Culture

‘Culture’ is one of those words that’s difficult to pin down.

It can mean art and crafts, drama and dance, heritage and language, music and food. You can experience all of these – culture in its fullest sense – here in Conwy County.

But where to start? At the new Conwy Culture Centre, perhaps, which takes you on a journey through thousands of years of history signposted by unique collections, works of art and interactive displays.

Today and yesterday

The centre is housed in a strikingly contemporary building close to Conwy’s medieval castle. This combination of old and new, traditional and modern, sums up our far-ranging cultural assets. Go to Llandudno, for example, for a mix of cutting-edge art at Mostyn Gallery (one of the UK’s leading contemporary art galleries) and the Victorian work of art that is Llandudno itself, renowned for its perfectly preserved period seafront.
Llandudno’s Venue Cymru dominates the North Wales entertainments scene. It’s a stage for Welsh National Opera and alternative comedy, West End productions and male voice choirs. At Colwyn Bay you’ll find Theatr Colwyn, Wales’s oldest working theatre and cinema – and still going strong.

Hear it, taste it …

In many ways we’re a microcosm of Wales. You’ll hear and see the Welsh language when you’re out and about – after all, it’s integral to our culture and who we are. But there’s more to it than harps, leeks and ladies in tall hats. The language is nowadays part of a vibrant and forward-looking cultural life that’s anything but traditional.
You can see, hear – and taste – our culture too. ‘You are what you eat,’ the saying goes. What you eat also tells you a lot about where you eat – especially if you’re in a place like Conwy County, which has a bountiful larder of local produce ranging from juicy Conwy mussels to prized Welsh Black beef reared on the verdant pastures of Conwy Valley.