Key Points
- Based in Flintshire, North Wales, Theatr Clwyd has won two UK Theatre Awards.
- These awards include Most Welcoming Theatre and Excellence in Touring.
- Both of them have been awarded in a ceremony held in London.
- Most Welcoming Theatre award honoured the venue for its accessibility, outreach, staff, and relations with local people.
- Theatr Clwyd has been the winner over finalists from Nottingham and Bury St Edmunds in this category.
- Excellence in Touring award is for the venue’s touring production of Dylan Thomas’s Under Milk Wood.
- Directed by artistic director Kate Wasserberg, this tour reached about 16,000 people in Wales.
- Theatr Clwyd has won over productions from Leeds and East Anglia in this category.
- This touring production places Deaf and disabled artists in the focus of their theatre making and performances.
- Liam Evans-Ford, chief executive, has said the win “means a great deal to everyone”.
- Kate Wasserberg has said that the company wants to prove that inclusive theatre-making makes productions “richer and more alive”.
Wales (Wales Times) October 14, 2026 – A North Wales theatre has received national recognition after winning two prestigious UK Theatre Awards, honouring both its audience welcome and the reach of its touring production of Dylan Thomas’s Under Milk Wood.
As reported by Amelia Jones of Nation.Cymru, Theatr Clwyd won the awards for Most Welcoming Theatre and Excellence in Touring at a ceremony in London. The Flintshire-based venue was selected ahead of theatres and productions from across the United Kingdom.
Why Did Theatr Clwyd Win Most Welcoming Theatre?
Theatr Clwyd won Most Welcoming Theatre after judges assessed its newly refurbished building and met the staff responsible for welcoming audiences. According to Nation.Cymru, the judging process considered accessibility, community outreach and the theatre’s relationships with local people.
The theatre was chosen ahead of finalists from Nottingham and Bury St Edmunds. The award recognised work both inside the venue and in its wider engagement with communities across Flintshire and beyond.
Liam Evans-Ford, chief executive of Theatr Clwyd, said the award reflected the organisation’s commitment to creating a welcoming environment.
As reported by Nation.Cymru, Evans-Ford said:
“The Clwyd welcome is something that’s deeply important to every member of our company – it’s a warm, supportive culture built to serve our audiences and community.”
He added:
“To be recognised nationally, means a great deal to everyone.”
What Did the Excellence in Touring Award Recognise?
The theatre’s second award, Excellence in Touring, was given for its production of Under Milk Wood, directed by Theatr Clwyd’s artistic director, Kate Wasserberg.
The production took Dylan Thomas’s celebrated play to audiences across Wales, reaching nearly 16,000 people. Nation.Cymru reported that it beat competing productions from Leeds and East Anglia to secure the national honour.
Accessibility was central to the touring show. The production placed Deaf and disabled artists at the heart of the work and incorporated inclusive practices throughout its development and performances.
Kate Wasserberg said the team had wanted to bring a Welsh classic to audiences across the country while demonstrating the value of inclusive theatre-making.
As quoted by Nation.Cymru, Wasserberg said: “We wanted to take a Welsh classic to Welsh audiences and show that when Deaf and Disabled artists shape a show the work becomes richer and more alive.”
She added: “This recognition is a real honour.”
What Does the Double Win Mean for Theatr Clwyd?
The double win marks national recognition for Theatr Clwyd’s work both on and off stage. It celebrates the theatre’s relationship with local communities as well as its commitment to making theatre accessible to wider audiences.
Theatr Clwyd’s recently refurbished venue and its touring productions continue to bring theatre to audiences in Flintshire and beyond. The awards highlight two strands of the organisation’s work: the experience offered to people visiting the Mold theatre, and the ability of its productions to travel across Wales.
The Most Welcoming Theatre award focused on the venue’s front-of-house culture, accessibility and community relationships. The Excellence in Touring award recognised the production’s scale, reach and inclusive creative approach.
Together, the honours position Theatr Clwyd as a venue recognised not only for the quality of its stage work, but also for the way it engages audiences and communities.
Background of the Development
Theatr Clwyd is a Flintshire-based theatre in North Wales. Its recent refurbishment formed part of the context for the Most Welcoming Theatre award, with judges visiting the updated building and meeting staff involved in audience welcome.
The UK Theatre Awards recognise achievement across venues and productions throughout the UK. Theatr Clwyd’s success came in two separate categories: one focused on audience experience and community connection, and the other on touring.
Under Milk Wood is a celebrated play by Welsh writer Dylan Thomas. Theatr Clwyd’s touring version was directed by artistic director Kate Wasserberg and toured across Wales, reaching nearly 16,000 people. Its creative approach included Deaf and disabled artists in central roles and inclusive practices across development and performance.
Prediction: How This Could Affect Welsh Theatre Audiences
For theatre audiences in North Wales and across Wales, the awards may increase awareness of Theatr Clwyd’s accessible and community-focused approach. The recognition could encourage more people to attend productions at the refurbished Mold venue, particularly those interested in inclusive performances and Welsh cultural work.
For disabled and Deaf audiences, the success of Under Milk Wood may signal continued demand for productions in which accessibility is built into the creative process rather than added afterwards. The theatre’s stated approach placed Deaf and disabled artists at the centre of the work, which could influence expectations around future touring productions.
For local communities in Flintshire, the Most Welcoming Theatre award may reinforce Theatr Clwyd’s role as a cultural hub. The award recognised outreach and relationships with local people, suggesting that the theatre’s engagement beyond performances remains an important part of its identity.
For Welsh touring theatre more widely, the Excellence in Touring award may draw attention to the value of taking major Welsh work to audiences across the country. The production’s near-16,000-strong audience demonstrates the potential reach of a Welsh classic when toured with accessibility and inclusion as central priorities.
