Oriel Davies is an independent public art gallery, a Registered Charity and Company Ltd by Guarantee. We are governed by a Board of Trustees and the Trust employs a professional staff team to carry out day to day operations.
Oriel Davies is based in Newtown, Montgomeryshire, Powys. Situated on the River Severn in the beautiful Severn Valley, Newtown is Powys's largest town and lies just 10 miles from the Welsh/English border. Named Newtown since the Middle Ages, the town once had a thriving textile industry and is the birthplace of the social reformer, Robert Owen.
Oriel Davies curates and presents innovative exhibitions programmes of national and international contemporary visual art & craft exhibitions. In 2013 we co-curated the Wales in Venice at the Venice Biennale of Art. We also run ambitious arts education & learning programmes for people of all ages and backgrounds. The Gallery is free admission and is open 6 days a week all year round. We receive some 75,000 visits a year.
Oriel Davies is currently supported by revenue funding from Arts Council of Wales and Powys County Council. Other funding is achieved from trusts and foundations and earned income through the Gallery Cafe and shop, touring exhibitions and consultancy work.
Oriel Davies Gallery's premises are owned by a separate Trust, the MCRA, also based in Newtown. Between 2001 and 2004 Oriel Davies worked with the MCRA to develop these premises through a 2-phase major capital programme. This highly successful refurbishment programme was supported by Arts Council of Wales Capital Lottery.
Oriel Davies has undertaken a Feasibility Study to explore the potential of extending the gallery’s premises, through a 3rd phase capital programme, working closely with the MCRA and other partners and is now undertaking the Design Development Phase.