In its draft budget for 2016-17 the government is proposing to cut the funding it provides to each institution by 4.7%. This would result in a £1m budget cut for the Amgueddfa Cymru and a £1.5m budget cut for the arts council.
The proposed cuts follow a real-terms reduction to the block grants for devolved nations brought in by November’s spending review.
A statement from Amgueddfa Cymru said: “Like all other public sector institutions, we have not been immune to the effects of austerity. We have been faced with difficult decisions over the last three years due to a reduced operating budget. Our budget will now be further reduced by £1m (4.7%), which will inevitably have an impact on our services to the public.”
It continued: “Our work with partners and communities also remains a priority. It is well evidenced that culture can have a transformational impact on people’s aspirations and help change lives. We will continue to make the case to secure the future of Amgueddfa Cymru and safeguard the national collections for the people of Wales.”
Dai Smith, the chairman of Arts Council Wales, said a funding cut was always disappointing news, but he recognised the difficult challenges facing the government and praised its continued commitment to the arts.
However, Smith said he was concerned about funding in the future. “We remain very concerned about the ongoing pressure on Welsh government funding and hope that investment in future years will allow us to ensure that the arts in Wales continue to be the great success story that they currently are.”
