Editing Swansea (section)

==Culture==
{{See also|List of cultural venues in Swansea|List of people from Swansea|List of public art in Swansea}}
[[File:Brangwyn hall.jpg|thumb|right|Brangwyn Hall's main entrance]]
The [[Royal Institution of South Wales]] was founded in 1835 as the Swansea Literary and Philosophical Society.

===Performing arts===
[[File:-SeneddSwansea (22524551390).jpg|thumb|Brangwyn Hall, one of the Senedd buildings]]
The [[Swansea Grand Theatre|Grand Theatre]] in the centre of the city is a Victorian theatre which celebrated its centenary in 1997 and which has a capacity of a little over a thousand people. It was opened by the celebrated opera singer [[Adelina Patti]] and was refurbished from 1983 to 1987. The annual programme ranges from pantomime and drama to opera and ballet.

Fluellen Theatre Company is a professional theatre company based in Swansea who perform at the Grand Theatre and the Dylan Thomas Centre. The [[Taliesin Arts Centre|Taliesin building]] on the university campus has a theatre, opened in 1984.

Other theatres include the Dylan Thomas Theatre (formerly the Little Theatre), near the marina, and one in Penyrheol Leisure Centre near [[Gorseinon]]. In the summer, outdoor Shakespeare performances are a regular feature at [[Oystermouth Castle]]; [[Singleton Park]] is the venue for a number of parties and concerts, from dance music to outdoor [[Proms]]. A folk festival is held on Gower.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.folkmusic.net/htmfiles/festivals_000.htm |title=The Living Tradition Festival Listing, 2007 | publisher=The Living Tradition |year=2007 |access-date=26 July 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070730050914/http://www.folkmusic.net/htmfiles/festivals_000.htm | archive-date=30 July 2007 | url-status=dead }}</ref> Standing near Victoria Park on the coast road is the [[Patti Pavilion]]; this was the Winter Garden from Adelina Patti's Craig-y-Nos estate in the upper Swansea valley, which she donated to the town in 1918. It is used as a venue for music shows and fairs. The [[Brangwyn Hall]] is a multi-use venue, with events such as the graduation ceremonies for [[Swansea University]]. Every autumn, Swansea hosts a Festival of Music and the Arts, when international orchestras and soloists visit the Brangwyn Hall. The Brangwyn Hall is praised for its acoustics for recitals, orchestral pieces and chamber music alike.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/southwest/sites/swansea/pages/brangwyn.shtml | title=Brangwyn Hall & The Empire Panels | publisher=BBC | year=2006 | access-date=27 July 2007 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060405174517/http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/southwest/sites/swansea/pages/brangwyn.shtml | archive-date=5 April 2006 | url-status=live }}</ref>

Swansea is home to the [[Palace Theatre, Swansea|Palace Theatre]]. Located at 156 High Street, it is recognisable for its distinctive wedge shape. Originally built in 1888 as a traditional music hall, the building's original name was the ''Pavilion''. During its lifetime, the building has been used as a bingo hall as well as a nightclub.

In 2018, Singleton Park, Swansea was the home-city for BBC Music's 'Biggest Weekend' featuring [[Ed Sheeran]], [[Taylor Swift]], [[Sam Smith (singer)|Sam Smith]], [[Florence + The Machine]] and others. Priority was given to Swansea residents in purchasing tickets for this one-off 'day festival' (over 2 days); tickets were priced at £18 a day and all 60,000 tickets (30,000 for each day) sold out almost instantly.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/whats-on/music-nightlife-news/tickets-swanseas-biggest-weekend-sold-14277218|title=Tickets for Swansea's Biggest Weekend sold out in minutes |author=Katie Bellis |website=WalesOnline |access-date=27 May 2018 |date=12 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180527202504/https://www.walesonline.co.uk/whats-on/music-nightlife-news/tickets-swanseas-biggest-weekend-sold-14277218 |archive-date=27 May 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref>

===Festivals===
[[File:St david's day swansea 2009.jpg|thumb|Red fountain water during the celebration of St David's Day]]

Swansea hosted the [[National Eisteddfod]] in 1863, 1891, 1907, 1926, 1964, 1982 and 2006. The 2006 event occupied the site of the former [[Felindre, Swansea|Felindre]] tinplate works to the north of the city and featured a strikingly pink main tent. In 2009 Swansea Council launched Wales's only week long [[St David's Week]] festival in venues throughout the city. ''The Beginning'' and ''Do Not Go Gentle'' are Festivals in the Uplands area of the city, where Dylan Thomas was born and lived for 23 years.

Swansea is known for its celebration of [[Beaujolais Day]], with people booking tables in restaurants and bars for the day up to a year in advance to ensure they can sample the year's newly released Beaujolais wine.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/whats-on/food-drink-news/one-welsh-city-goes-mad-13789041 |title=Why Swansea goes mad for Beaujolais Day |last1=Rees |first1=Mark|last2=Bellis |first2=Katie |date=20 November 2019 |website=[[Walesonline]]|access-date=12 June 2021}}</ref> Historian [[Peter Stead (writer)|Peter Stead]] argues that its rise in popularity there can be traced to the city's ''No Sign Bar'', owned in the 1960s by former [[Wales national rugby union team|Wales rugby union]] captain [[Clem Thomas]], who owned a house in Burgundy and could transport Beaujolais quickly and cheaply to south Wales, and suggests that it reflected Swansea's efforts to "gentrify and intellectualise itself" at the time. In 2015, it was estimated that Beaujolais Day contributed £5&nbsp;million to the local economy.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-38000337 |title=Why is Swansea leading a Beaujolais Day revival? |last=Prior |first=Neil |date=17 November 2016 |website=[[bbc.co.uk]] |access-date=12 June 2021}}</ref>

===Welsh language===
There are many [[Welsh language]] chapels in the area. Welsh-medium education is a popular and growing choice for both English- and Welsh-speaking families. Just over 1,600 secondary pupils were educated through the medium of Welsh in 2017. Nearly double this figure, 3,063 pupils, are currently educated through the medium of Welsh in the primary sector. The 2014 Swansea Pre-School survey showed that 35% of parents across the city and county of Swansea would select a Welsh education for their children if there was a local Welsh school available to them. 45% of the rural council ward [[Mawr]] are able to speak [[Welsh language|Welsh]], as can 38% of the ward of [[Pontarddulais (electoral ward)|Pontarddulais]]. [[Clydach (electoral ward)|Clydach]], [[Kingsbridge, Swansea|Kingsbridge]] and [[Upper Loughor]] all have levels of more than 20%. By contrast, the urban [[St. Thomas, Swansea|St. Thomas]] has one of the lowest figures in Wales, at 6.4%, a figure only barely lower than [[Penderry]] and [[Townhill, Swansea|Townhill]] wards.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bwrdd-yr-iaith.org.uk/download.php?id=2082.6 |title=Results of the 2001 Census of Population on the Language in Electoral Wards |publisher=Welsh Language Board |year=2007 |access-date=26 July 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060220090448/http://www.bwrdd-yr-iaith.org.uk/download.php?id=2082.6 |archive-date=20 February 2006 }}</ref>

===Food===
{{See also|Cuisine of Swansea}}
Local produce includes [[cockle (bivalve)|cockle]]s and [[laverbread]] sourced from the [[River Loughor#Estuary|Loughor estuary]]. [[Salt marsh]] [[Lamb and mutton|lamb]], raised in the salt marshes of the estuary, is also a local speciality.<ref>[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/food_and_drink/article4198041.ece ''Food detective: Salt marsh lamb''] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081013155445/http://timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/food_and_drink/article4198041.ece |date=13 October 2008 }}- ''The Times''</ref>

===Listed buildings===
[[File:SwanseaCastle.jpg|thumb|[[Swansea Castle]] ruins]]
The city has three [[Listed building|Grade One listed buildings]]: [[Swansea Castle]], the [[Tabernacle Chapel, Morriston]] and the [[Swansea Guildhall]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.swansea.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=1524 |title=Listed building index |publisher=City and County of Swansea |access-date=30 April 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140809215656/http://www.swansea.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=1524 |archive-date=9 August 2014}}</ref> Swansea Castle was an impressive building occupying a strategic position above the River Tawe. The ruins that are visible today date from the late 13th and early 14th centuries. Today, the castle is hemmed in by modern buildings.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.castlewales.com/swansea.html |title=Swansea Castle |author=Thomas, Jeffrey L. |year=2009 |work=Castles of Wales |access-date=30 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160509055841/http://www.castlewales.com/swansea.html |archive-date=9 May 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Tabernacle Chapel at Morriston was built in 1872 by John Humphreys of Swansea. A unique feature is the use of semi-circular arches. The building has been described as the "Nonconformist Cathedral of Wales" and has been listed as Grade I on the basis that it is "the most ambitious grand chapel in Wales, its interior and fittings remain virtually unaltered".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.llgc.org.uk/ardd/pensaeri/arch010.htm |title=Libanus (Tabernacle) Chapel, Morriston |work=Religious Architecture |publisher=The National Library of Wales |access-date=30 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160601040751/https://www.llgc.org.uk/ardd/pensaeri/arch010.htm |archive-date=1 June 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> The Guildhall is one of the main office buildings in the centre of the city and was designed by [[Percy Thomas]] and opened in 1934. It is faced in white [[Portland stone]] and includes a tall clock-tower which makes it a landmark. The building comprises the City Hall, the [[Brangwyn Hall]] concert venue and the County Law Courts. It is considered "the most important building in Wales of its period".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/wa-14594-swansea-new-guildhall-uplands |title=Swansea New Guildhall |publisher=British Listed Buildings |access-date=30 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304235749/http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/wa-14594-swansea-new-guildhall-uplands |archive-date=4 March 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
[[File:Wind Street, Swansea (Recreated) - geograph.org.uk - 361107.jpg|thumb|Wind Street]]
In addition to these, there are a number of Grade II* listed buildings; Ebenezer Baptist Chapel and its Hall in Ebenezer Street; the [[Glynn Vivian Art Gallery]]; the Midland Bank building; the Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in Kingsway, along with its Hall and School blocks; the Offices of Associated British Ports in Pier Street; the Royal Institution of South Wales building, now [[Swansea Museum]] in Victoria Road; and the Old Guildhall in Somerset Place.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/wales/swansea/castle#.VyQ-UOTGA4D |title=Listed Buildings in Swansea, Wales |publisher=British Listed Buildings |access-date=30 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160519124103/http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/wales/swansea/castle#.VyQ-UOTGA4D |archive-date=19 May 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>