A vibrant community and cultural centre for Blaenau Gwent and surrounding areas

Acquired by ProMo Cymru in 2008, Ebbw Vale Institute is a building full of story and culture.

This project has innovation at its heart, transforming continually to meet the needs of the community.

What was the problem?

The Ebbw Vale Institute (EVI) is a Grade II listed building and the oldest institute in Wales dating back to 1849, but for many years it was abandoned and fell into a state of disrepair.

The region in which EVI is based required investment and regeneration in order to rejuvenate the area.

Born out of a need to set up a new space for cultural and creative development, ProMo Cymru took over ownership of EVI and began the regeneration work to re-establish it as a community and cultural centre.

Our approach

It is EVI’s goal to bring cultural and community activities and services to the Ebbw Vale community and help to activate the business realm of Blaenau Gwent.

The regeneration of the building has been developed by ProMo Cymru with support from Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council and the local community. Funding provided by the Big Lottery Community Asset Transfer Scheme has enabled EVI to keep its doors open. Additional funding was provided by the Heads of the Valleys initiative with sponsorship from Sennheiser.

With this investment in upgrading EVI with state-of-the-art facilities, ProMo Cymru recognises the importance of preserving the region’s history.

Outcomes

EVI is open to everyone in the community. This building serves as a renewed focus for the area, providing a programme of creative activities, workshops, training and support.

Over the years, EVI has transformed with the needs of the community. At one point, it became a venue with a licensed bar for events and concerts, with state-of-the-art recording facilities, rehearsal rooms, and dance studios. Today, the bar has evolved into a community pantry, and the recording studio is being developed into a multi-purpose space for the centre.

EVI runs a selection of community-based initiatives, including a Repair Café, a Community Garden, an Over 55’s Luncheon Club, a Film Club, and a Dementia Café, to name a few.

The Ebbw Vale Institute focuses on supporting community members to upskill and develop. The centre welcomes a large team of volunteers who are essential to delivering the support offered at EVI. Volunteers share how their roles at EVI have brought them purpose and passion, which positively impacts their lives.

Sue Davies, one of the Community Pantry volunteers, has been involved since it opened in February 2023. She was interviewed by the BBC, and shared: “Before I came here, I wasn’t going anywhere, I wasn’t doing anything. My husband had passed away, I’d lost all my confidence, and then I just walked past one day and saw ‘volunteers needed’. I thought pluck up the courage and come on in, and I’ve got to be honest, it’s worked absolute wonders for me”.

EVI is also home to a variety of organisations including Communities for Work Plus, Blaenau Gwent Youth Services, Gwent N-Gage, Cyfannol Women’s Aid and ACT Training (based in our second building, 44 Church Street).