grassroots music scene is active, it lacks infrastructure - particularly for amplified performance, production, and enterprise.

• Public Engagement
  The project included surveys, workshops, and interviews with residents, artists, educators, promoters and businesses. The response was clear: people want a space that’s flexible, inclusive, creative and open - somewhere to rehearse, perform, learn and connect.

• Venue Audit
  Current provision is under pressure. Most spaces are either informal or over-subscribed. There's no mid-sized, professional venue offering access to soundproof rehearsal rooms, studios, or creative workspace under one roof. The lack of dedicated music infrastructure is holding the scene back.

• Economic & Spatial Review
  We modelled the potential impact of the hub on the local economy, footfall, employment, skills and night-time activity. We also assessed a shortlist of city-centre sites for viability, visibility, accessibility and potential for adaptive reuse.

• Policy Alignment
  The project is built to align with national and regional strategies - Wrexham’s Council Plan and Town Centre Masterplan, the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act, the Levelling Up Fund, and the Arts Council of Wales’ strategic priorities. The hub would support goals across regeneration, equality, sustainability, skills development and inclusive economic growth.

strategic goals

The Music Accelerator Hub would be designed to:

• Deliver a landmark, multi-functional cultural space in the heart of Wrexham

• Strengthen Wrexham’s identity as North Wales’ cultural heartbeat

• Increase footfall and dwell time in the town centre through all-day and evening activation

• Support the creative industries by providing skills pathways, workspace and job creation

• Foster a more vibrant, diverse and safe evening and night-time economy

• Provide an inclusive, fully accessible space for people of all backgrounds

• Embed climate-conscious, sustainable operations and design

• Establish a permanent home for FOCUS Wales, maximising year-round impact

Findings & outcomes

The study found that Wrexham has a compelling case for a new Music Accelerator Hub - one that balances ambition with need, and creativity with economic impact.

The preferred model includes:

• An 800-capacity flexible venue

• A 200-capacity café/performance space

• Soundproof rehearsal rooms and production studios

• Creative co-working and workspace

• Skills development, education and enterprise support

• A permanent HQ for FOCUS Wales

Beyond the physical space, the hub would function as a connector: between artists and audiences, education and employment, and Wrexham and the wider creative economy. It would respond to both strategic need and grassroots energy, creating something that belongs to - and is led by - the community.

The project is now entering the next phase of development, with site identification, phasing, and capital planning underway. If delivered, the hub will be a permanent expression of Wrexham’s creative identity - and a new chapter in the city’s cultural story