Carmarthen School of Art

Established in 1854 it was one of the first art schools in Britain and probably the oldest in Wales. Circa 1870 the School suffered both administrative and financial problems. The School struggled until late 1871 when it was forced to close until 1880 when newly appointed masters made it a viable proposition largely due to the efforts on William Jones who was the master until 1920. The then current building which not fit for purpose was heavily criticised and efforts to raise funds for a new building were eventually successful. In September 1892 still under Principal William Jones, a new building was opened in Church Lane.

The current site in the centre of the town was built as the location of the art school when Llanelli School of Art merged with Carmarthen School of Art in 1971, which was then renamed as Dyfed College of Art. In 1979 a new modern college was built in Job's Well Road. The old building in Church Lane, a splendid piece of late Victorian architecture, is now, the contemporary art gallery Oriel Myrddin. Staff and alumni past and present include Ernest Tristram, Stanley Lewis, Paul Fripp, James Dickson Innes and John Elwyn.