Radical strategy and new focus for the Arts Council of Wales

A vision of “a creative Wales where the arts are central to the life of the Nation” is behind ‘Inspire’, the Arts Council of Wales’ (ACW) new five-year strategy. Describing the arts as “a cornerstone in Wales’s 21st century renewal”, the document, a draft of which was put out to consultation earlier this year, sets out what ACW wants to achieve in the coming years, focussing on ten “challenges” that will drive its funding and developmental decisions. It marks what ACW describes as a breaking with the past, replacing “strategising around defined artforms” with a new approach, summarised as “Make, Reach, Sustain”. The aim for ACW is to enable creative professionals to work at their best; to support them to connect with and inspire the people of Wales; and to ensure that both of these can continue in the long-term, in spite of the prevailing economic conditions. Recognising the role of ACW as a key player in the cultural life of Wales, the strategy emphasises ACW’s will to continue listening and learning so as to “remain relevant and in touch” and be more likely to “offer programmes and services that are needed and which represent value for money to the Welsh taxpayer”.

David Alston, Arts Director at ACW, explains why the Arts Council has set about developing a “strategy for our times” – and why artists are at the heart of it. Read more here.