LONDON (12 September 2025) Academy Music Group Limited (AMG) has today announced that it has entered into an agreement with Cardiff Council to take over the running of and re-open Cardiff’s iconic St David鈥檚 Hall.
The agreement will safeguard the future of the venue, preserving the National Concert Hall of Wales as a centrepiece of Cardiff鈥檚 cultural fabric and securing its legacy as a world-class music venue. Once reopened, St David鈥檚 Hall will host an eclectic programme of events, developing and supporting the venue鈥檚 renowned classical programme and community focus alongside contemporary shows.
鈥淐ardiff is a vibrant city with a thriving music and arts scene, and we鈥檙e delighted to be returning one of its most integral venues to the forefront of its cultural community鈥, said Liam Boylan, CEO, Academy Music Group. 鈥淎cademy Music Group has a long history of investing in culturally important buildings and ensuring that they remain open and flourish for future generations to enjoy. St David鈥檚 Hall sets a benchmark standard for concert halls globally, and we鈥檙e thrilled to be able to ensure it continues to deliver outstanding entertainment for many years to come.鈥
Cabinet Member for Culture, Parks and Events, Cllr Jennifer Burke, said 鈥淭his is the start of a new and exciting chapter in the history of one of Wales鈥檚 most important music venues. The significant investment AMG is making will ensure the fabric of the building is protected and maintained for years to come. As well as bringing some of the most exciting acts in contemporary live music to Cardiff, the deal with AMG will protect the Hall鈥檚 classical programme and will mean that Wales once again has a National Concert Hall to be proud of. St David鈥檚 Hall is a special venue for audiences and musicians across Cardiff, Wales and beyond. I鈥檓 delighted that under AMG鈥檚 stewardship it will soon be welcoming audiences back through the doors and helping us deliver on our music city ambitions.鈥
As part of the agreement, at least 60 days within the Hall鈥檚 peak event calendar will be available to host key classical events, with an additional 20 days of classical programming outside of that. A further 10 days every other year will be provided to host the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World event at the Hall.
Lisa Tregale, Director of the BBC National Orchestra and Chorus of Wales, said: 鈥淲e welcome today鈥檚 announcement as an important step in the reopening of St David鈥檚 Hall, as an essential home for classical and symphonic music in Wales. BBC National Orchestra and Chorus of Wales are excited that the hall will be reopening and will now work closely with AMG on our return to this unique concert venue. We look forward to performing in front of audiences on this world-class stage.鈥
Renowned concert pianist Charles Owen has personally selected three new Steinway grand pianos for the Hall, purchased by Cardiff Council to support the future of its classical music programme. Their care – along with the Hall鈥檚 historic organ and other key instruments – will now be entrusted to AMG as the new guardians of the venue. Further recognising its importance to the city鈥檚 cultural environment, AMG are also entering a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with leading classical music organisations in Cardiff. This agreement will ensure the continuation of community and education programming, preserving and developing the Hall鈥檚 vital role in the city鈥檚 cultural life.
Following the discovery of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) in the venue, AMG will invest substantially in remedial works, including the installation of a new roof, as well as new stalls seating in the auditorium to allow for varied show formats. Extensive testing and consultation with Sandy Brown, the acoustic consultants who advised the original design of St David鈥檚 Hall, have confirmed that all works will uphold the venue’s acclaimed acoustic qualities.