New law needed to protect Welsh arts and culture – says National Assembly committee report

3 February 2011

A National Assembly for Wales report is calling for a new law to ensure that people across Wales have access to arts and culture in their local area.

The proposed law, or Measure, is a recommendation from the cross-party Communities and Culture Committee, which wants to see a statutory duty placed on local authorities to support arts and cultural experiences.

The Committee also wants to see less focus on purpose-built venues and more attention and investment in community-based projects to reach a wider audience, particularly those with disabilities or from minority groups.

Chair of the Committee, Sandy Mewies AM, said: “Our arts and culture define us, express us, inspire and excite us. They are both an integral element of Wales’s historical sense of nationhood and a modern driver of economic growth and community inclusion.

“The Welsh Government has long recognised the value of arts and cultural experiences in progressing a wide range of policies, including education, health and community safety, and utilised public funds to progress them.

“However, now more than ever, we must extract maximum value from every pound of public finance for the people of Wales and we have heard of many examples of late where theatres and arts groups face funding cuts or even closure.

“We believe that, despite the financial constraints, best practice can be adopted, arts and culture maintained and access improved for everyone across Wales and the measure we have called for would go some way towards ensuring that.”