From: David Leigh
Sent: Tuesday, May 14, 2024 10:26 AM
To: Griffiths, Lesley (Aelod o’r Senedd | Member of the Senedd) <lesley.griffiths@senedd.wales>
Cc: Jewell, Delyth (Aelod o’r Senedd | Member of the Senedd) <delyth.jewell@senedd.wales>; lucy.frazer.mp@parliament.uk; David DAVIES <david.davies.mp@parliament.uk>
Subject: Funding cuts to Welsh Culture

Dear Lesley Griffiths

I write to express the hope that the funding cuts currently in prospect for Wales’ heritage, museums and opera will be reversed without delay.

Welsh culture is one of Wales’ fundamental strengths of which it can be hugely proud. Culture is what distinguishes this country. It is Wales’ unique selling point, its brand, on which a significant part of its economy depends. Whatever other aspects of Welsh life have to be trimmed, our culture underlies everything; to cut it is to undermine its very foundations, to undermine Wales, its people and its future prosperity.

The proposed cuts are already presaging dire consequences for our national museums, for our libraries and information services, for our heritage services, the Royal Commission and Cadw, and therefore for our shared tangible and intangible heritage.

There are dire outcomes in prospect for Welsh National Opera, thanks to un-survivable cuts by the English and Welsh Arts Councils.  The potential dismantling of one of Wales’s finest national institutions would be devastating.

Please will you work urgently with the other relevant bodies to ensure that these cuts are completely reversed, not just reduced.

Yours sincerely,

Dr David Leigh, PhD, BSc, FSA, FIIC.

Copied today to Rt Hon David TC Davies MP, Secretary of State for Wales, Delyth Jewell MS, Chair Culture, etc. Committee, Rt Hon Lucy Frazer MP Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport

Also being copied shortly to Dafydd Rhys, Chief Executive, Arts Council of Wales, and Sir Nicholas Serota CH, Chair, Arts Council England.