Cardiff's Norwegian Church is to reopen having been closed for more than two years.
The iconic building in Cardiff Bay was closed at the start of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, but is set to re-open in early April as a café, arts centre and music venue.
It will open under new management, with a new charity, Norwegian Church Cardiff Bay - led by the Welsh Norwegian Society - taking over the activities of previous stewards, the Norwegian Church Charitable Trust.
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The transfer, which was decided by Cardiff council, is part of their aim to secure the long-term future of the capital's heritage assets.
The 19th Century building, which is also where author Roald Dahl was baptised, will have a Welsh-themed cafe and be used for musical rehearsals and live performances, with the new trustees creating an exciting programme of events for the centre.
Dr Martin Price, chair of the new charity, said: “The church has a special place in the heart of Cardiff people and we have a close bond with the Welsh Norwegian Society. Together, we will make sure the centre reflects our two cultures.”
“I am thrilled to know that the Norwegian Church will remain as a charity preserving the heritage and cultural bond with Norway,” added Dr Tyra Oseng-Rees, chair of the Welsh Norwegian Society.
“We already have strong connections with Vestland County in Norway and will continue to make sure that everyone with an interest in Norway has a place to visit for a little bit of Norway in Wales.”
The centre's new manager, Gareth Roberts, said the new team were going to "rejuvenate" the space, using it to run classes and workshops.
The charity is hoping to access grant funding to help keep the centre going, but also expects revenue to come from gigs, space hire and the cafe. In December, a fundraising appeal was launched to ensure the long-term future of the building.
“The acoustics here are amazing and Côr CF1, one of Wales' most successful choirs, is already using the church for rehearsals and we hope to put on a lot of live music and other performances here in the future," said Gareth.
“There is going to be a strong Welsh theme to the café,” he added. "We will be using a lot of locally produced ingredients but there’s also going to be a lot of food with a Nordic twist and we’ll feature Norwegian dishes every day.”
Councillor Peter Bradbury, Cardiff Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure, added: “The building has been an icon of Cardiff Bay since it was built in 1868 and in the hands of the new charity I am confident the church will have a long and successful future ahead of it.”
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