Government will not intervene in WNO funding, says Bryant

The government does not plan to intervene in decisions made by the arts councils of England and Wales regarding funding for the Welsh National Opera (WNO), Arts Minister Chris Bryant has said.

In a letter addressed to and shared online by soprano Elizabeth Atherton, Bryant says that while the government recognises the challenges that WNO is facing, “it would not be appropriate for us as ministers to intervene regarding funding decisions made by arm's-length bodies, such as Arts Council England (ACE)”.

“All too often in the past, ministerial interference in similar decisions has been capricious and unhelpful. I do not intend to continue in that vein,” Bryant, Labour MP for Rhondda and Ogmore, added.

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Bryant’s letter also revealed that the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the Welsh government are working together to “understand the situation in more detail”.

“My colleague, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Wales, and I are hoping to meet with the Chair of WNO, alongside the Arts Councils for England and Wales, to jointly discuss this matter,” Bryant said.

“My officials will also continue to work with ACE to understand how they seek to deliver the best and most effective decisions and act upon feedback.”

Financial challenges

WNO has cancelled several performances and is proposing job cuts to its orchestra and chorus members following both a cut and real terms reduction in its public funding.

The opera's regular ACE funding was reduced from £6.24m to £4m a year for the 2023-26 period, a 35% reduction. Meanwhile, the organisation has said the £4.1m it currently receives from ACW a year represents a 10% cut against its application for standstill funding. 

An open letter published by WNO Music Director Tomáš Hanus earlier this year called ACE’s funding cut "reckless". In response, ACE told the opera funding already allocated to it could be in jeopardy over the criticism.

WNO ceased performances in Liverpool soon after the reduction of ACE funding and earlier this year cancelled planned tours to Bristol and Llandudno, citing financial challenges.

In April, it emerged WNO was planning to offer its musicians reduced contracts, equating to a 15% pay cut, as a result of its funding shortfalls.

WNO members belonging to the Musicians’ Union voted in favour of a full strike in protest in July, while Equity members belonging to the opera’s chorus agreed on strike action in September.

An open letter organised by Equity, addressed to WNO Chair Yvette Jones and calling for the proposed job cuts to be abandoned, has received over 1,120 signatures so far.

ACE review

Bryant’s letter to Atherton also confirms a public body review into ACE was paused during the election and is now closed.

Last week, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy indicated the review, which featured in the Labour Party’s creative industries manifesto, had been placed on the back burner.

In an interview with The Financial Times, Nandy said a wider review of all arts and creative industries funding will take place instead to identify areas of the UK missing out.