CARDIFF Bay’s leading entertainment venue, The Red Dragon Centre, has teamed up with Welsh artist Nathan Wyburn to mark Pride month with a unique art installation and charity auction.
Nathan is a proud spokesperson for LGBTQ+ equality and often uses his art to reflect this. Specialising in creating pieces out of non-traditional mediums, Nathan was a semi-finalist on Britain’s Got Talent in 2011, and has also appeared on The Kelly Clarkson Show, This Morning and Good Morning America.
The showcase will be displayed from 31 May – 30 June, and will feature influential figures such as Cara Delevingne, Kit Connor and Elliott Page. Joining the lineup will be The Red Dragon Centre’s resident Capital Drive presenters, Josh and Kally, whose portraits will be made up of photographs sent in by listeners to celebrate 25 years of Pride in Wales.
The Welsh artist will also be appearing at the Centre for pop-up live art shows where he will create some iconic LGBTQ+ celebrities at the Centre, with ten portraits of his existing artwork being displayed in the Centre’s showcase.
An online auction will take place at the close of the showcase for Nathan’s portraits of George Michael made out of WHAM bars, and Ncuti Gatwa in a Doctor Who collage. The winning bids will be donated to Pride Cymru.
Nathan said: “I am delighted to be teaming up with The Red Dragon Centre’s Pride celebrations, and getting the chance to showcase some of most beloved LGBTQ+ figures out there. Co-in siding with the 25th anniversary of Pride in Wales makes this all the more special, and shows how important it is to continue to celebrate Pride month, and strive towards promoting LGBTQ+ equality in Wales, and beyond.”
Emma Constantinou, Marketing Manager at The Red Dragon Centre, said: “Pride is a wonderful and important month, and we feel very fortunate to be able to host our own celebrations at The Red Dragon Centre for another year. We are very grateful to Nathan for his support and generosity of offering his work to the auction, we hope visitors enjoy spotting their favourite figures at the showcase inside the Centre.
“This month is a fantastic opportunity to learn more about the LGBT+ community with our showcase, and two lucky bidders can walk away with a unique portrait from Nathan, knowing that all money raised will be going straight to charity.”
The Red Dragon Centre is home to a multitude of interactive, lifestyle and food and drink venues including Odeon Cinema, the home of Wales’ only IMAX screen, and the Hollywood Bowl which have been key Centre attractions since the beginning.
The Centre hosts a range of additional brands that make up an intrinsic part of the entertainment and dining experience, including Grosvenor Casino, Five Guys, Spice Route, Volcano, EasyThali and Zaika.
The Centre is also the site of the Capital FM South Wales studio, which was formerly Red Dragon FM, as well as Heart FM. Today, you’ll find the likes of Josh and Kally broadcasting their Capital Drive Show live from there every weekday.