Senedd Cymru | Welsh Parliament
Pwyllgor Diwylliant, Cyfathrebu, y Gymraeg, Chwaraeon, a Chysylltiadau Rhyngwladol| Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Effaith Gostyngiadau Cyllid ar Ddiwylliant a Chwaraeon | Impact of Funding Reductions for Culture and Sport
Ymateb gan: Miranda Glen, Rheolwr, Cymru, Making Music | Evidence from: Miranda Glen, Manager, Wales, Making Music
1. What impacts has reduced funding had on your organisation and sector so far?
Reduced funding has hit many of our members hard. Our members are leisure-time music groups, such as choirs, brass bands and orchestras. Many of them rely on venues, where hire prices have risen with the cost of living. This has led to them having to find a cheaper venue (and possibly less suitable) or paying more for their venues and asking their members to pay more.
It's vital that the government see these music groups as champions of culture in their communities. Venues should be given funding in order to provide affordable hire prices to groups. In some rural communities, these music groups provide the only source of music concerts. And it's worth remembering that many leisure-time music groups hire professional soloists, so it impact professional musicians as well.
2. What measures have you taken in light of it, such as changing what you do and how you do it.
We have been providing more advocacy to our groups and encouraging them to write to their local MPs and underline the importance of leisure-time music groups in the community and how much culture and community they bring.
3. To what extent will these impacts be irreversible (e.g. venues closing, or specialist skills being lost rather than a temporary restriction in activities)?
4. What interventions would you like to see from the Welsh Government, beyond increased funding?
Funding to local authorities so that they can provide funding to venues, who would be able to lower their hire costs. This would impact all culture groups who use these venues.
5. To what extent do the impacts you describe fall differently on people with protected characteristics and people of a lower socioeconomic status?
6. Do you have any other points you wish to raise within the scope of this inquiry?