Wales risks ‘long-term damage’ to cultural opportunities without new law

Wales risks “long-term damage” to its cultural opportunities unless the next Welsh Government introduces a dedicated Culture Bill to protect it in law, the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales has warned.

Derek Walker says a 17% fall in public funding since the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act was passed has pushed the sector into “crisis”, threatening the cultural life that underpins Welsh identity, language and community cohesion.

The Commissioner is urging the next Welsh Government to place culture on a statutory footing, giving it the same kind of legal protection already afforded to the Welsh language and active travel. He will outline his call today (25 February) to more than 100 representatives from the culture and public sectors at an online Culture Forum.

The intervention follows the publication of a Green Paper report by The Audience Agency, which highlights how sustained funding pressures have led to shrinking provision, job insecurity and reduced access to cultural activity across Wales.

The Commissioner says these trends risk creating a “two-tier” Wales in which cultural opportunity is increasingly limited by geography and income, eroding a shared sense of identity for future generations.

Future Generations Commissioner for Wales, Derek Walker, said: “Without decisive action, we risk long-term damage to a sector that contributes £1.64 billion to our economy each year and supports 37,000 jobs.

“Culture is not just about performances and institutions; it is the stories, places and traditions that bind us together as a nation and shape how future generations understand what it means to be Welsh.

“Seven in ten people in Wales take part in arts and cultural activities. This is not a niche issue; it is integral to our daily lives, our mental and physical wellbeing, and our sense of belonging.

“A Culture Bill would give culture the protection and priority it deserves in public decision making, ensuring it is safeguarded for future generations rather than treated as an optional extra.”

The Green Paper raises concerns that Wales is falling behind other European nations that are taking active steps to protect culture and identity through law and national strategy. The devolved governments in Scotland and Ireland are already supporting culture through national strategies, dedicated bodies and community initiatives, while Spain’s Cultural Rights Plan combines statutory and policy measures to embed culture within public governance.

Giving evidence to the Senedd’s Culture Committee, Jane Richardson, Chief Executive of Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales, offered a clear vision: “A Culture Act isn’t about protecting institutions of Wales. It’s about safeguarding the cultural access and enjoyment of Wales within the context of future generations.”

Alexandra Xanthaki, UN Special Rapporteur in the Field of Cultural Rights, added: “Adopting a cultural rights approach is the best way for public bodies in Wales to protect and prioritise culture, ensuring that both dominant and marginalised communities can effectively participate in and contribute to decision making.

“This report is a major step forward and if we embed this approach in law through a Culture Bill, it would also demonstrate that Wales is leading the way towards creating a freer, more equal future for generations to come.”

The call builds on a formal recommendation made in the Future Generations Report 2025, which urged Welsh Government to introduce a Culture Bill during the Seventh Senedd term (2026–2030), making culture a statutory requirement for public bodies.

In May 2025, Welsh Government published its National Priorities for Culture, committing to place culture at the heart of Welsh life; the Commissioner now argues that legislation is needed to underpin those ambitions and provide long-term stability to the sector.

Mr Walker is inviting public bodies, cultural organisations, businesses and communities to respond to the findings in the Green Paper and contribute to shaping proposals for a future Culture Bill. The deadline for submissions is 1 April, and responses can be submitted here.

To support this work, the Commissioner is also publishing a practical guide for public bodies on working with freelancers, designed to help them use freelance talent to support cultural wellbeing in their communities.

The guide can be accessed here.