Creative arts students in the area will benefit financially for years to come thanks to the generosity of the actor Sir Ian McKellen.

To celebrate his 80th birthday earlier this year, the star of stage and screen toured the country with a solo show, mixing anecdotes with acting and enthralling audiences for hours.

All of the profits from the show were donated to each theatre to benefit specific causes, and Sir Ian’s visit to Aberystwyth Arts Centre on 15 March sold out, raising thousands of pounds for the venue’s work with young people.

This week, the arts centre announced that the money would be used specifically to fund the Sir Ian McKellen Award.

This special award will be open to young people from mid-Wales between the ages of 16 and 25 who intend to continue their vocational training in the creative arts – including, but not limited to, theatre, dance and the visual arts.

One award of £500 will be given annually to an individual who can demonstrate artistic promise and the passion for their art form, and who are in receipt of a place for study during the following academic year. Applications for the 2019 award are open, with a closing date of 31 July.

The show raised over £10,000 for the arts centre, meaning the Sir Ian McKellen Award will be presented annually for over 20 years, if the amount given remains the same each year.

Application forms are available from www.aberystwythartscentre.co.uk and applicants will be required to attend a short interview to discuss their application during August.

See this week’s south papers for the full story, available in shops and as a digital edition now