£53M of New Funding Announced for Arts and Culture in Wales

The Welsh Government announced today that it will be investing £53 million to help Wales’ diverse culture sector deal with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

The fund will be delivered jointly with the Arts Council of Wales and has a “cultural contract” at its heart to help the sector emerge from the pandemic stronger than ever.

Our Regional Organiser for Wales & South West England, Andy Warnock responded to the news:

“I am pleased and relieved that the Welsh Government is supporting arts and culture in Wales with £53m of funding.

“This means that the vast majority of the £59m of new funding for Wales triggered by the £1.57bn being spent by the UK Government in England will be spent on supporting arts and culture in Wales. Although ideally the whole amount would be spent on arts and culture, it’s very positive that there will be direct funding for individuals, as well as a cultural contract tied to government support.

“We will be engaging further with Welsh Government and the Arts Council of Wales on the details of the funding over the coming weeks. I’m grateful to Welsh Government for their engagement with trade unions, and to our colleagues at BECTU, Equity, and Wales TUC for their support and collaboration with us.”

A clear lockdown timetable is needed

Andy continued by adding:

“We are aware that the situation for music in Wales as lockdown measures are eased is still very unclear. We have stressed to Welsh Government that detailed guidance and a clear timetable for the return of music is urgently needed, and will continue to do so.

“We know this is crucial so that our members and businesses can plan for a safe return to work and consider how to manage their finances and funding over the coming months.”

For more news and events in Wales, see the Wales and South-West England Regional Office’s page.