DISCOVERING COPPEROPOLIS
and steel but in fact it’s really copper that lies at the heart of Wales’ development as an industrial nation. I think it’s important therefore that we try to commemorate and explain that.” The Copper Project tells this rich story of Welsh
copper through a national travelling exhibition, websites, social media, 3D animations and a host of events. One of the project’s events, Copper Day, marks the 200th anniversary of the first copper ingot rolling out of the Hafod Copperworks of Vivian and Sons and the 50th birthday of the Lower Swansea Valley Project which began the world’s first post-industrial land reclamation scheme. As well as Copper Day, the Copper Project includes a festival of talks, tours, activities and information to raise awareness of the significance of the copper industry, its heritage, and the place of copper in our lives today. The project tests the relationships between
history, heritage and urban regeneration by combining the fresh approaches of recent academic research with contemporary issues that have arisen as a consequence of the Welsh copper industry. How do we interpret this industry in a public context, for example, in our museums, libraries and galleries? How do we raise awareness of the richness of collections relating to copper to new audiences, both academic and public? Perhaps most important, how can a project like this encourage better communication between different parties, local residents, visitors, local government and businesses to preserve aspects of this heritage and the effect it has had on communities and the environment. Those involved with the project hope it will
be a positive influence on practice and policy developments in the fields of heritage and urban regeneration, as well as providing a context and explanation of the world-significant sites
Rolling copper plate at the Landore works in the early 1920s
and history of the copper industry, especially those located in the Lower Swansea Valley. The project will not only contribute to the ongoing development of the knowledge economy of Wales, but it also has the potential to improve a sense of place and cultural identity in the localities in which the copper industry was once situated. n
i
History, Heritage, and Urban Regeneration: The Global and Local Worlds of Welsh Copper
ESRC Grant Number RES-189-25-0075 Contact Professor Huw Bowen Telephone 01792 602350 Email
h.v.bowen@
swansea.ac.uk Web
www.copperday.org.uk
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© Amgueddfa Cymru-National Museum Wales
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