Art in Cardiff refers to the culture of visual arts in Cardiff, capital city of Wales. The visual arts in Cardiff have a much more recent history than many British cities, due to it being a very small town until rapid growth took place in the mid nineteenth century. Cardiff School of Art originated in 1865 and the first major public art exhibition took place in 1870.^[1] The town became a city in 1905, after which time it gained further importance, for example with the creation of a new National Museum. Into the 21st century it has a thriving art scene.

Cardiff did not become a large town until rapid industrial expansion took place during the second half of the nineteenth century. Artists had visited the town from an earlier date, particularly Paul Sandby (1725/6-1809) painted a number of watercolours of South Wales during his second tour of Wales (1773, published 1775),^[2] including of Cardiff's North and West Gates. Wales was unusual because its concentration of visual artists occurred in rural areas (rather than urban centres), drawn there by the impressive scenery. The Cambrian Academy of Art was founded by artists in the Conwy Valley and Betws-y-Coed and art was exhibited at established commercial galleries in Llandudno, on the North Wales coast.^[3]

In 1858 the idea of a town museum for Cardiff had been raised and, in 1861, a museum was created in temporary rooms based on subscriptions,^[1] sharing accommodation with the Cardiff Free Library^[4] in St Mary Street. In 1870 Cardiff's first large-scale public art exhibition, the Fine Art and Industrial Exhibition, took place.^[1] Bequests to the art collection, particularly sculpture (for example from Milo ap Griffith) began to come in.^[1]

Central to the town's artistic community at the time were artist T. H. Thomas (1834–1915) and architect Edwin Seward (1853–1924). Thomas exhibited at the 1870 exhibition. Seward studied at Cardiff's College of Art and later designed the town's new Free Library on The Hayes. Both became Presidents of the Cardiff Naturalists' Society and when Thomas inherited a house on The Walk in 1880 this also became a place for intellectual discussion.^[1] Seward tried unsuccessfully to establish an art institution in Cardiff to represent the whole of Wales. Exhibitions were held in 1884 and 1885 to raise money for a headquarters for the Cambrian Academy. Instead, Seward and a group of artists created the South Wales Art Society in 1888, with an annual exhibition and lecture programme.^[1]

To help fund a new Free Library a second Fine Art and Industrial Exhibition took place in Cardiff's Drill Hall in 1881. T. H. Thomas and Cardiff painters B. S. Marks and Richard Short were on the organising committee. The event attracted further donations to the town's art collection, including the entire collection of William Menelaus after his death in 1882.^[1] In 1883 the National Eisteddfod visited Cardiff and Thomas organised the art and craft exhibition and competition, the largest ever event of its kind in Wales at the time. Local painter Edgar Thomas came to the attention and the Marquess of Bute sponsored his continuing art education as a result.^[1]

Discussions began in the early 1890s to create a far larger museum and art gallery for Cardiff. The idea that it became a national museum was soon mooted, to rival those in England and Scotland. A site was secured at Park Place for the new building, and the design commissioned from Edwin Seward. In 1896 Cardiff's third Fine Art and Industrial Exhibition took place (with the pavilion designed by Seward), which further brought together a substantial public collection of art, for example from the works of painter Charles Jones (d. 1892).^[5] Plans for a new museum were superseded by grander ambitions for new civic buildings on a much larger site, and it was not realised until after Cardiff achieved city status (1905). Seward's designs were used for the application for government funds, but not used for the final building.^[5]

A School of Science & Art was established in Cardiff in 1865,^[6] with lessons taking place on the top floor of the Cardiff Free Library and Museum.^[4] In 1867 a distinct School of Art was formed, based on the Art Night School.^[7] The first South Kensington examinations took place (and prizes awarded) in 1868 (in 1869 the prizes were handed out by Lord Bute).^[8] It became the Cardiff Technical School in 1889 (and eventually Cardiff College of Art in 1949).^[6]

A purpose built city centre site was opened in May 1970 in Howard Gardens. This was closed in 2014 as the remaining courses were moved to Cardiff Metropolitan University's newly built art college building in Llandaff, bringing all the art and design courses together for the first time in decades.^[9]

• Lord, Peter (2000), The Visual Culture of Wales: Imaging the Nation, Cardiff: University of Wales Press, ISBN 0-7083-1587-9
• Moore, David (2012), A Taste of the Avant-garde: 56 Group Wales, Brecon: Crooked Window, pp. 6–7, ISBN 978-0-9563602-1-2