Consultation display

The challenges facing the creative industry workforce in Wales

Response to the consultation

Evidence submitted in response to this Consultation

Purpose of the consultation

The Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport and International Relations Committee is carrying out an inquiry into the creative industries workforce.

 

A number of respondents to the Committee’s Priorities for the Sixth Senedd consultation (summer 2021) called for the Committee to look at this area, including the Creative Economy Unit at Cardiff University, the Arts Council of Wales, National Youth Arts Wales and the Future Generations’ Commissioner.

 

The Covid-19 pandemic disproportionately affected freelancers, who make up an estimated half the cultural sector workforce in Wales. A report published by industry body the Cultural Freelancers Wales in January 2022 has a number of startling conclusions, including that almost a quarter of freelancers were still uncertain about whether they will stay in or leave the industry.

 

In recent years the creative industries has been one of Wales’s best-performing sectors. Film and television production has been a particularly high-growth area. Concerns were raised about a potential skills shortage limiting growth in the screen industries back in 2018, and were reiterated in the 2021 Screen Survey Wales report by University of South Wales and Creative Wales (the Welsh Government’s creative industries division). In September 2021 the Welsh Government announced that “a new creative skills body will be delivered internally through Creative Wales”.

 

The Committee would like to know:

 

·       What is the current health of the sector’s workforce, including the impacts of the pandemic, Brexit and cost of living crisis? Have workers left the sector, and what impact has this had?

 

·       How financially stable is the sector and how suitable are pay and working conditions?

 

·       How equal, diverse and inclusive is the sector? How can this be improved?

 

·       How sufficient are skills and training opportunities? Are there gaps, and how should they be filled?

 

·       What has been the impact of support from public bodies such as the Welsh Government, and is further support needed?

 

The closing date for submissions is Friday 30 September 2022.

 

If you wish to respond to the Committee’s consultation, email an electronic copy of your submission to SeneddCulture@senedd.wales

 

Providing Written Evidence

The Senedd has two official languages, Welsh and English.

 

In line with the Senedd’s Official Languages Scheme the Committee requests that documents or written responses to consultations intended for publication or use in Senedd proceedings are submitted bilingually. When documents or written responses are not submitted bilingually, we will publish in the language submitted, stating that it has been received in that language only.

 

We expect other organisations to implement their own standards or schemes and to comply with their statutory obligation.

 

Please see guidance for those providing evidence for committees.

 

Disclosure of information

Please ensure that you have considered the Senedd’s policy on disclosure of information before submitting information to the Committee.

Contact details

Should you wish to speak to someone regarding this consultation, please use the below contact details:

Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Welsh Parliament
Cardiff Bay
Cardiff
CF99 1SN

Email: SeneddCulture@senedd.wales
Telephone: 0300 200 6565