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WMC gets lions share of arts cash
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SPENDING on grass roots arts projects in Wales has dropped significantly - despite the Arts Council of Wales receiving more cash.
Instead, the quango has been investing more in capital projects such as the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff, its annual report shows.
ACW has had a bigger share of National Assembly funds during the last 12 months.
But because of a major downturn in the amount of lottery money given to ACW it has been unable to hand out as many grants to community groups.
In the 2002-03 financial year, the total spend on all arts organisation in Wales topped £35m - £3m more than the previous annual allocation.
But the amount of grants handed out has decreased.
According to ACW's annual report, Access to Excellence, during the 2002-03 period,
it awarded grants of more than £26m - almost £5m less than the previous financial year.
A spokesman for ACW said, "Lottery income has been falling since 1997/98, and steeply in the last two years," he said.
"The decline between 2002-03 and 2003-04 completely offset the £2m increase in grant-in-aid, leaving an overall decline in total income in real terms.
"The decline in lottery income is certain to continue."
Geraint Talfan Davies, chairman of the council, said, "The contribution made by the National Lottery to the health of the arts in Wales cannot be under estimated.
"We continue to work closely with Camelot, Department of Culture Media and Sport and the other lottery distributors, to ensure that lottery players are fully aware of the way in which they have supported so many good causes across Wales.
"In the short term however, we expect our share in the Lottery cash to decrease.
"With the help of the National Assembly we have undone some of the worst effects of the 1990s, but there is still a massive task ahead."
This year's pot, however, will include an extra £4.2m which was earmarked to build a new arts venue in Wrexham, plans for which failed.
This money could help fund capital clients, such as the Sherman Theatre in Cardiff, which have been waiting for vital financial aid.
The report did, however, point to a series of successes over the past year particularly the creation of the new Welsh Language National Theatre Company, the launch of three new youth arts pilot projects in Swansea, Powys and Monmouth and the redevelopment of Theatr Mwldan in Cardigan.
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Wednesday, January 28, 2004 |
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