UWTSD student finds creative home in transformed former Swansea department store

A University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) Design Crafts student is among the artists now bringing a new lease of life to a much-loved former Swansea department store, which has been transformed into a thriving new arts centre.

Talia Giles, 26, is one of the artists working from a studio at the former JT Morgan building on Belle Vue Way, which has been redeveloped by Swansea-based social enterprise Elysium Gallery and Studios.

The £3.2 million project has transformed the long-empty department store into a dedicated arts space featuring 63 artist studios, a gallery, café, education space, and function room. The studios are already fully occupied, with a waiting list, while the gallery and café welcomed more than 400 visitors when they opened in June.

For Talia, having her own workshop has helped make her ambition of working as an artist feel much more achievable.

“I thought: ‘This is something that can actually happen’,” she said. “It’s a strange feeling.”

Talia’s course encompasses silversmithing, ceramics and glass, having previously specialised in painting during a one-year foundation course. While she expected painting to remain her main focus, she has found herself particularly drawn to glass.

“My preference unexpectedly is glass – it’s just so interesting,” she said.

She said being surrounded by other artists had also made the new studio environment special.

“You never walk past anyone without someone saying ‘hello’,” she said. “And there’s always activity.”

Caroline Thraves, Academic Director, Art and Media at UWTSD, said the development provided an important link between the University’s creative education and the wider arts community in Swansea.

“Having students such as Talia able to develop their practice in a professional creative environment alongside established artists is incredibly valuable,” she said. “It gives students the opportunity to see what a career in the creative industries can look like beyond the university studio, while also becoming part of a vibrant artistic community in the city.

“It is fantastic to see a building with such a long history in Swansea being given a new purpose and creating space for artists, students, and the wider community. Developments such as this are important to the future of Swansea’s creative sector and complement the work UWTSD is doing to support the next generation of creative practitioners.”

The former JT Morgan store closed in 2008 after decades as a familiar name on Swansea’s high street. Its transformation has been supported by £3.2 million of investment, including backing from the Architectural Heritage Fund, Arts Council of Wales, Welsh Government’s Transforming Towns scheme and the former UK Government Shared Prosperity Fund.

The gallery will feature a changing programme of exhibitions every six weeks, including national, international and student residency displays. The building has also been selected as one of five Swansea venues for the touring British Art Show next February.

The Elysium gallery and café is open Wednesday to Saturday, 11am to 5pm. Elysium has also retained a further 26 artist studios at its College Street and Mansel Street sites.

Further Information

Rebecca Davies

Executive Press and Media Relations Officer    
Corporate Communications and PR    
Email: rebecca.davies@uwtsd.ac.uk    
Phone: 07384 467071