CONTENTS
Chair's Foreword…………………………………………………………………..3
THE VISION FOR 2010…………………………………………………………….4
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION TO THE REVIEW………………………………………………6
Approach
Content
Consultation
CHAPTER 2
CULTURE AND THE ARTS IN WALES………………………………………..10
Distinguishing between Culture and the Arts
Art and Cultural Enterprise
The Arts Continuum - and the Arts Spectrum
The Artist
The Infrastructure
CHAPTER 3
POLICIES AND PRIORITIES FOR CULTURE
AND THE ARTS IN WALES
…………………..14
The principles behind the policy for Wales
Setting the Scene
Rich Culture - Strong Communities
Confident Diversity - Positive Distinctiveness
A Learning Country - A Richer Culture
Enterprising Industry - Creative Culture
National Ambition - International Reach
CHAPTER 4
ROLES AND IMPLEMENTATION……………………………………………….39
Introduction
The Role of the National Assembly
The Assembly and Institutional Change
The Arts Council of Wales
The Cultural Consortium - Cymru'n Creu
Achieving Excellence
Funding
Targets, Monitoring and Evaluation
THE NATIONAL ARTS PYRAMID…………………………………………….50
SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS………………………………………52
ANNEXES………………………………………………………………………...62
A Review Terms of Reference
B Overview of the Consultation
C Discussions papers by Dr Dafydd Glyn Jones and Professor Dai
Smith (with an introduction by Ceri Sherlock)
D Culture and the Arts in Wales - a commentary by Ceri
Sherlock (only available electronically)
CHAIR'S FOREWORD
Eighteen months after the establishment of the National Assembly for Wales, we now see the publication of a report which lays out a proactive policy for the Arts.
Having taken part in a thorough investigation held over a period of six months, committee members have become increasingly convinced that the arts are central to the process of social, cultural and economic renaissance promoted by the Assembly. Culture (of which the arts are only a part) is at the heart of our national enterprise.
This extensive report aims to describe the implications of this conviction to contemporary Wales in the challenging and ever-changing world of the 21st century.
The committee believes that nurturing creativity in the grass roots of our nation is a precondition for the kind of cultural flourishing we would like to see, and that investing substantial resources in that particular task is fully justified.
In developing our vision and proposals the Committee benefited significantly from the advice given by our special adviser Ceri Sherlock. Our debt to him is immeasurable. The commentary submitted by him to the Committee is found at Annex D (only available electronically). Whilst the Committee has not approved this, we have drawn widely from its contents. Reading this commentary will greatly benefit those with a special interest in this area.
I would also like to thank the arts community for the enormous contribution they made to our work and for the enthusiasm and goodwill which they brought to the review process. Finally, I particularly want to record my appreciation of the work of the Committee Clerk and Deputy Clerk, Julia Annand and Steve Thomas. It is they who have had to cope with the task of collating the enormous amount of material presented to the committee and preparing the report.
I commend the report to the Assembly Secretary and to the Assembly as a whole.
CYNOG DAFIS
Chair, Post-16 Education and Training Committee
A VISION FOR 2010
We believe that by acting on the recommendations in this report - both as regards general policy and detailed prescription - 'A Culture in Common' can be secured for Wales.
By the year 2010 - and much earlier if possible, we want to see the country established worldwide as having:
· a shared, rich, confident,
distinctive and creative culture;
· an arts scene that recognises the value of a growing range of artforms
with more and more people able to participate and create;
· high levels of involvement at grass-roots level;
· the capacity to engage everyone in our overall cultural enterprise;
· bilingualism as a particular and a growing reality - embracing a celebration
of the Welsh language as unique, rich and dynamic with other Welsh dialects,
accents and artistic expression as a valued and respected part of our linguistic
inheritance;
· multi-culturalism as a fundamental part of Wales' rich diversity and
of our common culture;
· given equal respect to the innovative and the traditional;
· introduced strong links between grass-roots/community arts activity
and our national cultural institutions;
· leading edge systems for achieving continuously improving standards
- where quality and value are monitored and matter;
· cultural development integrated with all the Assembly's measures for
tackling social exclusion, enhancing learning, boosting the economy, and improving
quality of life;
· a co-ordinated cultural strategy delivered by publicly funded sponsored
bodies both accountably and efficiently for the people of Wales;
· local authorities which recognise the important advantages to their
communities and their local economies of cultural and arts activities;
· businesses that support the arts and culture more strongly than ever
before;
· creative industries as strong sustainable contributors to economic
prosperity;
· cultural tourism recognised as an important part of the Welsh economy
and as a key to tourism;
· information communication technology used effectively to increase access,
availability, knowledge of, and participation in Welsh culture;
· visitors to Wales to be impressed by the highly participative and democratic
nature of the arts scene.
We want Wales to be:
· a place where our young people want to live and work and where creativity
is commonplace
· a country which is exciting, bursting with cultural energy and artistic
talent
· a country where culture and the arts are valued.
We believe that this Report lays the necessary foundations for realising that
ambition and the primary goals of Better Wales. A Culture in Common is worth
having and worth striving for. We commend our vision to the National Assembly
as a whole and to the people of Wales.
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION TO THE REVIEW
Approach
1.1 The National Assembly's Post-16 Education and Training Committee decided
at its very first meeting that it would concentrate its efforts on undertaking
major policy reviews. This review into culture and the arts in Wales followed
hard on the heels of the Committee's review of the recommendations of the Education
and Training Action Group (ETAG) and will itself be followed by a wide-ranging
review into Higher Education.
1.2 The Committee felt that culture was a field of major importance to Welsh
life and was overdue a major assessment. The Committee established a working
group of Members (Elin Jones, Plaid Cymru, Ceredigion; Christine Chapman, Labour,
Cynon Valley and Jonathan Morgan, Conservative, South Wales Central) and officials
to draw up the terms of reference and a series of questions to put to the arts
community. The group also decided that the Committee needed advice from an expert
in the field. It appointed the distinguished director and academic, Ceri Sherlock,
who took up post in late January.
1.3 The agreed terms of reference are set out in Annex A. An overview of the
consultation exercise is at Annex B.
Context of review
1.4 The establishment of the National Assembly has not only ushered in a period
of increased political democracy and accountability, but also of increased national
self-esteem and confidence. The Assembly's vision for the future is set out
in the document www.betterwales.com The arts community and the creative industries
have an important role to play in making that vision become a reality. The three
major themes set out in "Better Wales" - sustainable development,
tackling social disadvantage and equal opportunities - are ones which this Committee
has used to guide its vision for culture and the arts in Wales. They inform
every recommendation. Many of the recommendations are also central to the aims
of Better Wales, particularly:
· Promoting active citizenship, creativity and entrepreneurship
· Raising the international profile and influence of Wales and establishing
it as a first class place to live, study, visit and do business
· Extending access to and awareness of the Welsh language, culture, heritage
and sporting opportunities.
1.5 Never has there been a more appropriate juncture to review culture and the
arts in Wales. Government is increasingly recognising the key role that culture
and the arts play in social regeneration projects, and of the significant contribution
that the creative industries make to the economy. In addition, European Government
has identified Culture as an area of economic growth and views culture as being
closely linked to regional identity. In the European context, Wales faces major
challenges and opportunities. The availability of European Structural Funds
will provide a major boost for Wales' creative industries. We must ensure that
this sector is well placed to grasp the opportunities offered.
1.6 This is truly an era rich in cultural talent. Wales has actors, musicians,
writers, composers, singers, directors and designers making a considerable impact
on the international stage. They are ambassadors for the nation and should be
cherished as such. The task for us now is to nurture future generations and
ensure that an appropriate environment is created to allow this to happen.
1.7 This report lays the foundations to do just that. It defines a cultural
policy for Wales for the next generation and sets out a number of principles
and recommendations upon which the policy should be based.
These are recommended to the Assembly Secretary and to the National Assembly
for Wales for consideration in a Plenary debate.
The Consultation
1.8 The consultation period of the review ran from January-June 2000. During
this period, 57 organisations and individuals appeared before the Committee
and submitted written evidence, 86 submitted written evidence only and a further
7 met separately with the Chair or expert advisor (full details about the consultation
exercise are at annex B). The Committee recognises that there were gaps in its
coverage, but the review inaugurated an open and public debate in an area of
considerable National interest. The Committee wishes to thank all those who
took the trouble to respond and who expressed their views, whether on behalf
of themselves as active interested citizens or as representatives of arts organisations
and lobby groups. The written responses were invariably of a high standard;
care, thought and passion were hallmarks of the debate. The written contributions
proved beneficial in shaping the Committee's thinking and helped frame the Committee's
exploration of specific areas of concern and interest.
1.9 The Committee was greatly struck by the warm reception and the considerable
goodwill by which the review process was received. In Wales, the arts community
have often felt their work to be a "Cinderella activity", low down
on the list of Government priorities. In undertaking the review, the Committee
wanted to send out a clear signal that the arts, and culture in Wales are of
great significance and importance to 'Project Wales' and that an in-depth consideration
was overdue. Many organisations commented on the review process itself, how
it aimed to set a standard for good practice in its openness and transparency,
with papers and responses made electronically available via the Internet, and
on the four regional public meetings where both the arts community and the general
public were given a forum and opportunity to have their say. The Committee is
convinced that appropriate events for discussion and consultation in the arts
should be held regularly and as a matter of course. It hopes that its public
sponsored bodies will continue the dialogue fostered by the review procedure,
as part of the ongoing process of live and necessary cultural debate.
1.10 For a number of reasons the review was well timed but was unfortunately
played out against a strenuous and difficult period for the arts in Wales. Many
organisations commented on the financial pressures they continually had to face,
the lack of real investment in the arts in Wales over many years, and on the
serious effect this had had on the well being, thinking and productivity of
many of its artists, organisations and audiences. The Arts Council of Wales
(ACW) - seen as the main funding body for the professional arts and artistic
provision in Wales - was facing its own pressures; controversy over the results
of the Drama Strategy consultation saw the Council announce the suspension of
the Theatre for Young People aspect of that Strategy which was followed by the
Assembly Secretary's announcement of a review of the management structures and
processes adopted by ACW.
1.11 Many of ACW's clients seem to have lost confidence in it as a delivery
mechanism for government policy on the Arts; they felt that it had lost touch
with current arts needs and practice. Additionally, they felt that it had lost
its authoritative sense of advocacy for the arts in Wales, and that its dual
role as Arts Lottery Distributor had confused its mission and over-stretched
its organisation. Most worryingly, its openness and accountability was called
into question and this was a major area of concern and comment for the Committee.
Nevertheless, although the ACW's structures and processes loomed large in the
Committee's deliberations, the review went much wider than that. The Committee
continually reminded itself of its much broader terms of reference in relation
to the provision of culture and arts in Wales. The Committee at the outset therefore
attempted to define what was meant by culture and the arts in Wales; what the
role of public subsidy should be in relation to this sector, and what the Assembly's
roles and responsibilities might, in future, become. The Committee has therefore
set out clearly defined principles, policy aspirations and recommendations.
1.12 The Committee learnt important lessons during the consultation process.
Prominent among these were:
· That the arts in Wales mean more than the Arts Council of Wales.
· That partnership is paramount in achieving the Committee's goals.
· That culture and the arts are not synonymous but are frequently, to
the detriment of both, used as interchangeable terms.
· That the arts must be welded to the fabric of the quality of life of
our communities.
CHAPTER 2
CULTURE AND THE ARTS IN WALES
Distinguishing between Culture and the Arts
2.1 We begin with definitions and some reflections on the scope of artistic
and cultural activity. The Committee has concluded that a holistic definition
of culture is the only viable one. Culture 'consists of all distinctive spiritual
and material, intellectual and emotional features which characterise a society
or group'.
2.2 Culture is about identity, history, diversity, education, traditions, symbols,
language, innovation and shared experiences. It is shaped by our socio- economic
histories; by our natural and built environment, by our beliefs, values, aesthetics
and languages. It is about science and technology - invention and creativity.
It is about communication - publishing, broadcasting and information exchange.
It is about our heritage and what we wish to preserve. It is also about how
we create new horizons and new visions for the future. It is the process by
which we acquire and share our sets of values in society and how we share and
reveal them to others.
2.3 We are custodians, creatures and creators of our culture. Culture is as
much about becoming, as being. So it includes a broad range of activities such
as sport, heritage, play, leisure, tourism, language, the worlds of our imagination,
the creative industries and the arts. A definition of culture as synonymous
with the arts is inadequate and can lead to an exclusive interpretation of culture
and create barriers in achieving a creative society for the many as opposed
to the few.
Art and Cultural Enterprise
2.4 However, the arts are at the heart of culture. They celebrate and they challenge.
They can be a media of self-expression; forms of reflection and projection;
things of beauty in themselves - an inspiration, and an education. Sometimes,
they can reflect a dominant view-point - perhaps the view of the privileged
and the favoured. Then, a body of artistic and intellectual work - along with
the institutions which produce, disseminate and regulate it - presents barriers
to be cleared only by the initiated; the cultivated; the elite few. Where these
boundaries are negative and leave excellence accessible to only a few, they
lay themselves open to challenge. The arts of tangible value should be available
and accessible to all. However, notions of culture and the arts can also carry
a positive and prescriptive meaning - the idea that they should be about the
best of which a society is capable, whatever the art form or mode of practice
may be. Artistic and cultural excellence - achievement of the highest quality
and rigour - is in no way opposed to accessibility.
2.5 Socio-economic history, gender, race, identity and privilege often effect
the kind of creativity acknowledged as art. But at significant moments - usually
those of technological, political or economic change - substantial shifts in
perception can happen. Wales is experiencing change of just this scale. It is
vital that we respond to the challenges of the 21st Century in an imaginative,
innovative and inclusive way. It is essential that the significance of culture
and the arts is recognised as a centrifugal force in the regeneration of our
communities; in renewing a sense of identity; in sustaining the promise of the
rising generations; and in promoting the social and economic development of
Wales as a whole.
2.6 It is also clear that historically, each technological change gives rise
to new, more diverse and different, artistic forms and wider means of communication.
The defining forms of the late 19th Century - the naturalistic novel, realism,
photographic representation, expressionism and the linear progressive symphony
- are now complemented for example by hyper text, the e-book, film, virtual
reality, video games, systems music, and installation art and rock. Non-European
cultures have begun to infuse the Western tradition to a far greater extent
than ever before. A start has been made to ensure that the lesser heard voices
or minority cultures are accessible, and that the imbalance of gender and ethnic
representation is redressed - so that they may form part of both a definition
of a common culture, and of the artistic expression of that culture. That said,
much more needs to be done to open up access to platforms of creative expression
for the economically disadvantaged; for those with disability; for minority
voices and languages; and in favour of gender balance and ethnic diversity.
The Arts Continuum and the Arts Spectrum
2.7 The arts form a continuum of social expression and practice. This encompasses
young and old; professional and amateur; the participatory and the presentational;
the conservationist and the innovator; the introspective and the outward looking;
the indigenous and the external; the traditional and the contemporary; the pure
and the hybrid; the artisan and the artist; 'high' art and populist art forms;
and the physical and the virtual. Indeed these terms are neither in opposition
or mutually exclusive. The arts take their place upon a dynamic, not a static
continuum. They form an indispensable part of social intercourse.
2.8 The spectrum capturing the spread and range of the arts is wide. For example
it covers:
· Visual Arts - public art; architecture; photography; moving images;
film; painting; sculpture; drawing; animation; video; interactive design; installation
art; i-design.
· Literary Arts - poetry; novels; children's fiction; e-books; factual work; fiction; biography; science fiction; the essay.
· Music - rock; rap; jungle; techno; jazz; contemporary classical; world; folk; traditional; brass band; early; popular; country; classical; electronic; on-line; and sampled.
· Performance - physical theatre; textual theatre; poetry reading; boulevard theatre; community theatre; community singing; theatre in education; preaching; recitation; dance (traditional; contemporary; jazz; disco; ballroom and line); musicals; music theatre; opera; political oratory.
· Crafts - pottery; ceramics; cloths; handy craft; furniture; artisan painting; photography; jewellery; metal work; printing.
· Design - textiles; advertising; couture; fashion design; fabric creation; advertising; body art; graphics.
· Digital Arts - 3D imaging;
software creation; games; computer graphics; web art; on-line art; interactive.
2.9 This is not intended to be an exhaustive (or hierarchical) list. It is bound
to grow and change in ways which reflect shifts of interest and appreciation
which themselves will reflect the developing complexity of our society and the
associated artistic response. Nonetheless, there is an energetic pluralism in
the arts here in Wales at the start of the 21st Century. This is a tribute to
the health of the artistic and cultural life of the country, and to the efforts
of a wide range of people and organisations who sustain it. That Wales - a relatively
small country - has such significant, talented and recognised artists in most
of these fields is an extraordinarily great asset - and one to be cherished.
The Artist
2.10 Artists are valued sometimes for the way they hold a mirror to society
- to allow it to see into itself - identify itself - and come to terms with
how others see it. Sometimes the artist celebrates a culture in visual, oral,
physical, or other terms. Sometimes the artist is a critic - a counterpoint
to an apparently complacent consensus. Sometimes the artist expands and reveals
what is wonderful, hidden, or ignored. An artist deals in the symbolic, and
the real - often simultaneously. The artist conducts a dialogue with the society
in which he or she lives. Our society needs its artists for its health, its
education, its welfare, and its wealth.
2.11 There are professional artists, artists who practice their crafts, as well
as people who participate in and create art without remuneration. All can make
valid contributions within the arts continuum. Certainly the artist can find
it increasingly difficult to remain continuously employed in a world of shifting
artistic value. So far as possible therefore, it is important to nurture the
individual artist so as to stimulate new, ground-breaking and innovative activity
across the spectrum. Wales has a strong tradition of support for individual
artists, for investment in work that reflects the originality and plurality
of Welsh cultural life. Its rich and varied artistic landscape is a testament
to that investment. Our artists are at times our most visible cultural ambassadors.
The Infrastructure
2.12 The places and spaces which provide the settings through which the arts
are made available and accessible are themselves highly important. These settings
provide the interfaces between practitioners and their audiences. They provide
a meeting point for the professional, the amateur, and the volunteer. They provide
information, stimulation, and entertainment. They can offer work which reflects
the diversities of the communities in which they exist. They can provide settings
to enhance the public understanding of art forms, and to nurture new forms of
collaboration. They are crucial too in presenting exciting work from the rest
of Britain and overseas.
2.13 What the artist does, is influenced by the places in which it is done,
and thus connects with still wider cultural landscapes. That extends to an interrelationship
with business and commerce - not least through innovations in design, marketing
and packaging. It touches the life of the mind in higher and further education,
and in learning. It relates to the natural and built environment. There are
a vast range of extraordinary buildings, heritage sites, and glorious landscapes
which are integral to cultural experience in Wales.
2.14 These too are massive assets. They extend to exceptionally beautiful gardens,
country houses, and places of national and international significance linked
to our industrial past. They should be seen alongside our botanical, scientific,
technological and artistic centres. Museums, galleries and libraries are intrinsic
to our cultural identity. But places of worship, chapel vestries, town and village
halls, schools, sports centres, pubs and clubs are, and should be seen as, venues
where artistic practice takes place too. They can often be useful in reaching
out to those who might not venture across the threshold of formal or designated
art centres - to people who might not consider themselves as connected to artistic
or cultural activity. Used like this, these places should be acknowledged as
being part of that rich cultural landscape. Dedicated arts centres of the formal
kind should regard themselves as integrated with that informal network - and
see themselves as being resources for it. Greater connections need to be made
between both formal and informal venues to strengthen this infrastructure.
CHAPTER 3
POLICIES AND PRIORITIES FOR CULTURE AND THE ARTS IN WALES
3.1 The Principles behind the Policy for Wales
· The Committee recognises the importance of culture and the arts and
their significance to society in the context of the National Assembly's own
vision document : Better Wales.
· Culture and the arts improve the quality of life for individuals and
communities; promote social cohesion and active citizenship. They also bring
great economic benefits to Wales and are a key component of a learning society.
They acknowledge and build upon a sense of tradition and custodianship of the
past for the future; they define self-identity and celebrate a contemporary,
diverse, bilingual and multi-cultural Wales; both on the national and international
stage.
· The Committee recognises the important role that arts and culture play
in promoting good physical and mental health and well-being.
· The Committee believes that greater investment in arts and culture
is needed to reap the benefits set out above; and believes that the National
Assembly should set the agenda with a clear policy for culture and the arts
and require its agencies and sponsored bodies to deliver on its policy objectives.
Those agencies and sponsored bodies should be expected to work in partnership
with one another, and with others, to mutual operational benefit, and to make
the best use of resources, in order to realise the Assembly's policies and priorities.
· The Assembly's Public Sponsored Bodies (ASPBs) charged with the delivery
of its culture and arts Policy must conduct their affairs openly, accountably
and transparently. These organisations should use the benefits of the new technologies
to inform the public of their strategies, initiatives and decisions; communicate
and consult thoroughly and constructively - and where appropriate do this through
regional fora; and be accountable to yearly scrutiny through the appropriate
National Assembly Committee.
· The whole thrust of arts and culture policy should be to raise standards
and expectations at every level; to strive for excellence, but to recognise
that excellence must not equate with elitism.
· Arts and culture policy should be underpinned by a commitment to developing
the practice of bilingualism throughout the country.
· All publicly funded arts and cultural organisations should be required
to show how they will contribute to realising a stronger Wales through the promotion
of distinctiveness and diversity - in employment, practice and presentation.
Setting the Scene
3.2 As we describe earlier, our consultation on the review of arts and culture
in Wales was wide-ranging. Despite gaps in its coverage, it was sufficient for
the committee to conclude that the delivery of public funds needs to be co-ordinated
through an overarching policy. In summary, we believe that the priorities of
our arts and culture policy for Wales should be:
· young people, and the opportunities we afford them through education
and training
· communities, and the opportunities we afford them not least in terms
of social regeneration
· cultural diversity and the opportunities we provide for its nurture
and growth
· creative industries and the opportunities we provide for their growth
· standards and the opportunities we provide for the highest standards
to be attained at every level.
3.3 We recognise that a broad understanding and acceptance of the value and
importance of culture and the arts can take us only so far. When it comes to
the public funding of bodies in the cultural and artistic sectors, it is important
to describe a clear sense of direction. Thus a key purpose of this review was
to offer the Assembly advice on what that direction should be. It was also about
what policies should be developed, and what priorities for action should be
set, for the way ahead. What follows describes the Committee's conclusions so
as to guide the efforts of all the main players in building a 'Culture in Common'.
3.4 In setting this out we think it important to counter any perception that
what counts for the arts in Wales should be regarded as indistinguishable from
the work of the Arts Council itself and that the Assembly should take a back
seat in dealing with all the culturally relevant sponsored bodies. Many responses
to our review made it clear that these perceptions are not tenable for the future.
People wanted to see some fundamental changes to recognise that:
· the Assembly could, or should, be responsible for setting broad policy
and general priorities for funding
· it is the Assembly's role to take the lead in raising the profile of
Welsh arts and culture both at home and abroad
· a wide range of publicly funded bodies need to be engaged in the process
of delivery in a spirit of openness and transparency.
3.5 We agree with this. In particular we agree that the role of the National
Assembly should be clearly distinguished from that of publicly funded sponsored
bodies and that ASPBs should not be left responsible for filling a vacuum in
general policy as well as adjudicating on its delivery, and determining operational
funding matters. No ASPB should be left in any doubt about the Assembly's overall
requirements on policy and priorities and left to face the competing lobby groups
without the overall policy cover to enable them to deal with those groups properly
and effectively.
3.6 In addition, we recommend that the National Assembly's principal policies
in Wales should turn on realising:
* a rich culture in support of stronger communities
* a confident diversity - making the most of our positive distinctiveness and
identity
* a learning country supported by a vibrant artistic and cultural activity
* enterprising industry, and a creative culture
* national ambition, and international reach.
RICH CULTURE - STRONG COMMUNITIES
3.7 The consultation made evident the key role that culture and the arts play
in bringing people together, in increasing individuals' self-esteem, and in
regenerating and revitalising communities. Community and voluntary arts are
intrinsic to community development. They can give people who are excluded and
undervalued in society much needed skills and confidence - and the ability to
transfer these gains to the workplace. For example by discovering, and then
using, a talent for things like organising a gig, helping out with the lighting,
caring for and repairing instruments. These all embody important transferable
skills which deserve to be valued and developed.
3.8 Cultural activities have the incredible power of unifying people from all
generations and all parts of society. Participation in the arts can bring fulfilling
collaboration across the generations, in choirs, folk dancing, brass bands,
in theatre performances and art classes and the like. This is the hallmark of
an open and tolerant society. Grass-roots activity is the seedbed of a healthy
culture, nurturing talent and bonding communities.
3.9 The Committee has seen at first hand, the important role that the arts can
play in social regeneration. The arts can be crucial components in regeneration
programmes; the Valleys Kids Initiative and the work done at Canolfan Rhys are
two prime examples of this. The Committee also heard how a community in the
Rhondda was benefiting from the location there of the HTV "Nuts and Bolts"
production.
3.10 Much thoughtful and excellent work is being done in the arts on a community,
voluntary and amateur basis. Indeed, the Committee gave careful consideration
to proposals in a report entitled "Arts and Regeneration" submitted
by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.
3.11 The Committee concluded that:-
· Community arts have great regeneration potential
· The Arts Council for Wales and other cultural ASPBs should be required
to link their own strategic planning to support for community regeneration schemes
- and that cultural activity should be regarded as an essential component of
regeneration programmes, and as a natural partner with housing, health, education
and employment. To support this initiative:-
Ø Communities First programmes should be encouraged to include arts and
culture projects; ASPBs in the artistic and cultural fields should be tasked
to shape their community development activity so as to support the emerging
'Communities First' programme directly.
Ø Wherever possible, regeneration programmes - whether funded under Objective 1, European Structural Funds, the Welsh Development Agency or by any other means - should feature at least one cultural strand by reference to quantitative and qualitative outcomes, defined in advance.
Ø A bespoke training and development programme should be developed by relevant ASPBs in consultation with voluntary and community arts organisations throughout Wales to secure continuing improvement in business management, marketing and the use of new technology - not least so that electronic communication becomes the norm for liaison between projects, with funders, and with the wider communities.
Ø High quality, capacity building interventions in communities with low levels of community arts activity should be given priority for funding and support by all ASPBs.
Ø The role of local authorities as a partner in supporting community
arts both for the benefit of the local economy and in regeneration schemes must
be recognised by the Arts Council and all cultural ASPBs in Wales.
Ø Umbrella organisations supporting
voluntary and community arts should be encouraged to identify new talent, and
bring it to wider public notice; these umbrella organisations should be afforded
greater recognition by statutory agencies.
· The Assembly Secretary should be invited to consult Higher Education
Wales and the Higher Education Funding Council Wales about the establishment
of a Chair in Community Arts at a Welsh Higher Education Institution.
· Since the implementation
of the lottery, there has been a significant improvement in the number and geographical
spread of community arts initiatives in Wales supported by the Arts Council.
Nevertheless, every effort should be made to assist organisations over handling
the relevant paperwork - not only for lottery, but also for European funding.
The Committee recommends that the Arts Council should work together with other
ASPBs to explore ways of providing more support and training to community arts
and associated umbrella groups to enable them to see their way through the application
and funding processes. The Committee also recommends that the current systems
be reviewed in the interests of greater simplification and consistency.
· Artistic creativity at grass roots level could well be stimulated if
local authorities were to encourage people in the professional arts to act as
facilitators, or animateurs, within the community.
3.12 The artistic and cultural life of a community does not, and cannot, exist
in a void. As we have said, the places in which artistic activity happens, where
the arts are made available and accessible, are highly important too. Their
contribution to the cohesion of local communities can be considerable. There
is no one design template for these places. There is a serious role for multi-purpose
arts and community centres - of which Wales has a growing number. Some have
been the recipients of Arts Council lottery awards. New centres have been constructed
in Newport, Cardiff and Caernarfon. There has been an imaginative refurbishment
in Aberystwyth, and an upgrading of arts venues across the country which is
wholly to be welcomed.
3.13 However these venues face significant challenges as well. It was clear
from the evidence given to the Committee in the course of its review that the
productivity and future pattern for these platforms for the arts does need further
examination. To begin with they have tended to be run with slim resources, relying
on the good-will of committed communities and individuals. The Committee saw
at first hand the liveliness of these centres, which left an indelible impression.
But it considers that it is now time to assess their artistic capacity and financial
stability to ensure that the available funding is well used, and that stronger
strategic partnerships are established to ensure that these venues can flourish
for the future. It will certainly be necessary to consider their geographical
distribution and reach, particularly for our rural communities. This will be
critical to ensuring that they can be supported with a robust infrastructure
of resources and skills and that they serve their communities well.
3.14 The Committee accordingly recommends that:-
· The Assembly Secretary should be invited to remit the Arts Council
to review the pattern of provision, including the geographical spread and reach,
and the appropriate balance of investment for these centres for the period to
2005.
· In accordance with one of
the Committee's key principles on page 14, we strongly recommend that consideration
be given to designating all publicly funded arts venues as smoke-free zones.
We invite the Assembly Secretary, in conjunction with the relevant ASPBs, to
investigate the feasibility of this.
· The Assembly Secretary should be invited to remit the Council of Museums
Wales, Library and Information Services Council Wales, National Museums and
Galleries Wales and National Library of Wales to work with the network of local
arts venues and local authorities to present national and local treasures more
vividly for local communities. It is essential that dedicated arts centres of
the formal kind should become integrated into a wider range of informal local
facilities and be seen as a resource for them - in the same way that national
companies, organisations and institutions should be seen as resources for the
nation as a whole.
CONFIDENT DIVERSITY - POSITIVE DISTINCTIVENESS
3.15 Following the establishment of the National Assembly, Wales is embarking
on a new and challenging phase in its history. We see this not only in terms
of how Wales is governed but also as a cultural response to the distinctiveness
of the Welsh identity.
3.16 What then are the elements of Welsh distinctiveness? First, the very considerable
diversity that springs from the complex socio-economic, political and democratic
history of our country, which has bequeathed to us a cultural mix that exists
nowhere else. Second, there are those cultural phenomena that are particular
to Wales, which we and no-one else can contribute to the human family's heritage,
and which by virtue of their particularity, merit special attention.
3.17 Among these, the Welsh language must loom large. It is through the Welsh
language, the one among the Celtic family most capable of revitalisation, that
our cultural experience has, until the onset of "language shift" in
the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, overwhelmingly been expressed. Complex
political and economic forces led to the subordination, limitation, often denigration
and sentimentalisation of Welsh language culture. Yet it has shown great resilience
and vitality and the literary renaissance of the twentieth century (to take
one example) has been remarkable.
3.18 The demise of the Welsh language would be an incalculable loss to the cultural
richness and identity of Wales. Its revitalisation would enrich our cultural
life just as cultural revitalisation is essential to give the language new life.
3.19 However the powerful and creative reality of English as one of the two
main languages of Wales must also be recognised. The cauldron of industrialisation
generated Welsh forms of English which have their own vitality and strength.
They feature strongly in much of Anglo-Welsh literature. Yet they have been
perceived as inferior, as needing to be jettisoned by the upwardly mobile. It
is time for "Welsh English" to take its place as a respected, high-status
code, and cultural policy has a key role in achieving this.
3.20 Welsh English is of course not a single dialect. And in any case English
in all its forms is spoken in Wales, ranging from, say, the Received Standard
English or Cockney of migrants to our rural areas, of the dialect of the Little
England beyond Wales, to the colourful variations of the northern coastal strip
and the softer tones of the Powys border country. They are all part of the cultural
mix that is twenty-first century Wales.
3.21 But that is by no means all. The presence of African, Caribbean and Asian
communities in Wales is nothing new, but it is growing. What is warmly to be
welcomed is the contribution of these communities, particularly in the context
of devolution, in playing a vital role in the life of our new and constantly
changing Wales. In this way, the weave of Welsh cultural life becomes that much
the richer and more intricate.
3.22 There is an exciting opportunity, through cultural policy, to give substance
to the notion of Welsh citizenship built on diversity. Thus a strong sense of
identity can be compatible with tolerance, nay appreciation, of the strange
and different. And thus could Wales aspire to being an example among nations
and regions.
3.23 In order to both stimulate and preserve this important aspect of the diversity
of Wales, the Committee believes that bilingualism could be further promoted
in the following ways:
· Cultural organisations which receive public funds should, as part of
their application for grant, provide a statement on how they propose to promote
the Welsh language.
· the Assembly's ASPBs and local authorities need to provide for a fair
balance, both locally and nationally, of artistic provision in the medium of
Welsh and English; and that they could make a start by undertaking a baseline
study of existing provision.
· developing partnerships between local language initiatives such as
mentrai iaith, and other organisations promoting the arts both at national and
local level. We suggest in the first instance that this should be undertaken
by the Assembly's ASPBs, with the Regional Committees of the Arts Council co-ordinating
the development of these partnerships in their respective areas.
Equality of Opportunity
3.24 The Government of Wales Act placed a statutory duty on the Assembly to
have regard to the principle of equality of opportunity in executing its functions
and conducting its business. We are not convinced that this is yet being tackled
with sufficient energy and imagination by publicly funded statutory and non-statutory
organisations in the arts and cultural fields. In particular, we look to the
Arts Council to work with the Welsh Local Government Association, the National
Museums and Galleries Wales, the Council of Museums, the National Library of
Wales and the Library and Information Services Council to review their existing
policies and plans in favour of equality of opportunity, and to lift the performance
of the voluntary and other bodies they fund.
3.25 We recommend that:
· The Assembly Secretary invite these bodies to set realistic, but more
challenging, targets for achievement; that these be notified to him within a
year; and that he should require a report on results before the end of 2002.
· The Assembly Secretary be invited to consider placing a requirement
on the Council of Museums; Library and Information Services Council; National
Museums and Galleries Wales and the National Library of Wales, that they work
with the Arts Council to plan exhibitions; community events; and broadcasts
to raise local and national awareness of the remarkable features of the ethnic
minority groups' different cultural experiences and of the way in which they
are benefiting the overall cultural life in Wales.
3.26 Evidence given to the Committee suggested that some cultural groups within
the ethnic minority communities felt the need for centres of their own to nurture
specific art forms, and that more could usefully be done to ensure that practitioners
can find work and audiences in Wales. We recommend that the Arts Council be
asked to co-ordinate a report to the Assembly Secretary on ways of achieving
these aims.
3.27 We also strongly recommend
that, the Arts Council should continue to work with practitioners in the ethnic
minority communities, to established principles of racial equality, and to secure
these facilities and opportunities on the basis of a phased and manageable programme
over the next 3-5 years.
A LEARNING COUNTRY - A RICHER CULTURE
3.28 Most respondents to the review felt that supporting education and promoting
artistic talent should be a major plank of any cultural policy and strong views
were expressed that Welsh culture should be an intrinsic part of the education
system. During the course of the review, Members heard anecdotal evidence which
suggests that there is a great flourishing of activity in the arts at primary
school level, but when pupils move on to secondary education and the demands
and pressures of the curriculum increase, this activity is relegated to the
margins. The Committee believes that in putting our young people first we must
ensure that at each stage of their development, the impact of the arts - and
particularly as manifest in Wales - permeate throughout the curriculum, and
indeed outside the curriculum, at primary, secondary and tertiary levels.
3.29 The Education and Training Action Plan for Wales (ETAP), endorsed by the
National Assembly, sets out the key requirements and outcomes necessary to make
Wales a learning country for the 21st Century. In considering the evidence from
this review, the Committee was struck by the extent to which respondents felt
that supporting education and promoting artistic talent should be treated as
inter-related components of cultural policy. Accordingly, the Committee recommend
that the following steps be taken to ensure that more of our people have better
opportunities and skills to contribute to, and benefit from, cultural activity
in Wales.
3.30 So far as young people are concerned, we took note of the document entitled
'The Arts and Young People in Wales' . This was commissioned by the Arts Council
and prepared by an arts and young people task force. We endorse a number of
the key objectives in this three year action plan. In our view we think it essential
to:
· ensure that all schools in Wales adopt a policy in favour of arts development
· strengthen in-service training for teachers of the arts in schools,
and the bilingual support materials available for them
· establish local, regional and national brokerage in support of curricular
enrichment - for example to strengthen links between museums, libraries, science
centres and schools, and to enable more artists to work in schools
· ensure that young people have access to good information about the
availability of arts activities and greater opportunities to experience them
out of school
· increase the number of productions, exhibitions and other arts events
created specifically to cater for the interests of young people.
3.31 More specifically, the Committee has reached the following detailed conclusions:
· Provision for the early years is critical to laying the foundations
for acquiring the necessary knowledge, skills and understanding to get the most
from cultural activity in later life. The Committee considers that the Assembly
Secretary for Education should be invited to consider the benefits of ensuring
that training for those delivering education and child care should embrace a
rigorous professional grounding in guided and creative play, and in how best
to introduce the youngest children to different art forms, including a far greater
use of peripatetic teaching, which could be boosted by using the talents of
those retired from their own professions. We recommend that this be considered
as the Education Committee takes forward its work on the curriculum for 3-6
year olds for the longer term.
· The Committee regards the relationship between the development of talent amongst young people and the practice of art forms at local, regional and national and international levels as being of cardinal importance.
· As regards school-based activity, we believe that the concerns expressed to us about the reduction in culture and arts activity as young people progress in their education should be investigated. We therefore recommend that Estyn should conduct a survey of the levels of arts provision and activity at Key Stages 2 and 3. We further recommend that Estyn consider how to advise schools about the means by which arts provision can best be provided through extra curricular activities during a young person's progress in school.
· To ensure that cultural matters have their proper profile, we recommend that ACCAC review the Curriculum Cymreig to examine the extent to which it should be supported by new materials relevant to the arts and culture in Wales. In due course, we consider that ACCAC should be invited to consider the degree to which the Curriculum Cymreig might be expanded to include materials on the arts in at least one other culture to encourage comparison and inter-cultural understanding.
· For activities conducted mainly out of school, the better wales.com proposal to introduce a prospectus of activities for every child should include the full range of cultural and artistic opportunities from the start. A co-ordinated effort should be made between the careers service, education business partnerships, and arts practitioners to provide new opportunities for work experience (and more information about careers) in the creative industries within Wales.
· Subject to the availability of resources, the cultural ASPBs should be tasked to ensure that every school in Wales, whether individually or as part of a consortium, should have an opportunity to benefit from at least one major new cultural and artistic opportunity annually, from 2002-03 onwards. Between now and then, we consider that the ASPBs should be tasked to undertake the extensive planning that will be needed to ensure that these events can be made really worthwhile. In parallel, we recommend that the Assembly Secretary for Pre-16 Education and Children be invited to consider adjusting the Grants for Education and Support Training (GEST) programme, so that suitable in-service teacher training and support can be made available on a complementary basis.
· The recently introduced youth policy for Wales, based on the distinct provisions of the Learning and Skills Act, should provide new opportunities to develop skills in the various art forms - where possible using funding from the New Opportunities Fund. We recommend that the Wales Youth Agency should be specifically tasked to issue new guidance, and bespoke training, in this field.
· All publicly funded institutions having a bearing on the arts and culture - including all Higher Education Institutions and Further Education Institutions in Wales - should be tasked to develop new policies to promote indigenous talent, not least through direct links with schools, youth organisations, and community groups. The remit should extend to providing the skills, training and educational opportunities necessary to build a strong professional base in Wales. It should also take account of the requirements of provision through the medium of Welsh.
· National youth arts organisations
play an important role in encouraging personal development and skills carried
over into adult life. The Committee applauds this and wishes to see better connectivity
- including more opportunities for placements of work experience - between the
youth organisations, Welsh College of Music and Drama, and companies with a
national remit. We recommend that the Assembly Secretary commission Welsh Local
Government Association, Welsh Joint Education Committee, Welsh College of Music
and Drama, the National Remit Organisations, and the National Museum of Wales
to report on how national youth organisations can be better engaged and supported
for the future.
· Existing arts practitioners and organisations must re-assess their
development and recruitment policies to connect fully with the mainstream labour
market in Wales; to make the most of opportunities for partnership under Objective
1; and to secure a step-change in their own business planning, financial management,
and marketing capacity. Joint training and development with other sectors -
such as tourism and community development - should be promoted strongly and
we invite the Assembly Secretary to consider how best to put this into effect.
· The Committee reinforces a recommendation made in its report "Taking
Forward the Recommendations in the Education and Training Action Plan"
that the Assembly Secretary commission the Council for Education and Training
in Wales to undertake a study on a fair funding formula in post-16 education
and training and that such a study should include the extra-curricular activities
(incorporating sporting and cultural activities).
A National Youth Arts Fund
3.32 A partnership fund between the public and private sectors could be a way
of securing a firm source of future investment in the provision of Arts for
our young People. It would form an additional source of funding for activities
across the range of the arts continuum, from amateur and voluntary arts activities
to professional and international work. It could be a source of additional and
supplementary funding for community and voluntary initiatives or a source for
professional activities such as attendance on national youth courses, particularly
for those youngsters from disadvantaged backgrounds or outside the usual educational
structures. The Youth Arts Fund would seek to balance the Committee's culture
and arts policy priorities of investment in the future, of innovation and ingenuity,
of the contemporary and the traditional, and of putting our communities first.
3.33 The Youth Arts Fund could be set up by the National Assembly, European
Funding Initiatives and both private and corporate donations from business and
the private sector. A small working group might be set up by the Assembly Secretary
to assess the best economic structure for such a fund; how it might maximise
its initial investment, and to prepare a set of guidelines for grant distribution.
The working group might also determine the most effective structure for grant
selection, distribution, monitoring and assessment.
3.34 Bearing in mind the need for the Youth Arts Fund to draw upon other resources,
its detailed arrangements should be subject to further consultation.
Training and Skills
3.35 The Committee feels strongly that education, training, and skills acquisition
for entry into the creative professions should be made available, especially
for those outside the formal education structures. It believes that institutions
and companies with a national remit can act as conduits for professional entry
into the arts in Wales, both in their education and outreach work and also in
making themselves resources for skills acquisition, training and the education
development of a strong professional base in Wales.
3.36 The Committee recommends that
· an audit of the provision of training and education in the Arts needs
to be undertaken. It suggests that this might be included in the Committee's
forthcoming Higher Education Review
· training, education and the acquisition of skills, need to take account
of provision in the Welsh language, and the proposed audit should identify key
gaps in the current provision.
ENTERPRISING INDUSTRY - CREATIVE CULTURE
3.37 The creative industries make a significant contribution to the economy
of Wales. This was made amply evident in 'The Economic Impact of the Arts and
Cultural Industries in Wales' commissioned by the Arts Council (December 1998).
These industries make their contribution in local, national and international
markets; in developing experienced skills and innovation; and in providing essential
and high value services in the broadcast, technology, entertainment, tourism
and leisure sectors. They feature strongly in the Single Programme Document
under Objective 1 - not least because of their importance for human capital
development. The creative industries remain vital to Wales' growing reputation
as a place that is creative, rich and culturally diverse. Creative skills are
greatly in demand in all parts of the economy. They matter to people who live
and work in Wales; to visitors; and inward investors. We believe it is important
to stimulate, develop, attract and sustain the concentration of skills, information,
infrastructure and market opportunities so that Wales can compete successfully
in the highly competitive - even global - markets for creative products.
3.38 The available information about the economic vitality of the creative industries
in Wales suggests the following:
· they employ some 29,000 people - 2.6% of the working population;
· their total expenditure exceeds £800m of which some £570m
is spent in Wales;
· they have a turnover of £1.1bn - adding over £300m to Welsh
GDP.
3.39 These are based on 1998 figures; we would wish to see more rigorous and
up-to-date figures made available as soon as possible and we make recommendations
about this in the next chapter.
3.40 Much of the success is generated by a large number of individuals and small
to medium sized enterprises for whom access to work space, specialised advice
and finance is important. But the shape of the sector is likely to become still
more complex for the future. For that reason it would be very worthwhile for
sustained attention to be given to the creative industries over the years ahead.
3.41 In partnership, with the public and private sectors, the creative industries
have the potential of defining Wales, and its regions, as a creative country
noted for the excellence of its innovation, imagination and enterprise. In its
turn, that should contribute significantly to building a stronger economy; a
firmer skills base; and a better quality of life within Wales.
3.42 To take this forward we recommend that the Assembly Secretary consider
establishing a new team-based approach involving ASPBs in the culture and arts
field; the WLGA; and other relevant statutory and non-statutory bodies with
a specific remit to ensure that they play their part in sustaining the cultural
vitality of Wales, and the momentum of the creative industries themselves. We
discuss the organisational arrangements in detail in the next chapter.
Cultural Tourism
3.43 The Arts are crucial to any initiatives for successful cultural tourism
and have the potential to be a significant contributor to Wales' future economy.
It is important that the National Assembly's agencies work in concert with local
authorities to realise this aim. The arts, together with built heritage, landscape,
environment, socio-economic history, cultural and linguistic diversity and sport,
all play a connected and inter-linked role in cultural tourism providing both
economic growth and enrichment to the quality of life of our citizens and visitors.
3.44 Cultural tourism is a key factor in sustainable job creation, in rural
and urban regeneration, in active citizenship and in defining the distinctiveness
of Wales and its sense of national identity. Every effort must be made to co-ordinate
a national strategy for cultural tourism and set in motion major initiatives
in this critical growth area; Wales has a wonderful arts infrastructure to be
activated, and on which it can build. For it to deliver however, it needs financial
stabilisation and future sustainability.
3.45 The Committee commends the recent initiatives in this field, by the Wales
Tourist Board and the Welsh Development Agency and looks forward to the findings
of their working party on cultural tourism in Wales.
NATIONAL AMBITION - INTERNATIONAL REACH
International Stage
3.46 Responses to the consultation exercise were largely of the view that the
Assembly's cultural policy, whilst based on the promotion of Welsh arts and
culture, should aim to be pluralistic and should take account of the practices
and influences developed internationally.
3.47 Wales' self-image, and its image on the international stage are of vital
importance to the health and vitality of the nation as a whole. As a nation,
we have historic links with other Celtic nations. These links are mutually beneficial
and should continue to be fostered whenever possible, but we should also aim
to have our art and culture seen and appreciated by our global partners. It
is fundamental that international impact be exploited, directly fed back and
be rooted into the cultural life and economy of the people of Wales.
3.48 To make the most of our existing and developing international profile in
the arts, we recommend:
· Greater use should be made of the British Council's outposts abroad
to promote and support both amateur and professional arts performances. We ask
the Assembly Secretary to consider strengthening the Arts Council's Wales Arts
International division to help them to achieve this. We also recommend that
the Wales Tourist Board should co-operate with Wales Arts International on this
endeavour. More generally, Wales Arts International should be given renewed
impetus. Publicly funded arts and cultural organisations should be encouraged
to make a contribution to realising its objectives year by year. The British
Council Cymru should also be invited to agree a strategy for promoting cultural
and educational opportunities both in Wales and world wide, especially those
likely to be income generating, with all the national publicly funded education,
training and cultural organisations in Wales.
· The National Assembly should consider with the UK Central Government
the scope for contributing directly to the work of UNESCO - not least through
the organisation's Associated Schools Project.
· Greater use should also be made of the newly opened Wales European
Centre, particularly in respect of raising the profile of Wales' artistic activities.
· That the Assembly Secretary consider the processes by which specific
individuals, companies, and festivals could be designated as cultural and economic
ambassadors, or otherwise receive a formal Assembly commission in that role.
At the same time we would urge the Assembly Secretary to ensure that a generous
welcome is extended to the many international cultural visitors who enrich the
domestic scene.
· That all the National Assembly's cultural agencies should work in tandem
to create a thriving environment for international cultural and economic impact.
· Exchanges involving students, pupils, teachers and lecturers should
be reviewed to ensure that they are taking maximum advantage of the opportunities
to promote and extend Welsh achievement in the arts.
3.49 We should not overlook the fact that the new National Assembly building
will itself become a landmark which will achieve international recognition.
In our view that opportunity should be used to make a contribution to project
Wales both culturally and artistically. We also recommend that the building
make the best use of available space for performance and exhibition. Specifically,
· we would invite the Assembly's
Presiding Officer to consider the possibility of creating an Order of Artists
in Wales, qualification for which would require an address to, or a period of
attachment within, the Assembly itself.
National Remit Organisations
3.50 Wales has many national remit organisations with international reputations,
of which we can be justifiably proud. There is much to celebrate here. These
organisations represent aspects of the very best of Wales. Many have made significant
commitment to our communities. This is to be welcomed, but we believe these
commitments should be extended, with touring capacity increased and further
investment provided to education initiatives.
3.51 As outlined above, we also wish to see better connectivity - including
more opportunities for placements and work experience - between the national
remit organisations, the national youth organisations and education.
3.52 For example, in the performing arts world these professional organisations
must work in closer collaboration with the network of national youth or national
young people's companies - our National Youth Orchestra, National Youth Choir,
National Youth Theatre, National Youth Dance Company and National Youth Brass
Band. This is a vital artery in the flow of talent, opportunity, training and
appreciation of our arts and needs to be more tightly woven into the whole fabric
of Wales' cultural life.
3.53 The unstable funding situation and variable placement opportunities on
national courses for young people from all over the country needs to be addressed.
Meeting and working with others from different places throughout Wales, and
from different social backgrounds, in an artistic context, is a critical factor
in the strengthening of a talented creative and tolerant society.
3.54 To date, our national remit organisations have not extended beyond the
performing arts. There is a question as to whether any other institutions should
now be given the national remit.
3.55 Curiously, the literary arts and the world of letters in Wales - a notable
feature of our artistic heritage and contemporary vibrancy - lacks both the
significant resources and the appropriate institution to co-ordinate the crucial
national role. The Committee has heard much praise for the Literature Department
of ACW but both more funding and a national strategy in the literary arts and
in the world of books needs to be instigated as a matter of urgency.
3.56 Multicultural arts and the Welsh language theatre also need a more stable
funding footing and a strategic expansion of vision to fulfil their countrywide
necessity and remit. It is regrettable that neither of these sectors of the
arts have been served by a comprehensive and realistic evaluation of their distinctiveness,
social contribution, nor of their cultural worth and importance to a creative
Wales. This again is an overdue task and representatives of both these areas
have suggested that they have been treated with a sense of tokenism and viewed
more as a requirement than as a necessary accelerator in the cultural mix that
defines Wales' 'common culture'. Centres of focus for these activities could
provide crucibles for their cultural creativity. But it is important that the
work radiates throughout the country and sets a visible imprint upon it.
3.57 National remit organisations should:-
· nurture the country's talent - writers, composers, performers and artists
- and commit themselves to developing indigenous talent and providing employment
opportunities for such talent to compete for posts at home or abroad
· co-ordinate their activities to the benefit of Wales' international
profile, the promotion of tourism, inward investment and export
· commit themselves to sharing resources to achieve better outcomes year
by year
· present the country's various artistic traditions with pride, and represent
the diversity of people in Wales through their presentation and employment strategies
· set standards for national creativity, and support artistic endeavour
in our communities
· make more accessible our treasures in museums, libraries and archives
· provide platforms for our creative productivity and for our artists
· break down barriers to the arts and within art forms
· work together with our economic agencies to be singular cultural ambassadors
· extend their presence throughout Wales
· manage their affairs properly and efficiently, subject to the appropriate
scrutiny of the Arts Council
· work in partnership with other cultural organisations and with private
enterprise to deliver the best value for the people of Wales as a whole.
3.58 We recommend that a clear audit and assessment of the role of our National remit companies in the cultural sector needs to take place across the artforms. Overlaps need to be ironed out and gaps in provision identified systematically. Each needs to work in a complementary way. Importantly their cultural, economic, educational and employment worth should be considered and reassessed. There should be clear contracts for their cultural work and remit, between them and their principal Welsh funding body, the Arts Council, on behalf of the National Assembly. Further there should be clear and identifiable returns for Wales on that investment.
3.59 Finally, in line with the arms length principle, whilst we have not attempted to deal with the status of individual organisations, it would be remiss not to mention the Wales Millennium Centre. At the time of writing, there was some doubt about the Centre's future. The Committee very much hopes that the Centre's difficulties can be overcome and that the project will proceed as originally conceived.
Festivals
3.60 Wales also has a flourishing and diverse festival scene. It ranges from the national, Urdd and Llangollen International Eisteddfodau, to music festivals like Brecon Jazz, Vale of Glamorgan, Fishguard, St Asaph, Criccieth, Sesiwn Fawr, Dolgellau and Beaumaris - to the multi arts Swansea Festival, the Hay on Wye Literature Festival, the One Tribe Festival and the Big Weekend. Certainly this shows the importance of these events to the communities from which they spring. They are created by enterprising and hard working individuals and groups, and demonstrate too what can be done by successful collaboration between local authorities, umbrella organisations and societies to mark the cultural distinctiveness of Wales. Frequently festivals are linked with local, regional, national and international competitions like Cardiff Singer of the World, or with significant figures in the arts. Bryn Terfel's festival at Y Faenol has immediately caught local and international attention and wonderfully presents music in the richness of its diversity.
· We feel that much more could
be done to link festivals, accommodation data and other tourism opportunities
in an annual programme of events for world wide publication on the internet.
We recommend that the scope for making this linkage should be explored and exploited
by Cymru'n Creu (see page 43).
ARTFORMS
3.61 In Chapter 3 we outline the National Assembly's role in setting the policy
for arts and culture in Wales and the general priorities for funding. In that
section, we establish that it is the role of the relevant sponsor body to adjudicate
on strategy, delivery and operational matters. It is important to remember this
when reading this section.
3.62 The Committee has heard many - sometimes conflicting - opinions about key
strategic areas within the various artform headings, but it has not been able
to take a comprehensive look into every one of the issues. However, given the
strength of feeling behind the evidence received, the Committee feel it incumbent
upon them to comment on these areas and to give guidance to the appropriate
sponsor body where appropriate. Underpinning these recommendations are the principles
for culture and the arts in Wales as set out on page 14.
The Literary Arts
3.63 Wales is as much a land of poets as singers and has a long and important
literary tradition. Yet, arguably, our writers have suffered in comparison with
other artists. There is an undoubted perception amongst the literary community
that they are marginalised and often forgotten. But writers are fundamental
to society; they provide the lifeblood of creativity within the arts. Without
writers there would be no new books, plays, songs, operas or screenplays.
3.64 The Committee firmly believes that active promotion and greater acknowledgement
- including financial reward - should be afforded to writers. To achieve this
we recommend that the following measures be given consideration by the relevant
agencies and authorities:
· that the recognition and status of Anglo-Welsh writers be increased
on the National Curriculum
· a co-ordinated strategy be developed with the publishing industry to
provide more publication opportunities for Welsh writers. Marketing opportunities
must also be exploited more effectively than currently.
3.65 The National Assembly itself could take a lead here. On page 29, we have
invited the Presiding Officer to consider creating an Order of Artists in Wales.
We would envisage writers playing a central role in such an Order. Furthermore,
the new Assembly building should make best use of its available space by exhibiting
examples of Welsh writing, as well as Welsh visual art.
3.66 The Committee applauds new initiatives in the literary scene such as gwales.com,
but feels that in general, new technology should make more of an impact in this
area in terms of promotion and marketing, access and artform development.
3.67 Finally, the Committee want to see the raising of standards of critical
discourse, particularly in relation to the arts. We have indeed already set
this process in motion by commissioning two leading thinkers to attempt a definition
of Welsh culture. These are at Annex C. We hope that they will provide the springboard
for a national debate.
The Performing Arts
3.68 The concept of performing and performance is ingrained into the Welsh psyche.
As a nation, we have often been characterised - both by ourselves and others
- by the need to perform; and our worth as a nation, by how we perform, whether
on stage or on the sports field. We have grown up in a rich tradition of Eisteddfodau,
carnivals, festivals, shows and pageants. It is in our blood.
3.69 We can indeed be proud of our performing tradition and our performers.
There are any number that do sterling work within the community setting and
a whole host of Welsh actors, singers, bands, choirs and companies that are
recognised internationally.
3.70 Traditionally, the performing arts have been thought of as theatre, dance
and music, but during the course of its review, the Committee was made aware
of a vast spectrum of work and activity that prevails in this sector throughout
Wales.
Ø Theatre
3.71 The performing arts tradition in Britain has been dominated by theatre.
In the past, Wales has accepted and adopted the dominant models of theatre created
for our neighbours in England, but our review has heard various arguments in
favour of alternative models.
3.72 The argument for a National Theatre, even one in federal form arouses passion
but is clearly predicated on a kind of text theatre tradition of which there
is no continuous or unbroken line, and which is at best intermittent in Wales.
We have an acknowledged 'performance culture' that remains dominant and it seems
best for theatre in Wales, at the present, to re-align itself to that signature.
Further, theatre strategy must more urgently acknowledge as its basis the most
essential and successful of its exponents, namely its theatres for young people;
its physical and dance theatre. It is here, rather than in grafting on another
tradition and creating another stand-alone institution, that Wales has a firm
and secure foundation on which to build a strong national and international
performance platform.
3.73 The early stages of this review were sometimes dominated by the discontent
about the major consultation process, inaugurated by the Arts Council of Wales,
to create a coherent drama strategy. This is not the place to go into the rights
and wrongs of the consultation exercise, nor the implemented conclusions, but
the Committee is of the firm view that such a strategy should be underpinned
by the needs of young people and our communities, both in the English and Welsh
languages. These are the foundations on which we can build the future. They
need to be strengthened and nurtured if our theatre tradition is to achieve
the Committee's vision for 2010. The Arts Council's drama strategy is now so
contentious that it should be revisited. In particular, given the diverse nature
of our arts communities and the prevailing financial climate, we would question
the relevance of moving towards the establishment of a "national theatre"
as conventionally understood. We recommend that:
· the priority for theatre in the coming years should be to nurture and
strengthen grass roots activity across Wales, so that it can achieve a tradition
of excellence
· the Arts Council should review its Drama Strategy in the light of this
priority, and that it should report to the Assembly Secretary on its proposals
by the end of 2001.
Ø Dance and Physical Theatre
3.74 Dance extends to many forms - ballet, traditional eg folk and twmpathau,
physical theatre, line and ballroom dancing, experimental movement etc. Wales
has its fair share of internationally renowned practitioners and innovators
in this field, but dance's general profile is not high and it is often viewed
as the cinderella of the performance sector.
3.75 The Committee has heard and seen the important work done by companies and
organisations such as Diversions, Community Dance Wales and of the various regional
and local companies that come under its umbrella. It has been impressed by the
sense of empowerment that dance and movement can give to the disadvantaged,
the ill and the disabled. It has heard and very much supports, the Welsh College
of Music and Drama's proposal to add dance courses to its portfolio. But the
Committee has also heard of the many problems faced by the sector: the perceived
lack of funding, the call for a co-ordinated dance strategy, the lack of dance
training in Wales - particularly through the medium of Welsh, and a general
lack of connectivity between the performing companies and community organisations.
3.76 Diversions is a company to be applauded; it has a developing international
reputation, achievable ambitions and does much valuable education and outreach
work. However, the Company needs to be nurtured and needs firm help in realising
its clear potential. Diversions would benefit from the strategies for dance
which we recommend below.
3.77 To help combat the difficulties faced by the dance community, the Committee
recommends that:
· The Arts Council of Wales consider carefully the various issues surrounding
dance in Wales and commission a survey or consultation exercise on the need
for a co-ordinated national dance strategy.
3.78 Traditional dance is also an area in need of recognition and resources.
The Committee believes that this artform should not be lost to future generations.
There is certainly a strong case to be made for making space in the National
Curriculum for the teaching and enjoyment of traditional dance, and an equally
valid case for national organisations in this sector to be better resourced.
As a first step however, we recommend that the Arts Council of Wales work in
conjunction with organisations such as the Welsh Folk Dance Society, to develop
a strategy for traditional dance and music (see music section) which will enable
future generations to once more enjoy the fruits of their cultural heritage.
Ø Music
3.79 Wales has often been stereotyped as a "land of song", but this
is one stereotype with strong foundations. The range of world class singers
and musicians produced by Wales, both in popular and classical fields is truly
extraordinary. Our rock bands have achieved phenomenal international success
in recent years; the jazz scene is flourishing and plays host to one of the
most successful jazz festivals in Europe. We have a national opera company with
a world class reputation; a national orchestra which is sometimes under-valued,
but is truly a national treasure. Moreover, the community music scene is thriving
and we should not forget our traditional music heritage. This is truly a situation
to take pride in and to cherish.
3.80 However, of all the artforms, music is the most prone to privilege, elitism,
taste and fashion. As in other artforms though, the roots of Wales' success
lie in the education system and communities. Many world class performers have
emerged through the creative and participatory environment that is the hallmark
of our communities. They are often products of our education system and eisteddfodau,
who have been nurtured by committed, skilled and passionate amateurs. We believe
that such passion and commitment must be passed down to future generations.
To do this, the Committee recommends that music teaching and music making in
schools is given proper space in the curriculum, that music making in the community
is given due recognition and that appropriate training mechanisms are in place
to enable musicians to perform and get established. Much of this is already
happening; we must ensure that it continues.
3.81 Traditional music, like its dance equivalent, has in recent years, suffered
from a lack of recognition. We therefore reinforce our comments in paragraph
3.78 and suggest that space should be made in the national curriculum for the
enjoyment of traditional music and that organisations in this section be better
resourced. We ask the Arts Council of Wales to work in conjunction with organisations
such as TRAC to develop a strategy for traditional music.
The Visual Arts
3.82 Wales is experiencing a flowering of visual culture on a par with that
of contemporary rock music. We have distinguished practitioners and artists
of international repute in the fields of painting, sculpture, drawing, installation
art, architecture, film and video. We also have a tradition in the visual arts,
which is often under-acknowledged, but of which the Committee has been made
acutely aware during the review. However, we do not have a co-ordinated visual
arts strategy. If, as a nation, we value our visual culture, this is something
that must be remedied.
3.83 The Committee recommends that:
· the relevant sponsored bodies and local authorities work together to
consider the creation of a comprehensive visual arts strategy in terms of promoting
practising artists and of collection, conservation and presentation
· that the sponsored bodies continue to promote art in Wales and make
more artworks accessible to the many
· that the sponsored bodies provide a greater presence across the regions
through the national network of galleries and the greater use of the possibilities
of digital media
· that a study be commissioned to investigate the options for creating
a national digital gallery for the visual arts
· that public art and architecture be seen as an important facet of visual
culture, one that directly affects the environment and quality of life
· that a co-ordinated strategy for art education and learning be developed
by the appropriate agencies and shaped by schools of art and design.
3.84 The Committee has heard powerful arguments for a national gallery or platform
for the display of our visual culture, to present the tradition of the past
and its present manifestation. There is also a need and place for the careful
re-interpretation of the construction of that tradition and to create greater
possibilities for the commission, display, support and profile of our contemporary
artists.
3.85 We understand that the National Museum and Galleries of Wales is giving
consideration to this project and we ask that body to provide a clear and pro-active
lead in the debate and to generate a constructive public consultation exercise.
The Media Arts
3.86 The Media Arts are strongly linked with the Visual Arts as part of our
strong cultural industries and strident visual culture. Moving Image and Film
have taken a central place in popular visual culture and through our actors
and film-makers, Wales has made great international inroads building upon a
short but distinguished tradition.
3.87 Much of the success is due to the close linkage between broadcasting and
film and the connectivity in aspiration between the creators, the industry and
commissioners in the BBC, HTV and S4C. Recently, Sgrin - the Media Agency for
Wales - has entered the arena and has done much valuable work in stimulating
new talent, though its focus until now has been on short films, education and
exhibition.
3.88 Television drama has both creative inspiration and employment potential
and has established a cluster of independent companies and artists. Wales can
also be boastful of its achievements in animation and in the wealth of creative
talent as evidenced by the Oscar nomination for S4C's "Canterbury Tales",
"The Gogs", the work of Cartoon Cymru and the succession of talent
emerging from the film school at the University of Wales, Newport. Animation
is one of the cultural industries situated in Wales with immense international
potential. It is a facet of Media Arts of which we should be justifiably proud
and seek to develop.
3.89 No industry has felt the full force of the impact of digital technology
as much as the Media. It has both stimulated creativity, challenged practice
and has begun to precipitate enormous change. This is an exciting time and Wales
must take its place within the context of these developments. However, we are
already slipping behind.
3.90 Our broadcasters therefore have important roles and responsibilities in
securing a strong voice in 'digital roll out" and in taking advantage,
nurturing and accelerating the interface of the Media Arts with the impact of
digital technology.
3.91 Initiatives in New Media both for creativity and commercial development
need to be explored across the sector in partnership with the technological
schemes of the appropriate agencies. The creativity of the Media arts can both
inform and enhance existing initiatives and strengthen economic cultural clusters.
There are specific opportunities to be taken advantage of in the light of ERDF
objectives. We recommend that:
· Wales should be promoted as a "film friendly" place both
to attract international productions to film in Wales but also to acknowledge
the benefits of filming to local economies
· there needs to be a greater co-ordination of effort between the three
Regional film development agencies and a strong single voice in the
international market place. As the designated Media Agency for Wales
Sgrin is the appropriate co-ordinating mechanism
· the funding base of Sgrin, the Media agency for Wales, is such so as
to reduce its dependence on the broadcast industry. Sgrin should also be encouraged
to develop the potential of its New Media Group and form a coherent new media
strategy indicating the needs of this developing section of the sector, and
areas where public investment might be best targeted
· Sgrin should be encouraged in the swift initiation of its media education
policy in the moving image and to prioritise media education at the primary
level and that this service be made available bilingually
· the International Film Festival of Wales (IFFW), be encouraged to attract
a wider and more diverse audience from outside the industry and for its touring
initiatives, taking films from the festival to a wide number of venues
throughout Wales
· the place of animation as a significant part of the Media industry
in
Wales to be acknowledged and supported and IFFW to be encouraged
to develop the Festival as a strong platform for Welsh animation
· S4C's significant contribution to film in Wales to be acknowledged,
not least its recent Oscar nominations, and it is to be hoped that both animated
and live action features might be continued as part of its Theatric Policy.
Craft
3.92 Crafts people are artists, but also want to make a secure living from their
talents. Wales's craft sector is one of major importance to our economy and
profile but it has not always been recognised as such. In this era of agri-diversification,
the sector is assuming more and more importance.
3.93 The Committee has heard evidence of the lack of a cohesive strategy for
the craft sector in Wales and feels that this is a gap that should be plugged.
This is a sector which straddles the worlds of art and business and we recommend
that the Arts Council of Wales work together with the Welsh Development Agency
and the Wales Tourist Board to produce a craft strategy for Wales, one that
recognises the potential of the industry to contribute to cultural and economic
growth.
CHAPTER 4
ROLES AND IMPLEMENTATION
Introduction
4.1 To take forward the kind of policy identified in this document the Committee
believe that Wales needs a radically different approach from that currently
adopted. To date, the administration and funding of the arts in Wales have been
largely seen as synonymous with the Arts Council, with successive Governments
taking a back seat. Furthermore, other ASPBs, which in reality are part of the
arts and culture tapestry, have not been seen to have a role in the overall
strategy and direction for the arts.
4.2 The responses during the review made it quite clear that people wanted to
see some fundamental changes, and, as stated earlier, for three principal reasons
:
· That the Assembly could, or should, be responsible for setting overall
policy, defining its implementation and for funding;
· That it is the role of the Assembly to take the lead in setting policy
and in raising the profile of Welsh Arts and Culture both at home and abroad;
· That other organisations, not just ACW, should be brought much more
into the process, and that this should be done in a spirit of openness and transparency.
4.3 The Committee endorses all three principles. We entirely agree that responsibility
for policy, the strategy for its delivery and funding should be handled separately.
At present all three functions are invested in one organisation which has led
to confusion and left the Arts Council with little by way of advice and guidance
on overall direction. As discussed below, we believe that the Assembly itself
should provide this by articulating the overall policy for arts and culture
in Wales. Further, we consider that it is vital for other ASPBs, along with
local authorities, to become more involved in a visible way in setting the pace
and direction for the arts in Wales. We should not continue to invest all responsibility
for the management and direction of arts and culture in the Arts Council.
4.4 The following sections set out the Committee's views on how the key players
should develop and take forward 'A Culture in Common'.
The Role of the National Assembly
4.5 It is implicit in betterwales.com that culture and the arts should find
a secure place in the development of social and economic policies for Wales
across the board. In our view - and indeed in the view of many of the respondents
to the consultation exercise - the pre-eminent responsibility for defining broad
policies and priorities must fall to the Assembly. As we have said, this 'high
level' function should be carried out in a way designed to promote partnership
and generate participation. It is the Assembly's job to ensure that all publicly
funded arts and cultural organisations, including ASPBs, work together to act
on the five key policy priorities that we have defined.
4.6 The sponsored and funded bodies are themselves responsible for working up
effective strategies for delivering on those priorities and for determining
the associated operational policies. It is for the Assembly Secretary, advised
as appropriate by the Subject Committee, to ensure that the strategic and corporate
plans of each sponsored body will make a genuine contribution to realising the
Assembly's overall priorities. It is neither the Assembly Secretary's responsibility,
nor that of the Assembly itself, to second-guess or explain the detailed operational
decisions of those bodies or to act as arbiter for disappointed grant applicants
and the like.
4.7 The Assembly will always wish to ensure that each funded body has robust
processes in place that will quality assure its decisions. Provided that those
systems are in good order and that they are directed to fulfilling the Assembly's
broad policies and priorities, then sponsored bodies should be allowed to get
on with the work they are constituted to do without bureaucratic, unstructured
or otherwise meddlesome intervention. It is only by giving a clear remit to
sponsored bodies, and the space to enable them to carry it out, that clear lines
of accountability and responsibility can be maintained in the public interest.
The Assembly and Institutional Change
4.8 Government has traditionally maintained an arms-length distance from the
arts. We agree with the majority of respondents to the consultation that this
principle must be preserved. However, as we have made clear, we do not consider
that the principle should be applied in quite the same way as before. To begin
with, we have described the broad policies and priorities which will be pursued
for the future - something which has not been clearly done in these terms before
now. In addition, we want to see the whole approach to arts and culture broadened
so that the Arts Council is not itself regarded as being solely responsible
for the health of our artistic and cultural life. Its work should not be conducted
without any conception of a partnership link with the other publicly funded
institutions that have key roles to play now and for the future.
4.9 While the Assembly's primary role is to describe overall policies and priorities,
some respondents expressed an interest in the manner in which the Assembly might
oversee their implementation, and in ancillary institutional change. Indeed
many proposed that a Secretary for Culture be appointed along with a dedicated
Subject Committee. The distribution of portfolios is a matter for the First
Secretary, but we naturally gave serious consideration to what was put to us.
Certainly there was a perception that the arts either had been or were at risk
of becoming marginalised, and that the appointment of a Secretary dealing solely
with arts and culture might help to raise awareness and understanding of the
actual potential value of the arts in general.
4.10 The portfolio for a such a Culture Secretary was suggested as:
The Arts
The Creative Industries
Libraries
Museums
Media
Broadcasting
Sport
Leisure
Tourism
The Welsh Language
Lottery issues
The built environment; CADW
4.11 The concept of a Culture Secretary is attractive, since it would indeed
raise the profile of culture and the arts in Wales and demonstrate the Assembly's
very real recognition of their fundamental importance. Such an appointment would
not in itself however achieve one of the Committee's key objectives, namely
the delivery of the Assembly's arts and culture policy across the board by it
ASPBs. We are not proposing that the Assembly should itself become involved
in delivery of funding; these responsibilities rest with its ASPBs and such
matters should be kept out of the realm of politics and are best dealt with
by the appropriate expert agency.
4.12 If however the Assembly is to genuinely acknowledge the importance of our
culture and the arts, we recommend that the First Secretary should reinforce
the Assembly's responsibilities for these matters, and give serious consideration
to appointing a dedicated Assembly Secretary for Culture.
The Cultural Consortium - Cymru'n Creu
4.13 A persistent theme of our report is that, as a matter of principle, the
implementation of our policies and priorities for the arts and culture should
be dealt with on the basis of partnership and collaboration between the relevant
publicly funded bodies. As we have said, we consider that it is important to
give this impulse some new shape and structure. It is not reasonable to expect
the Arts Council to provide this on its own. This report articulates, for the
first time, a policy for the arts with a much broader cultural base. To take
this forward it is essential to capitalise on the skills, resources and knowledge
of all the relevant publicly funded bodies - amongst many others.
4.14 We would therefore invite the Assembly Secretary to act on our recommendation
that a cultural consortium - Cymru'n Creu - be established embracing all the
relevant ASPBs - including the Wales Tourist Board; the Welsh Development Agency,
the National Council for Education and Training for Wales and the Welsh Joint
Education Committee, together with the Arts Council, the Sports Council, broadcasters,
the Welsh Local Government Association and a representative of the umbrella
bodies. The consortium should cover the interests of the voluntary sector and
the creative industries more broadly. Its membership should not be constituted
on a purely representational basis.
4.15 We see this as a way of developing interest in and lively discussion about,
the arts and culture in Wales that our review has stimulated and benefited from.
We see it as a genuinely useful instrument for avoiding the pitfalls of centralisation,
and as a way of keeping our sponsored bodies focused and working together. We
think it essential that it should be chaired by the Assembly Secretary and supported
by a dedicated secretariat. Initially, we recommend that the role and remit
of Cymru'n Creu should be to:
· Provide a forum for the discussion of particular opportunities or problems;
to support action on the basis of partnership; and to provide an open information
channel between the bodies concerned, with the Arts Council, and ultimately
with the Assembly Secretary.
· Provide regular occasions
for each body to examine the scope for aligning its forward plans with those
of one or more of the others to achieve stronger synergy in support of lifelong
learning; cultural development; inward investment; export promotion; and the
development of tourism.
· To ensure that up-to-date, credible and useful data on the creative
industries is made available as soon as possible.
· To ensure that the new technologies are used to better effect in the
joint planning; joint marketing; and sales promotion.
· To keep the economic impact of the cultural sector under continuing review; to research areas of weakness; and to provide technical assistance to expanding and developing Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the sector.
· To assist in accelerating the input of the creative industries to partnership initiatives under Objective 1 and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
· To act on relevant recommendations
of this report as accepted by the Assembly Secretary and endorsed by the Assembly
in plenary.
4.16 We are particularly concerned that the consortium gives careful attention
to the potential of the new Information and Communication Technologies. There
is no question that ICT has a critical role in strengthening Wales' social and
economic capacity. The current technological convergence of telephony, broadcast
media and computing offers dramatic opportunities for investment, innovation,
access and creativity. However, we believe the Assembly should give continuous
attention to securing sufficient opportunities for everyone to take advantage
of the new ICT. We are aware of the important work being done by the Pre-16
Education, Schools and Early Learning Committee in this field; it is important
that these various initiatives act in synergy.
· In particular, we recommend that the National Assembly's planned investment
in ICT based on schools, Further and Higher Education, libraries, museums, and
community centres should provide well distributed, and well advertised, access
points to enable everyone in Wales to connect with artistic communities and
practitioners.
· With that in mind, we recommend that a 'one stop shop' should be established
on the internet bringing together information on all the publicly funded cultural
and artistic bodies in Wales, together with booking and sales services (with
employment and training opportunities as well). This should be designed to put
'creative Wales online' - deliberately joining up the activities and services
of organisations which are presently operating separately and failing to fulfil
their shared potential as a result.
· We also recommend that the Assembly Secretary should invite the digital
broadcasters - the digital college in particular - whose technology gives direct
access to the internet in homes, to give clear signposts to this arts and cultural
site for all consumers, especially those in our most disadvantaged communities.
4.17 We also consider that the new cultural consortium should work out ways
of extending the advice, learning and skills opportunities provided by organisations
such as Creative Enterprise and Community Enterprise to our arts communities
and to engage other learning and skills centres (such as Teledwyr Annibynol
Cymru (TAC), Cyfle together with Further Education and Higher Education) in
support. That should extend to developing new opportunities for art form exploration
based on ICT.
4.18 To supplement this work we hope that the broadcast media will look to our
arts organisations, and vice versa, to learn from one another in the creation
of stimulating content for distribution over the different electronic media.
As traditional boundaries between art forms and media shift, creative people
- from animators to game creators; from writers and actors to directors and
musicians - have the chance to use their talents in new ways. We wish to see
them flourish and we consider that the consortium which we are recommending
should help to ensure that they do.
4.19 Thereafter, we recommend that the consortium be used as a sounding board
to assist ASPBs to identify opportunities to develop strategic policy for Wales
for consideration by the Assembly Secretary, with appropriate advice from this
Committee. We see this approach as being of critical importance in imbedding
our 'Culture in Common'. We do not question the autonomy of the individual agencies,
but we believe that by acting together in this context, they have the potential
to bring enormous benefits for Wales.
An Arts Agency
4.20 Our review happened to coincide with a good deal of discussion - not confined
to practitioners - about the performance of the Arts Council. A number of recurring
concerns were put to us during the course of consultation. Very many felt that
the Council was in need of overhaul particularly as regards:
· a perceived lack of openness with which it has operated - especially
over the conduct of consultation and in providing feedback over grant decisions;
· its apparently bureaucratic, unresponsive, and managerially complex
structure;
· its loss of direction over gaining and sustaining the confidence of
the communities with which it should work in partnership;
· its centralised approach, which potentially detaches it from practitioners
and audiences;
· its level of investment in high profile companies.
4.21 Assessing the performance of the Arts Council was not the purpose of the review. We must however acknowledge the strength and depth of the concerns expressed to the Committee about the Council's alleged manner of operation summarised above.
4.22 Our primary objective is to ensure that all the Assembly's agencies who are involved in culture and the arts should work together to take forward a policy for the arts with a much broader cultural base. The Committee is concerned, however, that the Arts Council needs to be placed on a much sounder footing if it is to play a full part, both within Cymru'n Creu, and independently, as the Assembly's agency for the arts.
4.23 It needs to display creative leadership, inspire the confidence of the arts community and be effective in its distribution of public money. We acknowledge that the Arts Council have not previously received a clear steer from the Assembly. We hope that the Council will be offered much more by way of guidance on its overall direction, in part by articulation of a policy for culture and the arts in Wales by the Assembly, but more specifically by its annual remit letter from the Assembly Secretary.
4.24 The independent management review report of the Arts Council (Wallace Report) commissioned by the Assembly Secretary, Tom Middlehurst AM, confirms this view. Indeed we had independently come to much the same conclusions as those put forward in the report.
4.25 We wish to see the Assembly Secretary taking charge of the process of reforming the Arts Council - we strongly believe that this cannot be left to existing Arts Council personnel. We recommend that a Task Force be established, appointed by, and accountable to the Assembly Secretary and drawing on existing expertise. The Committee will wish to be informed at appropriate intervals, about progress towards establishment and thereafter on progress towards implementing the recommendations in the Wallace Report.
4.26 In supporting the principle that there needs to be a separation of the policy, strategy and funding functions, and in recommending that the Assembly must take the lead on policy direction whilst preserving the arms-length principle, it is quite clear that an agency for the arts is needed.
4.27 We broadly endorse the Wallace recommendations, but suggest that the Assembly's arts agency should:-
(i) within the Assembly's policies
and priorities, be responsible for decisions on which artistic endeavours should
be supported
(ii) have the artistic as well as financial acumen and credentials on which
to make those decisions
(iii) ensure that, regardless of artistic merit all proposals are financially
and managerially sound
(iv) support the innovative and the new
(v) advise and support organisations and individuals whose proposals have intrinsic
merit but who need help in their realisation.
4.28 Above all we believe that the Assembly's arts agency should both reflect the policies of the Assembly, and respond to the dynamics of the arts and wider community which it serves. Our culture and our arts are not static and the Assembly's agency must not be hindered by lack of resources if the Assembly is to demonstrate a genuine commitment and support.
4.29 The arts community does not have an automatic right to expect public funding for all its activities. We believe however that the Assembly should make their continuation a priority and we further believe that appropriate investment will benefit the enrichment of Wales both as a nation and in the wider world.
4.30 Finally, we are concerned that the Assembly is constrained by the Royal Charter governing the Arts Council. We do not feel that the Royal Charter model is appropriate in the new political climate. We believe that an arts agency should be directly accountable to the Assembly as an Assembly Sponsored Public Body, but continue to operate within a similar arms-length principle. We would ask the Assembly Secretary to investigate the implications of effecting this change.
Local authorities
4.31 The Committee believes that Local Authorities have a critical role to play in nurturing and supporting cultural activity in Wales. The submission to the Committee from the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) also indicated a willingness to undertake this role. It felt that local authorities should be able to "ring fence sufficient funding to support theatres and galleries, arts centres, museums and libraries, community centres and halls, in addition to providing development officers".
4.32 We recommend that the Assembly Secretary pursue this issue further with the Finance Secretary and that they should also consider the Welsh Local Government Association's plea for the arts and culture to receive greater recognition in the SSA funding formula. Given the paucity of statistics on Local Authority spend on the arts, we further recommend that research is commissioned in order to build a firmer base on which to build their case.
4.33 The WLGA also suggested to us that there should be a network of development officers working within communities. We also agree with this concept and suggest that the WLGA develop their proposals further, working closely with the Regional Committees of the Arts Council. This kind of co-operation would be particularly useful in relation to the exploitation of European Structural Funds.
4.34 We further believe that local authorities need to work in close partnership with the strengthened Arts Council's regional committees and, at national level, they should be represented on Cymru'n Creu.
Achieving Excellence
4.35 The Committee has heard that the word "excellence" in the arts is a 'slippery' term much used though without much substance. The pursuit of excellent, qualitative experiences in the Arts for our communities must be one of our main aims. Those experiences and their impact need to be measured, monitored, and qualitatively assessed. Achieving the best for Wales needs a sensitive assessment of value and a clear establishment of qualitative goals. Excellence needs to be set against appropriate comparators. The arts community itself too often uses the elusive term 'excellence' as a marketing technique rather than as a monitored consensual term. In addition, excellence is not confined to the most exclusive nor the most expensive artforms. What is desired is the best experience, participation in, and qualitative exposure to, the Arts for the people of Wales.
4.36 A clear ambition of the National Assembly must be to raise the standard and quality of arts activities and their impact over the next ten years. This must be undertaken in each area, and in each speciality with appropriate scrutiny, monitoring and active engagement with practitioners, participants and appreciators. Wales should strive for excellence in the arts, but must know in what context value might be measured. To be successful, we need standards of excellence that can be understood, measured, striven for and attained. However, it must be underlined that much in the cultural sector in Wales is worthy of celebration, is of palpable quality, experientially rich and deserves the much over-used and sometimes ill defined term, "excellent".
· We feel that ASPBs in the
cultural sector must be wedded to raising standards and that they must have
systems in place for effective monitoring. We recommend that, as part of the
corporate planning process, these ASPBs bring forward proposals for consideration
by the Assembly Secretary.
Funding
4.37 During the course of our consultation, a significant number of respondents
expressed serious concerns about the level of public funding for the arts in
recent years.
4.38 The sector faces three important funding problems. First, the overall investment
from local authorities has sharply declined, reflecting perhaps the problems
of partnership with the Arts Council itself. Second, lottery funding is of its
very nature additional to programme money - and on the revenue side, limited
to new initiatives funded for the short-term. Because programme funding from
the Arts Council has been constrained, practitioners find that they cannot easily
sustain new developments without adverse implications for their core activities.
That means that there is a risk that neither follow-on programmes originally
begun by lottery money, nor the core activities themselves, can be sustained
without difficulty and distraction. Third, existing forecasts indicate that
the money available to the Arts Council from the lottery is expected to diminish
gradually over the years ahead.
4.39 If funding from local authorities continues to diminish, and grant-in-aid
for the Arts Council remains flat, then the Council will be faced with only
three options. It can attempt to fund the existing suite of companies and practitioners
which will probably mean that their financial and operational problems will
multiply. Then again it can concentrate funding on a more limited number of
companies - which will make it difficult for the Council to play its part in
delivering on the policies and priorities we recommend. Last, it could create
the headroom it needs to realise two or three of the Assembly's principal policies
and priorities - but with very serious implications for the viability o