Cardiff: Sir Howard Stringer gives £2m to Old Library plans

A studio at the venue has been named after Sir Howard Stringer as a thank you for his £2m donation

A Welsh-born businessman has donated £2m to turn a city centre heritage building into an arts education space.

Sir Howard Stringer gave the money to the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (RWCMD) to be put towards renovating Cardiff's Old Library.

He said the plans were "rather splendid" and "good for Cardiff".

The project, to transform the 141-year-old Grade II listed building into a rehearsal and performance space, will cost £12m and take about five years.

It comes after Cardiff council transferred the library to the college on a 99-year long lease.

The main first floor studio has been named the Sir Howard Stringer Studio for the remainder of the lease term.

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The college said a consultation period would inform a plan for the community use of the building and include city centre businesses, communities, venues, arts organisation and the public.

Sir Howard was born in Cardiff and was previously chairman of the Sony Corporation and the American Film Institute Board of Trustees and president of CBS.

He was made a fellow of the college in 2001.

The Old Library will be used as a rehearsal and performance space for RWCMD students

He said: "I cherish talent, so coming here to help the Royal Welsh College is obvious to me and the fact that they welcome me is even more thrilling.

"There aren't many people who have spent the lifetime that I have understanding the value of content and the value of the people who have talent."

RWCMD principal Helena Gaunt said that having part of the college in the city centre would be "an important extension of our teaching capacity and talent programmes".

"We owe huge thanks to Sir Howard and Lady Stringer for this heartfelt and generous gift," she added.