News – Welsh arts face ?real-terms cut?

Senior arts figures in Wales have reacted angrily to the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG)?s plans for arts funding over the next year. While overall investment will increase by £2m to £26.6m, the additional funds have been ring-fenced by the Assembly, core revenue funding of arts organisations has been frozen and the role of the Arts Council of Wales (ACW) in setting funding priorities and allocations has been significantly reduced.
The official remit letter declares that ?Merging the strategic planning and policy capabilities of ACW with those of the Assembly Government will help to deliver better and more integrated policy for the arts, as well as greater democratic accountability in terms of setting the overall direction.? The remit letter specifies a number of projects ACW must fund including Clwyd Theatr Cymru?s mobile theatre. In addition, £1.16m is ring-fenced for theatre capital projects, £800,000 is for Wales Millennium Centre resident companies and £90,000 for the Brecon International Festival of Jazz. WAG has also announced it will take direct control of funding for six of Wales? largest arts organisations from 2006, removing over 40% of ACW?s funding budget (AP issue 88, 13 December, 2004).

Announcing the allocation, Culture Minister Alun Pugh said, ?Since devolution, investment in the arts in Wales has almost doubled from £14.5m in 1999 to this year?s record £26.6m. ?This year?s budget will enable the Arts Council to continue its sterling work of supporting and developing the diverse and active arts scene we are lucky to enjoy in Wales.? However, the funding announcement received a cagey response from ACW. Geraint Talfan Davies, Chairman of ACW, said, ?We cannot disguise our concern that ? these positive elements apart ? there is to be no increase in the core revenue funding of arts organisations ? even to allow for inflation ? for the next three years.? Head of Cultural Services at Swansea University and former Chairman of ACW, Sybil Crouch went further: ?The Assembly?s presentation of this as an increase is disingenuous. In reality, this is standstill revenue funding, which is a real-terms cut. In combination with the erosion of the Arts Council?s role it is a big concern. ? Without consultation and context, the Arts Council of Wales is being given less room to manoeuvre. If you dismantle parts of a UK-wide structure, then there will be problems across the UK.?