Gig memories, iconic venues and the soundtrack of a city: New exhibition celebrates Cardiff’s live music story

Friday, 9 October 2026

Music is Cardiff’s beating heart and while iconic artists, cult favourites and local talent take centre stage at Cardiff Music City Festival, more than 70 stories celebrating the city’s rich musical heritage are the stars of a new exhibition opening at Central Library Hub.
Our City, Our Stories is the culmination of an intergenerational oral history project funded through a Welsh Government Priorities for Culture grant. The project has brought together younger and older Cardiff residents to share and record memories of the city’s rich musical heritage, from legendary performances by The Beatles and The Clash to iconic venues such as the Top Rank Suite, and the songs, artists and moments that have helped shape people’s lives.

Part of a Cardiff Music City Festival programme that as well as music includes talks, poetry, installations, photography and film screenings, the free exhibition will open to the public from October 12 – 24.

Visitors will be able to hear extracts from ten selected oral history recordings through an interactive audio display, while full interviews will be available through retro tape and Walkman listening devices.

A specially commissioned short promotional video exploring the stories and venues featured in the project will also be available to watch. Copies of historic gig posters, tickets and other memorabilia will also help bring Cardiff’s musical past to life.

Reflecting the diversity of Cardiff’s communities and musical influences, the stories include memories of artists and events such as The Beatles, The Clash, The Waterboys, Patti Smith, the Butetown Carnival and Welsh folk music.

Launched earlier this year, the project invited younger volunteers to interview older residents about their experiences of live music in Cardiff. Participants received training in oral history techniques and recording skills, helping to preserve stories that might otherwise have been lost. The interviews will form a lasting archive through the People’s Collection Wales and Glamorgan Archives.

More than 100 people signed up to volunteer as part of the project, contributing over 500 volunteer hours. Fifty-five volunteers received training, with others helping to research venues and memorabilia, support school workshops, provide translations, create artwork and produce a film documenting the project.

Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities, Cllr Lee Bridgeman, said: “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.”

Cardiff Music City Festival Curator, Ruth Cayford, said: “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.”

The exhibition will be hosted on the third floor of Central Library and admission is free. Following its run at Central Library Hub, smaller versions of the exhibition will tour community hubs across the city, with further details to be announced in due course.

Cardiff Music City Festival (2 – 17 October) is supported by Welsh Government and Cardiff Council.