Dawn Bowden: Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. The importance of the creative industries to the culture and economy of Wales is significant and, as such, must be nurtured and supported. Prior to the pandemic, the sector had a turnover of £2.2 billion and employed 56,000 people. A recent UK report also noted the potential for the sector to recover faster than the UK economy as a whole. The pandemic affected our...
Dawn Bowden: When we launched Creative Wales, skills and talent support was identified as a key priority, and our actions to date have supported positive change. Within 18 months of its launch, Creative Wales has worked with all our partners in Wales, and at a UK level, to support 12 skills projects across the creative sectors, each addressing one or more of our priority areas. Whilst action has been...
Dawn Bowden: Can I thank the Member for those comments and those questions? I think that there are several things to deal with there. I think that if we start with the COVID restrictions and the issue of COVID passes and the support that was given by the Welsh Government to the cultural sector, I think that we need to recognise that £93 million was made available to the cultural sector through the...
Dawn Bowden: Can I thank Heledd Fychan for those comments and questions? And I think she and I are very much on the same page. We set out the programme for government, and our programme for government was very clear that inclusion, diversity, equality—whether that's gender, whether that's in our BAME communities, whether it's people with disabilities, whatever that is, our inclusion agenda covers all of...
Dawn Bowden: Thank you, Rhianon. You've been such an amazing advocate for the music services throughout your time in this place, and I thank you for your ongoing support for the work that the Welsh Government is doing to try to establish a national music service. I can assure you that those discussions are well advanced. I meet with my colleague the Minister for education on a regular basis. We, in fact,...
Dawn Bowden: Thank you, Dirprwy Lywydd. The regulations for consideration by Members of the Senedd today will, if approved, allow heritage partnership agreements in Wales to come into full effect. The Historic Environment (Wales) Act 2016 amended existing primary legislation to create heritage partnership agreements. A heritage partnership agreement is a voluntary arrangement for the long-term...
Dawn Bowden: Can I thank Tom Giffard for that comment? As the Member knows, we are still facing a very challenging situation around COVID. We are still seeing significant levels of infections, and we know that a number of premises, events, hospitality organisations and venues are very high-risk venues, because primarily they tend to be indoors. Now, the First Minister did signal at the last COVID review...
Dawn Bowden: In terms of the New Zealand and Wales game last Saturday, you're quite right, COVID passes were used, and, actually, the feedback that we received is that the implementation of the pass at that game went remarkably well, and fans were extremely compliant, with about 90 per cent of the audience being in the stadium at least 30 minutes before the game kicked off. Now, as you quite rightly...
Dawn Bowden: No, I don't.
Dawn Bowden: I thank Heledd Fychan for that question and I think her final point there was a very relevant one. You know, what we have seen in the museum sector, as in other sectors of my portfolio, is the impact of 10 years of Tory austerity, which has filtered through to local authorities and to the organisations that they have to fund. However, what I also agree with her on is the fact that our museums...
Dawn Bowden: The tailored review that you talk about, of course, did come with a number of recommendations, and a considerable amount of Welsh Government funding and support that went alongside that. We continue to have those discussions with the museum, and with the trade unions in the museum, about ensuring that the recommendations of that tailored review are fully implemented. It has been problematic...
Dawn Bowden: As I said in response to an earlier question, Heledd, I'm not in a position yet to tell you about funding because that is where we are currently at, in terms of looking at how all of our organisations are funded and what funding is to be allocated to each of those sectors. In terms of the museums review, I would want to be reviewing where we are with that now, because we have talked...
Dawn Bowden: Our programme for government makes clear our commitments to promote equal access to sport and leisure activities and our aims for a safe and welcoming tourism and leisure sector across Wales. North Wales features prominently in Visit Wales’s promotional activities and in our capital investment programme for tourism.
Dawn Bowden: Can I thank the Member for that supplementary question? Yes, I did see that you recently visited Plas y Brenin; I do follow you on Twitter. It clearly is an excellent facility, and I'm very pleased that you had a positive experience there. And I do fully recognise, of course, the importance of active recreation across Wales and, in this context, the importance of our programme for government...
Dawn Bowden: Can I thank the Member for that question? And I think he is absolutely right: this is not something that is the responsibility or within the confines of one single portfolio. I've had conversations with my colleague the Deputy Minister for Mental Health and Well-being and with the Minister for health about how we can work across portfolio to deliver some of those health and well-being...
Dawn Bowden: Diolch, Dirprwy Llywydd. First of all, can I thank Rhianon Passmore for scheduling today's short debate on music, and take this opportunity of acknowledging her tenacity in championing and pursuing this issue in the Senedd? I'm kind of minded, Rhianon, to name the new national music service after you because of your contributions to the debate. Music has been a priority for Creative Wales...
Dawn Bowden: Like you, Rhianon, I'm passionate about ensuring that the next generation views the creative industries as an accessible and rewarding career choice, providing our young people in Wales with great job opportunities in a sector providing valued content, serving all audiences and that is key to supporting our future economic growth. I absolutely recognise the importance of music education to...
Dawn Bowden: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. The pursuit of the goal of a more equal Wales is about realising the potential of all our people—[Inaudible.] Sorry, Dirprwy Lywydd.
Dawn Bowden: Yes, we were having some technical difficulties there.
Dawn Bowden: I'll start again. I'd only just started. The pursuit of the goal of a more equal Wales is about realising the potential of all our people and enabling them to participate in civil society on equal terms. We know that this is a route to more cohesive communities and a more prosperous society. It also ensures the vibrancy of our culture and heritage, which is enriched by participation and...
