News Update

Mid and North Powys Mind and Impelo are excited to announce a landmark collaboration. This project was made possible thanks to assistance from Powys County Council and capital grant funding from the Welsh Government’s Transforming Towns programme and the Arts Council of Wales Capital Fund programme.

These grants have enabled Mid and North Powys Mind to purchase the Dance Centre building in Llandrindod Wells from Impelo and for essential work to be done to update and develop the building, ensuring it meets the needs of both charities, marking a new chapter for both.

Renovations to the building will begin imminently, setting the stage for a unique shared space model. While not all funding is secured yet (the outcome of additional funding applications is yet to be known), Phase One can now proceed. The current trajectory means we expect the building to re-open to the public in Summer 2025. Mid and North Powys Mind will then lease the studio section of the building back to Impelo, allowing both organisations to cohabit under one roof while maintaining their distinct identities and operations. Each organisation will have its own separate entrance, with Impelo’s located at the rear of the building, close to the Incredible Edible Garden and The Pavilion, and Mid and North Powys Mind at the front, where the current entrance is situated.

Despite operating independently, Impelo and Mid and North Powys Mind share a common ethos and ambition – to support the wellbeing of the community and offer a creative, supportive and inclusive environment for all. This partnership ensures that the building remains a vibrant asset for local residents.  Jo Lewis and Mary Griffiths (Co-CEOs of Mid and North Powys Mind) say,

“Mid and North Powys Mind have been looking for a new building to call home for many years; a building that supports wellbeing, that makes people feel valued and that makes them feel better. We have never had a fit for purpose building to welcome people to, but now, we have finally found our new home! We are so excited to take this project forward and share the building with Impelo”

Impelo Trustee Jennifer Owens Adams, a Powys local who has guided the organisation through many transitions—including becoming a charity, rebranding, and now entering this new chapter—reflects on what this moment means for the local community. She says,

“I know how engaged and vibrant our local communities are – and I’ve seen first hand, how they have engaged with and shaped what Impelo has become and now what it will be- and it is because of them that I feel so thrilled about this new way forward. This is a wonderful new chapter for Impelo; the future of dance across Powys is bright; it’s even more inspiring to know that it’s through the power of partnership working and collaboration that once again people across our local communities and beyond will feel and see the positive power of dance.”

“I’m pleased that we have been able to secure nearly £250,000 in Transforming Towns Placemaking Grant funding for this project which will help to bring a commercial building – currently closed due to high running costs – back into use, secure jobs and improve the mental and physical wellbeing of Powys residents,” said Councillor David Selby, Powys

County Council’s Cabinet Member for a More Prosperous Powys. “I’m looking forward to seeing the Dance Centre being a hive of activity again in Llandrindod Wells and hope it will prove to be a suitable home in the long-term for two of our valued partners as we look to build a more sustainable county for everyone.”

Both charities would like to take this incredible opportunity to acknowledge the community consultation that took place before we made various funding applications. The shares, comments, support, and time you took to relay your ideas and provide genuine feedback helped us understand how our local community felt about the proposal. With over 300 people sharing their views in favour of the plan, the feedback we received was invaluable – not only did it affirm the strength of this idea, but it also inspired new possibilities for how the space can be designed. We want to express our heartfelt thanks to everyone who contributed; your ideas have truly shaped the blueprint of this project and your support has given us the energy to bring it to life.