Free Live Music Heritage Exhibition Opens in Cardiff City Centre 2026

Key Points

• Launch of Exhibition: “Our City, Our Stories”, a free exhibition that celebrates the live music history of Cardiff, launches at the Central Library Hub on 12 to 24 October 2026.
• Part of Larger Festival: This event is part of the larger Cardiff Music City Festival, which includes other installations, poetry sessions, lectures, films, and photography.
• Oral History Across Generations: This event collected oral histories across generations of Cardiff residents, with stories about local venues and famous acts such as The Beatles, The Clash, Patti Smith, and The Waterboys.
• Exhibition Components: There is an opportunity to hear excerpts from the recordings on an interactive audio station, hear the complete recordings on vintage tape players and Walkmans, watch a promotional film, and view copies of old gig posters, tickets, and other memorabilia.
• Involvement of Volunteers: Funded through a Welsh Government Priorities for Culture award, more than 100 volunteers have been involved who have provided over 500 volunteer hours and trained 55 individuals in oral history skills and techniques.
• Preservation of the Archival Record: These oral history recordings and items will be preserved for future generations through People’s Collection Wales and Glamorgan Archives.
• Touring of Exhibition: After being exhibited on the third floor of the Central Library Hub, scaled-down versions of the exhibition will travel to various community hubs across Cardiff.

Cardiff (Cardiff Daily) October 12, 2026 – A brand-new, free exhibition celebrating the rich live music history of Cardiff has officially opened its doors to the public today at the Central Library Hub, where it will run through to 24 October as part of the broader Cardiff Music City Festival programme.

As reported by Rhys Gregory of Wales 247, the exhibition, titled Our City, Our Stories, is the culmination of an intergenerational oral history project made possible through funding from a Welsh Government Priorities for Culture grant. The initiative brought together younger and older residents across Cardiff to record and preserve memories spanning iconic musical acts, legendary local venues, and culturally significant grassroots events.

Among the featured accounts are personal memories of performances by global acts such as The Beatles, The Clash, Patti Smith, and The Waterboys, alongside reflections on iconic local spaces such as the Top Rank Suite, the historic Butetown Carnival, and the evolution of Welsh folk music.

How Can Visitors Experience the Live Music Archive at Central Library Hub?

As reported by Rhys Gregory of Wales 247, visitors attending the third-floor exhibition at the Central Library Hub can engage with the material through several interactive formats. An interactive audio display allows members of the public to hear selected extracts from ten featured oral history recordings, whilst full-length interviews can be accessed using retro audio devices, including cassette tapes and Walkmans.

In addition to the audio elements, the exhibition showcases a short promotional film exploring the venues and stories highlighted throughout the project, alongside physical displays of historic gig posters, ticket stubs, and music memorabilia.

What Impact Did Volunteer Participation Have on the Oral History Project?

As reported by Rhys Gregory of Wales 247, the launch of Our City, Our Stories follows an extensive community effort that began earlier this year. Younger volunteers were paired with older residents to conduct structured interviews, receiving formal training in oral history methodologies and audio recording techniques.

More than 100 individuals registered as volunteers, collectively contributing over 500 volunteer hours to the initiative. A total of 55 volunteers completed specialized training, while others assisted in researching historic venues, gathering memorabilia, supporting school workshops, providing language translation, creating artwork, and producing a documentary film capturing the project’s progress.

To ensure long-term preservation, the interviews and research collected throughout the project will be archived in the permanent collections of the People’s Collection Wales and the Glamorgan Archives.

What Statements Were Made by Local Officials and Festival Organizers?

As reported by Rhys Gregory of Wales 247, Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities, Cllr Lee Bridgeman, stated:

“Our community hubs are at the heart of neighbourhood life in Cardiff, bringing people together, providing access to services and creating opportunities to learn, connect and share experiences. That’s why Central Library Hub is the perfect place to showcase Our City, Our Stories. This exhibition captures the memories, voices and experiences of Cardiff residents, preserving an important part of the city’s cultural heritage for future generations. It is a wonderful example of how our hubs can support communities to celebrate their history, tell their stories and strengthen connections between people of all ages.”

As reported by Rhys Gregory of Wales 247, Cardiff Music City Festival Curator, Ruth Cayford, stated:

“Music is about more than the artists on stage. It’s about audiences and the connections it creates between people and communities. Our City, Our Stories celebrates that power through a fascinating collection of memories spanning generations, genres and communities. The exhibition offers a unique opportunity to discover the people, places and moments that have shaped Cardiff’s cultural identity and helped make it one of the UK’s most vibrant music cities. We’d encourage anyone interested in music, local history or Cardiff’s communities to come along and experience these stories for themselves.”

Organizers confirmed that admission to the Central Library Hub exhibition remains free of charge. Following the conclusion of its run on 24 October, smaller touring versions of the showcase are scheduled to visit various community hubs across Cardiff, with specific venues and dates to be announced in due course.

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Background of the Particular Development

The establishment of Our City, Our Stories forms part of ongoing efforts by local authorities and cultural organizations in Wales to document grassroots social history and highlight the cultural significance of live music within urban centers. Funded through the Welsh Government’s Priorities for Culture grant scheme, the initiative addresses a growing policy emphasis on preserving non-traditional cultural heritage through digital and public archives like the People’s Collection Wales and Glamorgan Archives. Furthermore, integrating the exhibition into the Cardiff Music City Festival reflects local strategies aimed at combining major municipal arts events with community-led civic engagement.

How This Development Can Affect the Local Community and Visitors

This development is anticipated to have several key effects on residents, cultural historians, and festival attendees in Cardiff:

• For Older and Younger Residents: The intergenerational nature of the project strengthens social cohesion and mutual understanding across age groups, enabling older citizens to share personal experiences while providing younger volunteers with practical skills in oral history, media production, and archiving.
• For the Local Music and Cultural Sector: Archiving these accounts provides an accessible resource that documents the historical value of venues like the Top Rank Suite and local events like the Butetown Carnival, potentially strengthening support for live music infrastructure and cultural preservation policies in the city.
• For Central Library Hub and Community Venues: Hosting the flagship exhibition and subsequent mobile displays is likely to increase footfall to local library hubs, reinforcing their role as accessible centers for community activities and civic history beyond standard library services.