Funding announced for culture, heritage and sport through the Anti-racist Wales Action Plan

The Deputy Minister for Arts and Sport, Dawn Bowden has announced £4.5m over the next three years to support the delivery of the culture, heritage and sport goals and actions in the Welsh Government’s Anti-Racist Wales Action Plan.

The Action Plan is part of the Welsh Government’s Programme for Government and the Co-operation Agreement with Plaid Cymru, and has led to more than £2.8m has been shared between 22 local, regional, national or independently run culture, heritage and sport organisations across Wales.

All projects receiving funding have a focus on co-production, demonstrating a commitment to placing lived experience at the centre of policy, service development and delivery.

The Deputy Minister recently visited Monlife Heritage in Aberavenny and Tŷ Pawb in Wrexham, to hear how they will use the new funding.

MonLife Heritage has received funding to improve interpretation of collections so they honestly tell their complex stories, better representing their links to slavery, colonisation and empire and respect their impact on communities past and present.

Ty Pawb has received support for the future development of the recently established Multicultural Hub and the funding will support Tŷ Pawb’s Useful Art Space to host a range of activities led by Wrexham’s diverse communities.

These will be directed by participants, and will include arts and crafts, music and dance, culinary exchanges, cultural celebrations and other exciting activities.

Culture and sport

A further £1.67m has been awarded to the Welsh Government’s cultural and sport arm’s length bodies: Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales, the Arts Council of Wales, the National Library of Wales, the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historic Monuments of Wales and Sport Wales.

Funding for Sport Wales will focus on the development and delivery of anti-racist training over a three-year period. The funding for the National Library of Wales will support several projects, including The Communities of Wales, which tells stories through the lens of people who moved to Wales.

Funding for Amgueddfa Cymru will enable more cultural programmes and events to be co-designed with community-based organisations, individuals and artists.

Funding for the Arts Council of Wales will enable the appointment of more Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic creative practitioners and funding for the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historic Monuments of Wales will develop the Places We Remember project, which records the heritage of Welsh Asian communities in Wales.

The Deputy Minister, said: “Our national and local museums, galleries, libraries, theatres, and sporting venues need to be inclusive of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic people and places. Our culture, heritage and sports services must be culturally competent and reflective of the history and contribution made by Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic people to Welsh society.

“I am committed to delivering the goals and actions in the Anti-racist Wales Action Plan and the Programme for Government commitments within my portfolio. I look forward to our continued progress as we deliver meaningful change with and for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic people across Wales.”

Powerful vehicles

Designated Member, Sian Gwenllian, said: “When launching the Anti Racist Wales Action Plan we committed to take clear and pointed action to deliver our vision. This funding represents an important step towards realising the vision set out in the plan, and the breadth of organisations across Wales who have been awarded funding reflects an exciting opportunity to embed change through all of the projects and initiatives that will be supported.

“Sports and the arts can be powerful vehicles for creating meaningful change as we strive to reach our vision for an anti racist Wales. I am glad that through the Co-operation Agreement between Plaid Cymru and the Welsh Government that we have been able to fund so many schemes in all parts of Wales.”

Cllr Hugh Jones – WCBC Lead Member with responsibility for Tŷ Pawb: “The funding will support the excellent partnership work being undertaken by Tŷ Pawb, our Community Cohesion team and Race Council Cymru, reaching out to local and regional diverse community groups and empowering them to actively lead and take advantage of cultural, arts, heritage and sport opportunities.”

Professor Uzo Iwobi CBE, Founder and CEO Race Council Cymru said: “Race Council Cymru is delighted that its Wrexham Multicultural Hub had worked with partners to propose a brilliant initiative which will make a huge difference to the lives of our front line and grassroots ethnic communities. We are looking forward to the transformational change this grant will bring”

The 22 organisations to be supported are:

• Aneurin Bevan University Health Board
• Archives and Records Council Wales
• Association of Independent Museums
• Beyond the Border Wales
• Butetown Arts and Culture Association
• Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals
• EatSleep Media
• GEM Cymru (Group for Education in Museums)
• Glamorgan Archives
• Gôl Centre
• Dr Marian Gwyn
• Hijinx
• KIRAN Cymru
• Makers Guild of Wales
• Monlife Heritage
• North Wales Regional Equality Network
• Race Council Cymru
• Show Racism the Red Card Wales
• Tennis Wales
• Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru
• Tŷ Pawb and Wrexham County Borough Council Community Cohesion team
• Women Connect First