Plaid pledges to increase culture spending
Plaid Cymru has promises to increase spending year on year for culture, arts and sport in Wales if they win the next Senedd election.
On Friday (August 8), Plaid’s spokesman for Culture, Heledd Fychan, will deliver a lecture on the grounds of the National Eisteddfod in Wrexham on the future of culture and the arts in Wales.
She is expected to outline how a Plaid Cymru government will make these sectors a central part of its mission to make Wales a healthier and wealthier nation as part of a new preventive health agenda.
Fychan says this means that the Plaid Cymru government will take a “whole of government approach” towards culture enabling the sector to play a vital role in terms of wellbeing, economic growth and social cohesion.
Mental health
Studies have shown that engaging with creative activities like art, music, dance, and attending cultural events can reduce stress, improve mood, boost self-esteem, and foster social connections.
In 2023/24 alone, every £1 invested in the arts in Wales generated economic returns worth £2.51.
Plaid says that after a decade of underinvestment in the culture and arts sectors in Wales, the country is now second from the bottom of the table of all European countries in terms of expenditure per person for cultural services.
The party has pledged to increase spending on culture, the arts and sport year after year as a percentage of the entire Welsh budget during its first term.
‘Healthier’
Heledd Fychan said: “Culture, the arts and sport will be central to the Plaid Cymru government’s ambition to create a healthier and wealthier Wales.
“Not only does that mean more funding, but a new approach from the government to ensure that culture is at the heart of everything we do.
“Culture is the heartbeat of Wales. This is how we tell stories, keep our language as a living language, celebrate our history, and express our values. It connects us to each other, and to our past.
“But under the Welsh Labor Government, the arts and culture in Wales have been left to wither, and access to them restricted.
“Plaid Cymru is clear: the arts, culture and sport are not luxuries, but an integral part of who we are as a nation – and access for all is an essential part of supporting people to stay physically and mentally healthy.”
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This sounds great. The economic argument is sound and culture is a vital part of our country’s culture. But worth saying, in England, the equivalent funding is facing a 1.5%-2% cut in this parliament, which will manifest as a 10-15% cut in real terms. It’s not protected, like health and defense. At the moment, the commitment looks uncosted, which to be frank, is typical of what we’ve seen from Plaid since Rhun took over. With the polling as it is, we’re at a stage each party can say whatever its likes, because it knows it’ll be in coalition. So, if… Read more »
Great but even as a Plaid voters I would like to know where the cuts are going to be to enable this extra spending. Along with the extra spending promised to farmers and the multi-million pound COVID enquiry they are going to set up? And no we will not be flush with all the extra money that Rhun ap Iorwerth has got from the UK Gov.
Wonderful. But, and I’m sorry to ask, what cuts will be made elsewhere to fund this? Nurses?
Exactly. Anyone can say ‘we will fund x’ but we also need to know from where and how.
The revenues raised from a visitor levy are ring fenced for investing in the local visitor economy which could include some culture, arts and sport spending. Incomes from the second homes levy could be similarly ring fenced. Initially this should be directed into social housing but once social housing meets a minimum standard the ring-fence could be broadened to include non-essential community spending such as culture, arts and sport.
Is she real!!!