Sidney Nolan Trust They/them

The Sidney Nolan Trust operates and cares for The Rodd and The Bleddfa Centre, two unique locations in the Mid-Powys borders, founded as places for creativity.

The Sidney Nolan Trust was founded in 1985 by the leading Australian modernist artist Sir Sidney Nolan at his final home The Rodd. This 17th century Jacobean farm, manor house and grounds near Presteigne in the beautiful landscape of the Welsh Marches was Nolan’s home for the last decade of his life. We look after and enable access to an internationally significant collection of his artwork, the largest outside Australia, his only surviving studio, extensive personal archive, and library; as well as Rodd Court, nearly 200 acres of grounds, farmland and wood.

Nolan’s vision was of a place where people could encounter contemporary art, from visual arts to music and poetry, in the context of landscape and the environment.

The Bleddfa Centre was founded by James Roose-Evans (1927-2022), a pioneering British theatre director, priest, and writer on experimental theatre, ritual and meditation. In 1959 he founded the Hampstead Theatre Club, London, then in 1974 the Bleddfa Centre for the Creative Spirit, in mid-Wales.

The Centre comprises art, social and event spaces across the former village schoolhouse and converted barn adjacent to the 13thC St Mary Magdalene’s Church. ‘Bleddfa ‘, meaning ‘the abode of wolves,’ reflects the wild history of the surrounding Radnor Forest and underscores the Centre’s connection to its environment.

Today, as an independent charity, we work across both centres to enable inspiring and deeply human encounters with the arts, heritage and the environment for people of all ages and backgrounds. We are committed to supporting creativity, exchange and enquiry across artforms. Our programmes include exhibitions, events, learning and artist residencies.