More than 50 creatives challenge Arts Council Wales over theatre funding
Nation.Cymru Staff
A group of Welsh creatives has raised concerns over financial support awarded to the Welsh National Theatre (WNT), calling on Arts Council of Wales (ACW) to clarify how and why funding decisions were made.
The WNT was established in January 2025, spearheaded by Welsh actor Michael Sheen, following the National Theatre Wales’ closure in late 2024 due to the loss of core funding from ACW.
On 15 April 2026, The Stage reported that a number of smaller theatre companies had questioned why the fledgling WNT receiving funding from the ACW’s Major Productions Fund.
According to an ACW press release, the fund “is designed to provide a significant opportunity to a small number of organisations with an established record of delivering exceptional theatre, dance and musical theatre.”
When Owain and Henry received £299,829 from the fund several creatives highlighted that, as the WNT’s second ever show, it did not satisfy the criteria of recipients requiring an “established record”.
In addition, an anonymous theatremaker told The Stage that because Owain and Henry had already entered production and tickets were on sale, it appeared to fall outside general eligibility rules excluding projects that had “already started”.
It has been reported that the WNT also received £200,000 in ‘Transition Support’ from ACW, earmarked for organisations whose funding has been cut.
Jannat Ahmed of Lucent Dreaming discussed in December 2025 that Sharon Gilburd had allegedly, while co-Chair of the Board at the National Theatre Wales, overseen a decision to return National Theatre Wales’ ‘Transition’ funding to ACW, which was later awarded to WNT where she held the position of Acting Chief Executive (now Chief Executive).
“ACW deviated from due process here, in accepting revoked funds and re-awarding them to an under-developed ‘National’ organisation, with ACW allegedly also going back on their word about actions they would take if affected parties were able to prove this conflict of interest had taken place,” Ahmed wrote.
In the aftermath of the Major Productions Fund decision, Richard Huw Morgan, co-director of a performance company, told The Stage: “This is the second time rules and regulations appear to have been made to fit the needs of the Welsh National Theatre company.
“A ‘name’ initially promising to spend their own money is in fact drawing money away from existing companies with significant track records that could have developed further with this support…
“We see a company with a one-year track record of […] one play, being awarded nearly £300,000 for companies with a ‘significant track record’.”
Other creatives also criticised the “cult of personality” surrounding Sheen. The aforementioned anonymous theatremaker added: “Rules are being bent and broken for Michael Sheen. At this time of limited funding, of being told to do more with less in Wales, it hurts.”
A spokesperson for ACW said at the time: “All three companies met the relevant criteria to be selected for this new fund including having strong, experienced creative teams and agreed partnerships in place…
“In order to allow companies to maximise marketing and other funding opportunities, it was also within the guidelines that productions already announced with tickets on sale prior to application would qualify – which for significant large-scale productions is normal practice within the industry.”
However, over 50 Welsh creatives, freelancers, and theatremakers have now signed a formal letter to ACW regarding their concerns about the “preferential treatment”, attributed in part to WNT’s “celebrity associations”
Signatories of the letter include the former National Theatre Wales, as well as CB4 Theatre, Porter’s Theatre, and Tin Shed Theatre.
The letter, shared with The Stage, reads: “It is […] worrying if it seems an organisation can benefit (perceivably in part due to its celebrity associations) from advantageous decision making and preferential treatment.
“This feels not only unethical, but deeply inequitable… As a sector we urgently require these issues to be addressed so that we can rebuild confidence in our flagship funding institute.”
The letter also addresses Gilburd being “materially involved” in both the National Theatre Wales and WNT, as well as the lack of clarity around the eligibility of projects already in production.
“… Large-scale productions already on sale shouldn’t require additional funding of hundreds of thousands of pounds,” the letter reads.
Dafydd Rhys, chief executive of ACW, said the letter was being reviewed and added the organisation was “confident that all due process was followed” when awarding both the transition and Major Productions funding.
Support our Nation today
For the price of a cup of coffee a month you can help us create an independent, not-for-profit, national news service for the people of Wales, by the people of Wales.
Sounds to me as if ACW incorrectly awarded funding, and I’m sure NTW will be happy to give it back if politely requested. As for a ‘cult of personality’ around Michael Sheen, I consider it rather unfair blaming him for the governance errors of others.
It’s very refreshing to see Welsh talent in key positions. Certainly a massive improvement compared to the anti-Welsh regimes that ran NTW into the ground over recent years
Richard Huw Morgan needs to pipe down, although at least he’s airing his grievances like an adult for once rather than scrawling foul language on the steps of the Senedd. Michael Sheen has done loads for this country and its culture out of his own pocket, he’s not just ‘a name’ and it’s deeply arrogant to say so.
Thank you Pip for telling me what I should and should not do. I look forward to you providing evidence of my alleged activities, or a withdrawal of your comments. Oh, and I haven’t been involved with this letter, and it was The Stage that approached me for comment, not me going to them. So, ‘piping down’ is not really an option. X
And this is exactly why we in Wales cannot have nice things! Bloody infighting – none of us are getting out of this alive, so ffs just work as one and quit the self-destruct line that is all too familiar imho.
Of course, you could suggest that Richard Morgan is jealous as he is not very creative and didn’t come up with the idea himself. Maybe he should admit he’s in the wrong line of work. Michael Sheen should be venerated for all the great things he tries to do for this country. If you feel the need to have a go at him then I suggest you are the problem and you need to find another vocation, one without any public funding.
See this all the time in the arts. People who get funding moaning that other people are getting funding. Most of them have convinced themselves they deserve public money, while ignoring how lucky they are
H’m, with respect. Over the last 36 years working professionally in the Arts in Wales I’ve been fortunate enough to both receive individual funding and company funding for my/our work and to work with Wales’s largest companies receiving public support. This is not moaning.’ I have no need to moan, only this spring I had a successful bid to ACW for a Welsh language community project. What this is, is â questioning of process and industry standards. Having been a member of the Arts Council of Wales Drama panel and then an ACW National Advisor, which included responsibilities for National… Read more »