Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama

The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama is the National Conservatoire of Wales and a leading UK provider of specialist practical and performance-based training in music and drama.

In the charity's own words, from the register.

In Wales

• Cardiff

Area of benefit in its governing document: Cardiff

The places the charity told the Commission it works in.

In the year ending 31 July 2025, it had income of £20,757,000 and spent £19,367,000.

Figures as the charity reported them to the Charity Commission. Staff and volunteer numbers are only asked of charities with income over £10,000. A year with no row was not reported.

Separate measures from the charity's own returns and accounts, each with its year. Read them together: no single measure says how well a charity is run.

Income over time

Up 36%, from £15,248,000 in the year to 31 July 2021 to £20,757,000 in the year to 31 July 2025.

Spending against income

It spent 93% of its income in the year to 31 July 2025. It spent more than its income in 3 of the 5 years shown.

From the annual returns the charity filed with the Charity Commission. The largest funder comes from its accounts, read by AI.

Government grants in the year ending 31 July 2025: Not reported. Government contracts: Not reported.

From the charity's annual return to the Charity Commission, which asks every charity with income over £10,000 how much came from government grants and contracts. It does not say which part of government. These totals are separate from the named funders read from its accounts and the grants published on 360Giving, and are not added to them.

Funders that publish to 360Giving list 18 grants to this charity since 2010, worth at least £402,356.

Only funders that publish their grants to 360Giving are included, and many do not. These are amounts funders awarded, which can differ from what the charity received in a given year, so they are shown apart from the accounts figures above.

Council business that names this charity, from the records councils publish, gathered by OpenCouncil. Newest first.

• 16 September 2025, Cardiff

  Named in an agenda item or minute of Economy & Culture Scrutiny Committee

  St David's Hall - Update

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• 21 November 2024, Cardiff

  Named in a decision of Cabinet

  Heritage Assets Update

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• 19 November 2024, Cardiff

  Named in an agenda item or minute of Economy & Culture Scrutiny Committee

  Heritage Assets

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• 14 May 2024, Cardiff

  Named in an agenda item or minute of Economy & Culture Scrutiny Committee

  Music Strategy and Cardiff Music City Festival Update

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• 25 January 2024, Cardiff

  Named in an agenda item or minute of Council

  Lord Mayor's Announcements

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• 30 November 2023, Cardiff

  Named in an agenda item or minute of Council

  Lord Mayor's Announcements

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• 26 October 2023, Cardiff

  Named in an agenda item or minute of Council

  Lord Mayor's Announcements

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• 11 July 2023, Cardiff

  Named in an agenda item or minute of Economy & Culture Scrutiny Committee

  Declarations of Interest

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• 11 July 2023, Cardiff

  Thomson declared an interest that names the charity, at Economy & Culture Scrutiny Committee

  Recorded as a personal interest.

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• 17 January 2023, Cardiff

  Named in an agenda item or minute of Policy Review and Performance Scrutiny Committee

  Declarations of Interest

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• 17 January 2023, Cardiff

  Thomson declared an interest that names the charity, at Policy Review and Performance Scrutiny Committee

  St David's Hall - Call-in of Cabinet Decision CAB/22-23/39

  Recorded as a personal interest.

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• 12 December 2022, Cardiff

  Thomson declared an interest that names the charity, at Economy & Culture Scrutiny Committee

  St David's Hall

  Recorded as a personal interest.

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• 12 December 2022, Cardiff

  Named in an agenda item or minute of Economy & Culture Scrutiny Committee

  Declarations of Interest

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• 16 November 2021, Cardiff

  Named in an agenda item or minute of Economy & Culture Scrutiny Committee

  Old Library & Norwegian Church - to follow

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We count a mention only when the record gives the charity's full registered name or its charity number. A mention shows the charity was named in that record. Follow the link to read what the record says.

Senedd and Welsh Government records that name this charity, gathered by OpenSenedd. Newest first.

• 10 September 2026

  Named in a ministerial meeting or engagement: DFMCMSJE

  Purpose: Mastering Diversity Conference at Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama.

  Mastering Diversity Conference at Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

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• 4 March 2026

  Named by Peter Fox in the Senedd

  …in the arts, heritage and culture, we must protect funding and give organisations like the National Youth Orchestra of Wales, the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and others that stable recognition and long-term planning cycles that they need. Investing in culture shows a commitment to the pe…

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• 4 March 2026

  Named by Julie Morgan in the Senedd

  …roded. And as Rhianon has said, we do see great potential, but also great fragility, such as the emerging junior department at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. Now, I fought to keep the junior conservatoire open, along with Rhianon and many in this organisation, and it was an absolute tra…

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• 4 March 2026

  Named by Rhianon Passmore in the Senedd

  …eeds sustainable recognition—again, as a culturally significant organisation of Wales, because that is what it is. And lastly, the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama has, again, similarly, also hugely welcomed large Government investment and intervention. But the loss of its junior department wa…

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• 27 January 2026

  Named in a ministerial meeting or engagement: Min CSSP

  Purpose: Michael Plaut and Helena Gaunt, Principal of the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama.

  Michael Plaut and Helena Gaunt, Principal of the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

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• 27 November 2025

  Named by Vaughan Gething in the Senedd

  …isn't ring-fenced. My understanding has been that there's a £2 million sum that's been ring-fenced for a specific institution, the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. I can't understand that because it isn't in the papers. So, is this either speculation or untrue? If it isn't, I'm happy to stop…

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• 19 November 2025

  Named by Jack Sargeant in the Senedd

  Yes, Chair. So, we're providing Medr with that additional funding, and that will go to support the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, so they can continue providing that quality student experience, particularly the high-quality training that they provide for creating the arts. So, it's an alloc…

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• 5 November 2025

  Named in a ministerial meeting or engagement: DFM Cabsec CCRA

  Purpose: Divali celebration at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.

  Divali celebration at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama

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• 8 October 2025

  Named by Jane Richardson in the Senedd

  …ork with the team at Cardiff Council to consider the future of City Hall next to us and with our partners at the university and the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama just around the corner, and we look to make that whole area, within the civic centre of Cardiff, a vibrant, animated cultural space…

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• 18 June 2025

  Named by Julie Morgan in the Senedd

  …is showing the long-term impact that the arts in our society have. There have been blows recently. I was deeply upset that, in the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, the junior conservatoire closed. I think that that was very, very disappointing. And to see any opportunity lost like that is a g…

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• 28 April 2025

  Named by Vaughan Gething in the Senedd

  There's also the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama petition.

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• 5 February 2025

  Named by Vikki Howells in the Senedd

  …sic is offered by Bangor, the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, the Open University and, most significantly, of course, the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. Ancient history is offered by the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, modern foreign languages by Aberystwyth, Bangor, Swans…

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• 4 February 2025

  Named in a written question from Heledd Fychan

  Addressed to the Cabinet Secretary for Education.

  …support their priorities. Most of the music provision in Wales does not receive any specific funding. An exception to this is the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, where Medr recognise the additional costs of specialist conservatoire provision. This ensures that funding levels for this specia…

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• 29 January 2025

  Named by Julie Morgan in the Senedd

  …Wales and will affect the Welsh music culture. Last year in Cardiff we've already had the closure of the junior department of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, and this is a further blow to the arts in Wales. The head of the school has described this proposal as a dereliction of duty and…

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• 16 January 2025

  Named by Delyth Jewell in the Senedd

  Thanks very much for that. Just to add to what Heledd said on item 6.4 on the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, I'm very aware that members of the public have written to us on this in terms of the impact that this decision has had on their children, and we are, as a committee, genuinely gratef…

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• 16 January 2025

  Named by Heledd Fychan in the Senedd

  Thank you. If I could just note the correspondence under item 6.4 in terms of the closure of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama junior department. I think there are some points there, given that we have taken an interest in the past as a committee, I think it would be good to follow up on. I…

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• 28 November 2024

  Named in a ministerial meeting or engagement: MinFHE

  Purpose: Coleg Brenhinol Cerdd a Drama Cymru / Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama.

  Coleg Brenhinol Cerdd a Drama Cymru / Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

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• 14 October 2024

  Named by Carolyn Thomas in the Senedd

  …etary for Education, going forward. Thank you. If we move on to agenda item 3.6, P-06-1455, 'Protect the junior departments of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama from closure'. The submitter is Rebecca Totterdell, and there are 10,548 signatures. We received some further written evidence thi…

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• 8 October 2024

  Named by Jane Hutt in the Senedd

  …ister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership is addressing the very issues that you have raised. And, of course, it is for the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, again, to consider their priorities, but I know that what is forthcoming, as a result of extensive consultation, are the prioriti…

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• 8 October 2024

  Named by Rhianon Passmore in the Senedd

  …y the sparkling quality and excellence of our publicly funded organisations—BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Welsh National Opera, Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, National Music Service for Wales, Creative Wales, Anthem—and it also recognised the amazing economic contribution of the music st…

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• 26 September 2024

  Named by Heledd Fychan in the Senedd

  Thank you. And, if I may, obviously there's the wider risk. You mentioned your partnership with the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, and, at the moment, St David's Hall is closed, with Cardiff Singer of the World in terms of music here in Wales and some of the things that have been really imp…

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• 26 September 2024

  Named by Delyth Jewell in the Senedd

  …have been seen to Welsh National Opera and Mid Wales Opera, the ongoing pressures in St David's Hall, and what's happened with the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and their programme for young people. What would your assessment be of the state of play for classical music and for opera?

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• 26 September 2024

  Named by Dafydd Rhys in the Senedd

  I have regular meeting with the Musicians' Union. I’ve had regular meetings with Helena Gaunt from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. We don’t fund that, of course. That’s not our responsibility to fund, as with St David’s Hall. We don’t actually fund St David’s Hall, although we do fund so…

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• 18 September 2024

  Named by Vikki Howells in the Senedd

  …signatures on the petition is a clear indication of the strength of feeling about this issue, and I know that the decision by the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama to stop its regular weekend youth provision for musicians and actors has caused concern and apprehension among parents and learner…

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• 18 September 2024

  Named by Rhys ab Owen in the Senedd

  …of the past should show each and every one of us here that austerity is a failed project. The loss of the junior department at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama is proof of this. We need to stop believing in the fantasy economics of austerity. We need to properly fund our arts sector. We ne…

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Showing the 25 most recent of 75 mentions.

We count a mention only when the record gives the charity's full registered name or its charity number. A mention shows the charity was named in that record. Follow the link to read it in full.

16 trustees run the charity.

• Louise Elizabeth EvansChairAppointed 31 January 2025
• Aimee Helen Wendy BadgerAppointed 1 August 2026
• April Atinuke AudigerAppointed 8 November 2022
• Christopher James SuttonAppointed 1 October 2025
• David FrancisAppointed 31 January 2025
• Desmond Patrick CliffordAppointed 1 October 2025
• Heini Erin Catrina HughesAppointed 1 August 2026
• Helen RowlandAppointed 1 October 2025
• Ian LewisAppointed 8 November 2022
• Professor David RuebainAppointed 8 November 2022
• Professor Helena GauntAppointed 1 September 2018
• Professor Osama Shafique Minhaz KhanAppointed 4 May 2026
• Rhian Louise LanghamAppointed 1 October 2025
• Roger Llewelyn MunningsAppointed 1 April 2022
• Sarah Alexandra Moore OBEAppointed 1 August 2023
• Tianyi LuAppointed 8 November 2022

Trustees are responsible in law for the charity. Names are as they appear on the public register.

Of the last 5 annual returns that were due, 5 arrived by the deadline.

Charities with income over £10,000 send an annual return within 10 months of their year end, and those over £25,000 also send their accounts. Smaller charities only update their income and spending on the register. The dates are when the Commission received each document.

Charity number

1139282

Status

Registered

Registered with the Commission

9 December 2010

Governing document

MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES INCORPORATED 29/11/2006AS AMENDED BY SPECIAL RESOLUTION(S) DATED 09/01/2015

Company number

06013744This company on OpenEconomyThis company on Companies House

Website

www.rwcmd.ac.ukAs the charity gave it on the register.

Council area of its contact address

Rhondda Cynon Taf

• Register details, income, spending, trustees and filing dates: Charity Commission for England and Wales, register of charities. Loaded by OpenEconomy on 2 November 2026.
• Grants awarded: 360Giving open grants data, from funders that publish there. Loaded by OpenEconomy on 2 November 2026.
• In council meetings: councils' published meeting records, gathered by OpenCouncil and matched to the charity by OpenEconomy on 4 November 2026.
• In the Senedd and Welsh Government: records gathered by OpenSenedd and matched to the charity by OpenEconomy on 5 November 2026.

• This charity on the Charity Commission register
• 360Giving open grants data
• This charity on OpenEconomy

• OpenCouncil: council records that name this charity
• OpenSenedd: Senedd records that name this charity
• OpenCouncil: Rhondda Cynon Taf Council's meetings and decisions
• OpenEconomy: Rhondda Cynon Taf's economy in figures
• OpenSenedd: the Members of the Senedd for Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr
• OpenSenedd: the Members of the Senedd for Afan Ogwr Rhondda