Support quality, independent, local journalism…that matters
From just £1 a month you can help fund our work – and use our website without adverts. Become a member today
Cultural and sporting bodies across Wales will benefit from a share of £5 million Welsh Government funding.
Cadw, Sport Wales, and the National Library of Wales are among the organisations to receive the extra funding, which is coming from the Welsh Government’s reserves.
Jane Hutt, Wales’ culture secretary, announced the funding during a visit to the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth on Thursday September 5.
Ms Hutt said the Welsh Government had listened to concerns over financial pressures faced by these institutions.
The National Library of Wales will receive £725,000 and the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales is to benefit from £90,000.
In addition, £1.5m will go to the Arts Council of Wales, while Sport Wales will receive £1m.
Meanwhile, Amgueddfa Cymru is to receive £940,000, while Cadw will be handed £745,000.
The support package is in addition to the £3.2m funding announced in July for repairs to be carried out to both National Museum Cardiff and the National Library of Wales.
Ms Hutt said: “These organisations are key in delivering a number of our Programme for Government commitments and play a fundamental role in promoting good mental wellbeing and physical health and bringing communities together.
“There is no doubt of the positive impact they have on people throughout Wales.”
She continued: “We fully recognise this is a difficult financial time for our arm’s length arts and sports organisations, as well as Cadw, and we know this funding won’t address all the issues these organisations are facing.
“However, this support will offer some further financial stability and strengthen the resilience of these bodies.”
Response to funding
Rhodri Llwyd Morgan, chief executive of the National Library of Wales, thanked the Welsh Government for the extra funding and said: “We are grateful that there is recognition of the challenges that arise from maintaining a national digital collection, especially following the recent cyber-attack on the British Library.”
He said some of the funding will “go towards infrastructure that protects the digital collections in the long-term and ensures access to them for future generations”.
Amgueddfa Cymru chief executive, Jane Richardson, said the funding “will enable us to invest in focussed programmes of work that will help lay a foundation for creating a sustainable future.”
Meanwhile, Arts Council Wales chief executive, Dafydd Rhys, said: “We are pleased that the Government has recognised the continuing financial pressures that the sector is facing, and this additional support will give us the opportunity to assist many organisations that are struggling under the current economic climate. This news will be very well received.”
Christopher Catling, CEO of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales, said the money will allow the organisation to make its most frequently used archives available online.
Elsewhere, Sport Wales boss Brian Davies said: “While it remains a challenging time, we are still focused on creating opportunities for everyone in Wales to enjoy being active and very much welcome confirmation of this additional in-year funding.
“We will allocate it to those partners that received a budget cut earlier this year and it will help them deal with some of the challenges they are facing.”
Sign-up to our daily newsletter
Support quality, independent, local journalism…that matters
From just £1 a month you can help fund our work – and use our website without adverts.
Welsh Government
