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Posted: Sun 12th Jan 2025
A new report from a cross-party Senedd committee has delivered a stark warning about the long-term effects of sustained funding cuts on Wales’ culture and sport sectors.
The findings show that Wales lags significantly behind other European nations in public spending per person on recreational, sporting, and cultural services, threatening the nation’s identity, well-being, and community cohesion.
The report, A Decade of Cuts: The Impact of Funding Reductions for Culture and Sport, reveals that Wales ranks third from the bottom in Europe for spending on recreational and sporting services at £59.75 per person.
For cultural services, the country is second from the bottom, with just £69.68 spent per person annually.
These figures place Wales behind the UK average and comparable to nations such as Poland and Lithuania.
Delyth Jewell MS, Chair of the Senedd’s Culture and Sport Committee, described the situation as unsustainable.
“Culture and sport have been treated as ‘nice to haves’ for too long, enduring relentless funding reductions that have left them brittle and under-resourced,” she said.
“Without significant changes, Wales risks being left behind in cultural and sporting achievements, endangering our national character and the well-being of our communities.”
Over the past decade, the sectors have endured a 17% real-terms reduction in funding.
Organisations such as the Arts Council of Wales have seen a 29% drop in revenue funding, while local authority budgets for libraries, sport, and recreation services have been reduced by 28%.
The consequences have been severe, with community outreach programmes scaled back, venues under threat of closure, and reduced opportunities for young people to develop their talents.
The strain is acutely felt in disadvantaged areas. Miranda Ballin from Valleys Kids, a charity in Rhondda Cynon Taf, described the arts as a “lifeline” for many.
“For our young people and older adults, the arts provide a creative voice during challenging times. We can’t afford to lose that now,” she said.
Similarly, Nia Wyn Evans of the community theatre company Arad Goch warned that rising costs and stagnating budgets are making it increasingly difficult for organisations to operate.
“Our main aim is to provide theatre to as many children and young people as possible, but these numbers are going to decrease due to the challenges we face,” she said.
The report also underscores the role of culture and sport in improving public health.
According to Sport Wales, every £1 spent on sport generates £4.44 in social benefits, yet the report suggests that the preventative potential of these sectors is being underutilised.
Witnesses argued that investing in culture and sport could reduce pressures on health and social care services, but this opportunity is often overlooked.
Calls for action are central to the report, which recommends increased funding to bring Wales in line with comparable nations.
It also advocates for a cross-departmental strategy to integrate culture and sport into broader government objectives, such as education and health.
This approach aligns with the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, which identifies cultural well-being as a core goal.
Lisa Davies, Chief Executive of Tanio, an organisation providing access to a range of creative activities and interventions to different communities, shared her concerns:
“Reductions in Welsh Government funding for culture and the arts have affected every part of what we do,” she said.
“It has changed the content of activities we can offer and greatly reduced freelance work opportunities for artists.”
The Senedd report warns that without immediate intervention, Wales risks further erosion of its cultural and sporting sectors, which play a critical role in enriching lives, building community cohesion, and ensuring access for all.
It calls on the Welsh Government to respond with urgency to protect these vital services for future generations.
The Welsh Government is expected to respond to the report’s findings and recommendations in the coming weeks.
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