Welsh Arts Sector Faces Disappearance Amid Funding Cuts, Warns Arts Council Wales CEO

Dafydd Rhys, chief executive of Arts Council Wales, has issued a warning that the professional arts sector could cease to exist within a decade if current funding reductions persist. Mr. Rhys advocates for the Welsh government to provide statutory funding for the industry. This warning coincides with the release of a report by the council detailing the economic contribution of the arts in Wales, which indicates a return of £2.51 for every pound invested. The Welsh government stated its “determination” that present financial difficulties would not impede its “long-term ambitions for the sector.” Arts Council Wales has experienced a 40% real-terms funding reduction since 2010, leading Mr. Rhys to express serious worries that the sector will vanish within ten years. He further cautioned that inadequate funding could lead to the arts becoming elitist. He elaborated, “I doubt very much of it will be there in 10 years’ time, other than it might be in the hands of some very, very rich benefactors, and won’t be available for everybody at an affordable price.” Mr. Rhys explained that the report was released “as an advocacy tool” to champion the sector and secure its funding. The Welsh government is scheduled to release its draft budget in December. Mr. Rhys further stated, “The turnover of the sector and the creative industries and culture is something like £1.6bn.” He continued, “The employment is in the region of 40,000, which is similar to things like insurance or the financial sector, it’s similar to telecoms. This is a serious professional sector and it needs to be supported because it cannot go on as it’s been.” Additionally, Mr. Rhys advocates for the arts to be granted statutory funding status by the Welsh government. He remarked, “Because the arts are not a statutory responsibility, it is somewhere that local authorities can go to look for savings.” He added, “I think that the Welsh government should consider ringfencing that funding. It puts a responsibility on the local authorities that they cannot go there as a first place of call to make the cut.” Research commissioned by the performing arts union Equity in June indicated that overall arts funding in Wales had decreased by 30% in real terms since 2017. This contrasts with an 11% reduction in England, a 16% reduction in Northern Ireland, and a 2% increase in Scotland. In May, 175 artists, including Sir Bryn Terfel, Katherine Jenkins, Michael Sheen, and Ruth Jones, signed an open letter requesting emergency funding for Welsh National Opera, following funding cuts of 35% from Arts Council England and 11.8% from Arts Council Wales. Opera singer Elizabeth Atherton expressed having “no confidence” that either the Welsh or UK governments were adequately addressing the issue, noting that morale within the sector was “at an all-time low.” She stated, “With careers collapsing and organisations struggling to keep afloat, artists are increasingly having to leave the industry completely, and arts organisations are diminishing their output as they fight for survival.” She concluded, “Without serious investment from government we will soon have nothing left for future generations.” Yvette Vaughan Jones, chairwoman of Welsh National Opera, commented that “continued cuts to the arts are a significant concern.” She elaborated, “With further cuts, there is not only a risk to the artistic quality and talent development of our artists and arts workforce, but also a real risk to cross-sector work including in health and education which has a huge impact.” A spokeswoman for the performing arts network Creu Cymru endorsed the report and concurred that the 40% funding reduction since 2010 requires being “urgently addressed.” She emphasized the necessity of immediate action to avert closures and the “downward spiral that will cause the arts to lose their impact.” The spokeswoman further noted that the sector’s challenges were impacting its capacity to remain operational, retain personnel, and generate new productions. She asserted, “Even a small boost in arts funding could have a major impact, creating more than a thousand new jobs across Wales.” The Welsh government affirmed that the arts sector provides “a vital social, cultural and economic contribution to our society, enriching communities and inspiring future generations.” It reiterated that current financial difficulties should not hinder its long-term goals for the sector. The Welsh government recently allocated an additional £1.5m in funding to the arts sector through Arts Council Wales, aimed at safeguarding employment. Further long-term spending decisions will be announced in its draft budget in the coming weeks. A UK government spokesperson stated: “We are determined to ensure that arts and culture are no longer the preserve of a privileged few and are carefully considering how we fund arts organisations across the country to unlock more creative opportunities.”