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Welsh Culture Minister refutes claims of ‘crisis’ in the country’s arts sector

Welsh government’s culture committee says it is not confident proposed arts and culture budget for 2025/26 provides enough funding to address issues faced by the sector.

Patrick Jowett
4 min read

The Welsh government’s culture committee has said it has “significant concerns” about whether Wales’ Culture Minister Jack Sargeant “appreciates the extent of the pressures” facing the arts and culture sector following his dismissal of claims it is in crisis.

The comment forms part of the Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport and International Relations Committee’s inquiry into the Welsh government’s draft budget for 2025/26.

According to the committee’s report, Wales’ budget for arts and culture, which includes funding for Arts Council of Wales (ACW), Amgueddfa Cymru, the National Library and support for local culture, stands at £123.8m for the next financial year.

The committee says that while representing an increase on the 2025/26 revised baseline, the allocation remains lower than in 2023/24 when accounting for inflation.

“Any increase is better than none, but we are not yet assured that the allocations are sufficient to improve the situation materially, especially in the context of inflationary pressures, a potential public sector pay award, and increases in employer National Insurance contributions,” the committee wrote.

The inquiry also says that when asked to respond to ACW’s claim that there is “a crisis currently facing the culture sector”, Sergeant replied “I wouldn’t describe it as a crisis myself”.

In response, the committee’s report says that “taking into account the evidence we have received about the depth and impact of the funding situation, and the sector’s own use of terms such as ‘crisis’, we have significant concerns about whether the minister fully appreciates the extent of the pressures the sector is facing”.

The report continues: “We are disappointed that the minister was unable to give us any assurance that the 2025/26 allocations represent a turning point in the Welsh government’s approach to funding for the sector. 

“We understand that he is not in a position to anticipate the Welsh government’s draft budgets for subsequent years, but we regret that he did not take the opportunity provided by the evidence session to set out his ambitions and aspirations, and explain how he will advocate for the sectors as the final budget proposals are developed.”

The Welsh government won a vote on its draft budget proposals yesterday (4 February). A final budget will be published on 25 February, with a vote on that scheduled to take place on 4 March..

A report published last month found that in Europe, only Greece spends less per head than Wales on cultural services.

ACW delays multi-year funding

Discussions around Wales’ forthcoming budget follow confirmation that ACW is postponing its next multi-year funding opportunity.

The funding body said on Friday (31 January) that it will not be possible to open applications to its multi-year funding during the 2025/26 financial year.

As part of an investment review which took place in 2023, and saw 81 organisations begin new regular funding arrangements, ACW had planned for a new application process to begin this March as part of a commitment towards making regular funding opportunities more often.

Chief executive Dafydd Rhys said the opportunity has been postponed due to the financial pressures facing current multi-year funded organisations, as well as ACW’s own financial position following a 10.5% cut in funding last year.

Rhys added that should the funding environment change considerably over the coming year, ACW may be in a position to consider looking at multi-year funding opportunities for the sector in March 2026.

​​In December, ACW said its draft grant-in-aid budget from the Welsh government will increase by 3.6% in 2025/26 to £31.6m.

ACW’s website says current multi-year funded organisations will receive an uplift of 2.5% in funding this year, subject to budget confirmation by the Welsh government.