Part of 1. 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:10 pm on 18 October 2016.
Yes, absolutely. The Member makes a very good point about the educational purposes of arts centres. We shouldn't forget either that arts centres provide employment. Many years ago, I was at a very powerful lecture given by Dr Mererid Hopwood on culture as an economic driver, in Northern Ireland of all places. It emphasised very strongly how the arts can actually be used as a way of developing local economies as well. So, there are a number of areas where arts centres are important that go beyond what is immediately obvious to members of the public.