Civic award for Welsh arts centre

The Welsh arts were celebrated internationally this month as the Creative Units project at Aberystwyth Arts Centre was awarded a Civic Trust Award.

Held in Liverpool, the annual event recognised the best new buildings, public spaces and public art in the UK, Ireland and Europe.

On accrediting the Creative Units, the organisers said that it is 'both visually and spatially innovative and accommodates a wide range of creative businesses, arts development agencies, artists and craft workers.

'The simple form of the studios could be seen as pieces of art in themselves and create an inspirational setting for the artists and enterprises that inhabit them.'

Creative Units was built at a cost of £1.4 million to promote interaction between craft workers, creative agencies and businesses to further stimulate creativity.

Malcolm Hankey, managing director of the awards, said: 'We were delighted to see such a diverse range of projects submitted for consideration. The Civic Trust Awards celebrate not only design excellence, but also the relationship between structures, places, the environment and local communities.'