, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Impact of funding reductions for culture and sport: Evidence session with Arts Council of Wales (2)
Thank you, Chair. What is the current status of the arts council's involvement with the national contemporary art gallery project, please?
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Impact of funding reductions for culture and sport: Evidence session with Arts Council of Wales (2)
Okay. Thank you. To what extent has the arts council sought to raise additional funding, for example, commercially or from trusts, foundations, that sort of thing, to mitigate the impact of declining public funding?
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Impact of funding reductions for culture and sport: Evidence session with Arts Council of Wales (2)
Yes, just a supplementary on the same question, just to come back saying that, yes, you're right, it was a shock to everyone. The 6,000 signatures in 24 hours prove that, I think—the protest against it. In terms of the support, then, are you saying—? You're…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Impact of funding reductions for culture and sport: Evidence session with Arts Council of Wales (2)
Thank you. Thank you, Chair. Mr Rhys, sorry, what support other than financial does the arts council provide to venues as valuable as, for example, the Blackwood Miners' Institute, that of course are at risk of closure? You've just been talking about the…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Impact of funding reductions for culture and sport: Evidence session with Arts Council of Wales (2)
Thank you.
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Impact of funding reductions for culture and sport: Evidence session with Arts Council of Wales (2)
I’m just wondering what assessment you've made of the health of classical music and opera in Wales, given the cuts, of course, to the Welsh National Opera and Mid Wales Opera, the current closure of St David’s Hall in Cardiff, and the closure of the Young…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Impact of funding reductions for culture and sport: Evidence session with Arts Council of Wales (2)
It's on the arts council website, but I'm willing to show you. There's a copy here if you want to see it.
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Impact of funding reductions for culture and sport: Evidence session with Arts Council of Wales (2)
That's important too, yes.
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Impact of funding reductions for culture and sport: Evidence session with Arts Council of Wales (2)
Yes, absolutely, it is, though, because it's where that value for money is coming from. Are we giving the money to the right things when we've got projects like this, which are—? You can say what you like about it, but when words like that are used, I'm not…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Impact of funding reductions for culture and sport: Evidence session with Arts Council of Wales (2)
Chair, if I may: Mr Rhys, as you saw, paused on one of the words and didn't say the full word, and I can understand why, because as a woman, when I read that on the arts council's website, I found that quite offensive, and disappointing to see that on there…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Impact of funding reductions for culture and sport: Evidence session with Arts Council of Wales (2)
There you go. Just the highlighted bit.
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Impact of funding reductions for culture and sport: Evidence session with Arts Council of Wales (2)
So, you think all your projects are good value for money. I did have a look through, before this committee, on your Arts Council of Wales website, which was great, but I did come across something that—. I was just wondering, would it be possible, Chair, if Mr…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Impact of funding reductions for culture and sport: Evidence session with Arts Council of Wales (2)
Of course, yes, because if you had the funding, of course you'd want to give more money to save those staff and save the jobs of the WNO, wouldn't you? So, are you confident, Mr Rhys, that all the projects that are currently funded by the arts council offer…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Impact of funding reductions for culture and sport: Evidence session with Arts Council of Wales (2)
Thank you, Chair. I'll just take this off; sorry, it was echoing. Of course, I concur with everything my colleague's just said—we all, naturally, have these concerns about the effect the Welsh Government funding cuts are going to have on the arts…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Impact of funding reductions for culture and sport: Evidence session with the National Library of Wales (1)
Thank you for your answer. I do think the exact numbers are important. I think the financial contribution, even through staff, even just from you as a partner, is significant, especially as we’re looking long term. So, exact numbers would be helpful. If you…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Impact of funding reductions for culture and sport: Evidence session with the National Library of Wales (1)
Thanks.
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Impact of funding reductions for culture and sport: Evidence session with the National Library of Wales (1)
Thank you. So, in terms of funding, where’s the money coming from? How much is coming from the national library? How much is coming directly from Welsh Government, please?
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Impact of funding reductions for culture and sport: Evidence session with the National Library of Wales (1)
Okay, thank you. We're going to now move on to the national contemporary art gallery, I think. So, what is the current status of the library's involvement in the national contemporary art gallery project, please?
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Impact of funding reductions for culture and sport: Evidence session with the National Library of Wales (1)
Well, it seems to be a very good aim and all about that joined-up thinking we keep talking about, isn't it? In terms of the Welsh Government's draft culture priorities that were consulted on over the summer, to what extent do you think those have helped…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Impact of funding reductions for culture and sport: Evidence session with the National Library of Wales (1)
If I may, Chair, just following on from what you just said, I was just wondering: do you think that schools use your resources enough at the moment?
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Impact of funding reductions for culture and sport: Evidence session with the National Library of Wales (1)
Yes, it’s actually a question—. I can hear myself echoing, sorry. It was actually a question I was going to ask later, but I think I just want to ask it now. What’s the impact of the additional moneys that you’ve received from the Welsh Government this…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Paper(s) to note
Okay. Thanks.
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Paper(s) to note
It’s quite a significant difference. Thank you.
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Paper(s) to note
Because, as you can see, the figures in here, there are some important—. Well, it’s talking about millions, isn’t it, at the end of the day? And we need to have that information.
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Paper(s) to note
Thanks, Chair. I’d just like to note, on pack page 30, for your reference, the letter to Eluned Morgan on the international strategy on Cardiff Wales airport. It says here that there’s going to be a response letter by no later than 17 September 2024. I’m just…
