The funding future of Wales Millennium Centre is again under the spotlight as politicians argue over who should foot the public bill and control the arts and entertainment venue.
WMC generates the lion’s share of its own funding but is still reliant on about 20 per cent from the taxpayer, around £4m a year, including a £300,000 annual capital allocation.
That money is paid directly by the Welsh Assembly Government rather than through the Arts Council of Wales which is how most of the country’s key venues and organisations get their government money.
Arts venues and organisations that receive money from the WAG through the ACW are then subjected to considerable - and at times controversial - control over the way those organisations are run, their remit and increasingly the development of the art and entertainment forms they deliver or stage.
While WMC itself does not receive any funding from ACW, its existence is dependent on the continuation of the resident under its roof: National Dance Company Wales, Welsh National Opera, Hijinx, Academi, the Urdd and Ty Cerdd.
With the exception of the Urdd, all receive funding from ACW totalling £5,889,839.00 in the current year. That will be even more next year with the announcement this week of higher budgets for virtually all the ACW-funded resident companies.
In addition these companies receive £800,000 towards their additional operating costs in being in WMC, although this money is not paid to the Centre.
While not technically a WMC resident as they own their own premises, Hoddinott Hall which is tacked on to the side of the Centre, BBC National Orchestra of Wales also receives £844,525 a year from ACW.
Opinion is divided within the WAG coalition partners over the future funding and governance of WMC. Some AMs want it to stay funded directly by WAG as it is kept at away from interference from ACW.
Others say the time has come to hand over funding and governance to ACW as is the case with nearly everything else in the arts world in Wales, from performing companies like WNO and NDCWales to venues that are supported like Venue Cymru, Chapter Arts Centre and Clwyd Theatr Cymru.
This is all set against the background of the continuing rows about the 32 companies ACW has axed including the protests last week over Gwent Theatre. Chris Ryde, organiser for Equity in Wales, the trade union for performers and artists, pointed out that total arts spend is less than a quarter of a penny for every pound spent and accused ACW of lacking any strategic vision and not speak for the arts.
During a lecture, organised by the Workers Educational Association, Mr Ryde, who is also Chair of the Welsh Association for the Performing Arts, attacked the ACW for making myopic and misplaced funding decisions.
It is against such a background the row is now raging between those who feel
WMC should come Under ACW’s brief and those who feel it should remain directly funded by WAG.
A WAG spokesperson confirmed discussions about the future of WMC are taking place for when the proposed three year funding deal in the proposed WAG budget that should be approved in February.
He said: "As proposed in the draft budget we will continue to provide financial support to the Wales Millennium Centre for the next three years. Options for future funding and governance arrangements for the Centre are currently under consideration.
“The Arts Council for Wales funding will fall by 4.6% in cash terms from their current baseline of £31.426 million to £29.971million with support being focussed on their current expenditure and grants budget. Their capital budget remains static at £55,000. For the Wales Millennium Centre the budget has been flat lined at £3.700m for the 3 years with a capital allocation of £300,000 for each year.
“You will appreciate that this is a draft budget at this stage, which is subject to approval and possible amendment."
ACW’s revenue fund portfolio is now just 71 companies –and the five new recipients announced in this week’s spending review - with a staff of 98 people and have now been told by WAG to review its operational future and costs. Its chief executive Nick Capaldi receives a package of £115,071 including salary, pension, benefits in kind including accommodation plus and a bonus for hitting targets.
Mr Capaldi said, "We are aware that the Welsh Assembly Government, the current funder of the Wales Millennium Centre, has been considering the most appropriate arrangements for the future management of public investment into the Centre.
“The Arts Council already assists the Assembly Government in monitoring the cultural achievements of the Centre, and if asked to take on the funding responsibility we would be happy to do so. However, these are matters for the Welsh Assembly Government to decide and we look forward to hearing the outcome of its deliberations in due course."
A spokeswoman for WMC said, “We are pleased that the Welsh Assembly Government will continue to provide financial support to Wales Millennium Centre for the next three years. We can also confirm that discussions are being held as to how the Centre’s public funding, currently 20 per cent of its total income, is to be received.” |
