Gold Medal (National Eisteddfod of Wales) explained

The Gold Medal (Welsh: Medal Aur) of the National Eisteddfod of Wales is awarded annually in three categories for excellence in Fine Art, Architecture, or Craft and Design.^[1]

Background

The National Eisteddfod of Wales is Wales' most important national cultural event, taking place annually. Its open exhibition of art and craft, Y Lle Celf (Welsh: 'The Art Space') is one of the highlights of the Welsh arts calendar.^[2] Gold medals are awarded in the Visual Arts section for outstanding contributions in different media: a gold medal for fine art has been awarded since 1951;^[3] a medal for Architecture has been offered since 1954 (though withheld and not awarded between 1954 and 1959);^[4] and a gold medal for craft and design has been awarded since 1985.^[5]

Other awards are the Tony Goble Award, given to a first time exhibitor, and the Josef Herman Award, chosen by the public^[6] (Josef Herman, a Polish emigree, won the Fine Art medal in 1962).^[7]

The Architecture award was endowed by Thomas Alwyn Lloyd and is given in conjunction with the Design Commission for Wales and the Royal Society of Architects in Wales, who advise the Eisteddfod judges.

The award is given to practitioners working in Wales, and a language rule has been in force since 1950 that any original words in art works must be in the Welsh language.^[8] In 2013 there was controversy when a video entirely in English by England-born University of Wales Newport student Josephine Sowden was awarded the Fine Art medal.^[9] ^[10]

In January 2014 the Wales Millennium Centre (WMC) and Craft in the Bay, Cardiff held an exhibition showcasing the work of previous winners of the Fine Art and the Craft awards.

The 2014 Open Exhibition exhibited the work of 44 artists, selected from 300 entries.

Winners

Fine Art

Source: The National Eisteddfod of Wales

Architecture

2024 – Claire Priest and Ben Crawley, Studio Brassica, for a stable block conversion near Raglan.^[11]
2023 – Nidus Architects and Rural Office, for their extension of a 17-century Welsh longhouse Pen-y-common near Hay-on-Wye ^[12]
2022 – Sonia Cunningham, for her research project, the Bee Monastry, and a design for a school at Llanidloes.
2019 – Featherstone Young, London, for Tŷ Pawb, Wrexham^[13]
2018 – KKE Architects, Worcester, for their work on St Davids Hospice Care in Newport
2017 – Stride Treglown, for Ysgol Bae Baglan, Port Talbot
2016 – Hall & Bednarczyk, for the Visitor and Water Sports Centre, Llandegfedd
2015 – Loyn & Co, for Millbrook House, in Lisvane, Cardiff. This was the first time since 1985 that a winner had won two years in succession.^[14]
2014 – Loyn & Co, for 'Stormy Castle', a sustainable home on the Gower Peninsula^[15]
2013 – John Pardey Architects, for 'Trewarren', a house in Pembrokeshire
2012 – HLM Architects, for Archbishop McGrath Catholic High School, Bridgend
2011 – Ellis Williams Architects, for Oriel Mostyn, Llandudno
2010 – Medal not awarded
2009 – Ray Hole Architects, for Hafod Eryri visitor centre, Snowdon
2008 – Purcell Miller Tritton, for Blaenavon World Heritage Centre, Blaenavon
2007 – Loyn & Co, for the Water Tower, Cyncoed, Cardiff, breaking the normal tradition of making the award for a public building.
2006 – Richard Rogers, for the Senedd, Cardiff
2005 – Capita Percy Thomas, Cardiff, for the Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff^[16]
2004 – Powell Dobson Architects, Cardiff, for the Brewery Quarter area, Cardiff
2003 – Nicholas Hare Architects, London, for No 1 Callaghan Square, Cardiff
2002 – Pembroke Design Ltd, Pembroke Dock, for Ysgol Bro Dewi, St Davids
2001 – David Lea and Pat Borer, Pen-y-bont Fawr, for WISE at the Centre for Alternative Technology, Machynlleth
2000 – Foster + Partners, London, for the Great Glasshouse, National Botanic Garden of Wales, Llanarthne
1999 – Smith Roberts Associates, Bristol, for the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Visitor Centre, St Davids
1998 – Arup, London, for the Control Techniques Research and Development HQ, Newtown
1997 – PCKO Architects, Middlesex, for The Swansea Foyer, Swansea
1996 – Holder Mathias Alcock, Cardiff, for the NCM Building (now Atradius), Cardiff Bay
1995 – No medal awarded
1994 – No medal awarded
1993 – Niall Phillips Architects, Bristol, for Lower Treginnis Farm, St Davids
1992 – No medal awarded
1991 – Allen Jenkins and Phil Read, South Glamorgan County Council, for the County Hall, Butetown, Cardiff
1990 – No medal awarded
1989 – No medal awarded
1988 – Welsh Health Common Services Authority, for the Ystradgynlais Community Hospital, Ystradgynlais, Powys
1987 – Merfyn Roberts and Dewi-Prys Thomas, for Gwynedd Council, Caernarfon
1986 – Welsh Health Common Services Authority Architects, for the Mold Community Hospital, Mold, Flintshire
1985 – Bowen Dann Davies Partnership, Colwyn Bay, for National Outdoor Centre for Wales, Plas Menai
1984 – Bowen Dann Davies Partnership, Colwyn Bay, for Capel y Groes, Wrexham
1983 – Percy Thomas Partnership, Cardiff, for Amersham International Laboratories, Cardiff
1982 – Bowen Dann Davies Partnership, Colwyn Bay, for Hafan Elen, Llanrug, Caernarfon
1981 – No medal awarded
1980 – No medal awarded
1979 – Percy Thomas Partnership, Cardiff, for the Hugh Owen Building, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth
1978 – Percy Thomas Partnership, Cardiff, for St Fagans National Museum of History, St Fagans, Cardiff
1977 – Bowen Dann Partnership for the Hostel, Cefndy Road, Rhyl
1976 – Percy Thomas Partnership, Cardiff, for the Parke-Davis Pharmaceutical Building, Pontypool
1975 – John Sam Williams, Pwllheli, for the Special School in Y Ffôr, Pwllheli
1974 – Percy Thomas Partnership, Cardiff, for Albert Edward Prince of Wales Court Care Home, Porthcawl
1973 – No medal awarded
1972 – T G Jones and J R Evans, for Little Orchard, Dinas Powys
1971 – Percy Thomas Partnership, Cardiff, for the Great Hall and Students Union, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth
1970 – Sir Percy Thomas and Son, Cardiff, for the Physics and Mathematics Building, Swansea University, Swansea
1969 – Ormrod Partnership, Liverpool, for the Pilkington Perkin-Elmer Building, St Asaph
1968 – Hird & Brooks, Cardiff, for The Gore (house and swimming pool), Llantrisant Road, Llandaff, Cardiff
1967 – No medal awarded
1966-61 – Medal not offered
1960 – G Grenfell Baines & Hargreaves, Preston, for the H. J. Heinz Offices, Cardiff
1959-54 – No medal awarded

Craft and design