See’ before pledging arts sector in Wales

losing their livelihoods and homes.

“The Welsh Government must now show leadership by working with the industry to create a clear, safe and responsible plan that will guide the industry and the workers affected out of the crisis.

Plaid’s Shadow Culture Minister, Sian Gwenllian, said: “The huge number of signatures behind the letter demonstrates the mass support there is behind saving the arts.

“The arts are such a valuable element of Wales, not only culturally but economically too. If the industry is left to collapse it would be have catastrophic and irreversible repercussions.

“Supporting the whole sector and recognising its role in helping people across Wales to express and decipher the Covid emergency and lockdown had to be a central and integral part of the Welsh Government’s Covid recovery plans.”

In the wake of the UK Government’s announcement, arts organisations in Wales had already spoken of their hopes over how the £59m would be spent.

Nick Capaldi, chief executive of the Arts Council of Wales, said: “We do, of course, understand the overall financial pressures that the Welsh Government is facing.

“But arts and culture suffered a catastrophic loss of income from the overnight closure of venues, and given that the public resumption of activity for many could still be some months away, every penny counts as individuals and organisations cling on.”

Mat Milsom, managing director of the Wales Millennium Centre, said: “It’s extremely good news for the arts and heritage sector that the UK Government has today announced a £1.57bn support package, £59m of which will be invested in Wales.

“We’re very keen to hear further details of how and when this funding will be shared.

“In our case, we hope it will allow us to create more of our own work to showcase Welsh talent, to continue providing opportunities for young people and to invest more in the talented freelance arts community in Wales.

“This funding must be used to build a radical, new, more inclusive arts sector, and Wales Millennium Centre takes its own share of that responsibility very seriously.

“Once the full details become clear, this will be at the forefront of our strategic planning.

“In the short term, however, we remind all our supporters that we will not open until at least January 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.”

Meanwhile, Labour Shadow Culture Secretary Jo Stevens said she welcomed the announcement of the “much-needed” cash injection by the UK Government, but warned it was “too little, too late” for many.

The Cardiff Central MP said: “The Government needs to ensure that this vital funding gets to those theatres and other organisations currently teetering on the brink, and fast – especially those across the towns and small cities where live performance venues and other arts organisations are so valuable to local economies, providing many interdependent jobs, particularly in hospitality.”

Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Westminster Hour, Ms Stevens added she was concerned that the scheme lacked any support for freelancers.

“One other thing which is missing from the announcement – freelancers which dominate this sector across all types of arts and culture,” she said.

“Many of them have been excluded from the Treasury schemes to date, they’ve had nothing and it doesn’t seem that there’s anything in this announcement, particularly in terms of Government action, to help freelancers who are struggling so badly.”