Online engagement is proving to be an effective way to ensure people remain connected to each other and still engage in creative activity. Examples include Ballet Cymru, based in Newport. There's a lot of exciting work on their social media channels, video tutorials for students, interviews, pointe classes, stretching and relaxation, strength exercises and a weekly showing of past productions. In collaboration with Jukebox Collective, NEW Dance, Dawns i Bawb, Arts Care Gofal Celf and Impelo, they have all been continuing and supporting their nationwide Duets programme. They've also been delivering work to vulnerable children on a programme through Zoom.

Rubicon Dance, based in Cardiff, encourages people to take part in dance, including families, children and young people, disabled people, the elderly, patients in hospital, stroke survivors and people living with dementia. Since March, and in response to the COVID crisis, Rubicon has maintained weekly social contact with their 2,000 regular participants. Led by demand to keep dancing, they have had to rapidly rethink how they deliver what they do, especially for people who have a range of communication and IT barriers. They're using a number of ways to do that, as is appropriate to the needs of the participants, including telephone, text, Zoom, Facebook chats. They're currently delivering 63 weekly online dance sessions, and from the feedback they've received, taking part in these weekly sessions is keeping people mobile, improving fitness and overall well-being. One participant described how COVID had made her feel that she had been marooned on an island and that her weekly Rubicon sessions are what kept her going.

The Forget-me-not Chorus is a fantastic example of a charity working with people living with dementia and their families, bringing them together to sing. To see the impact on those in the Forget-me-not Chorus is something very special. The connection between people, moving to the music and singing is wonderful, plus the pure pleasure that is evident is something that can't be bought. Throughout the pandemic, Forget-me-not Chorus have moved their programmes online, and they've been able to reach even more people living with dementia through their virtual films, as well as their care home and community Zoom sessions. Their virtual rehearsals have been accessed by over 70 homes across Wales, and they're now contacting care homes in England to offer their free resources. On top of all this, they've just completed the filming of four new virtual rehearsals, including favourites like the Hokey Cokey, which, in their words, will encourage staff and residents to, 'Sing and shake it all about'. Thanks to the power of Zoom, they're now welcoming people from as far afield as Devon and Cumbria to take part.

I'm especially glad to hear of the efforts by arts organisations to support those people who are living in care homes. They've been hard-hit by the pandemic. Limited visiting has been tough on residents and families alike, and in terms of activities, many relied on outside organisations coming in and delivering weekly classes, the benefit of which, I believe, are undeniable. Members may have seen a video that recently went viral on social media platforms. It's of a former prima ballet dancer with Alzheimer's remembering the music she used to dance to. Marta González can be seen to immediately recognise the sound of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake. Listening to it from her wheelchair, she begins to dance along with her arms. It's incredibly poignant, demonstrating the power of music and dance.

I know Welsh Government recognise the importance of online connectivity for older people, and hundreds of digital devices were rolled out to care homes across Wales earlier this year. This is going to play a really important role in keeping residents connected to their families and communities. However, while many services have been able to move online, there's a risk of increasing a digital divide for those people who simply don't have the infrastructure, skills or financial flexibilities to have the internet at home.

It's so important, therefore, that we continue to deliver better digital infrastructure across Wales to support inclusivity and to provide the training and skills to those who need it. Over recent years, there's been a growing understanding of the impact that taking part in the arts can have on health and well-being. By supplementing medicine and care, the arts can improve the health of people who experience mental or physical health problems. Growing Space, which is based in the grounds of Newport's Tredegar House, involves horticultural therapy and training to support people with their mental health. During the pandemic, the workers have gone above and beyond to support Growing Space's participants. Mark Richardson, the 'Open Spaces, Open Minds' community development officer, created a WhatsApp group to allow participants to keep in contact with each other as well as staff. Using this medium, and other digital methods such as puzzles, quizzes, creative writing and many more activities were put on each day to make sure they had all the support they need. Lee Davies, the carpentry supervisor, made hundreds of items for the NHS. He also made items for the mental health teams to add to their well-being packs, such as self-assembly bird boxes, as well as other items to give patients creative activities on many of the psychiatric wards across Gwent.

These examples show that arts can be of major importance in building the mental and physical health of all citizens. As chair of the cross-party group on arts and health, I was pleased that the Welsh NHS Confederation and the Arts Council of Wales renewed their memorandum of understanding recently, demonstrating their commitment to embed arts and health initiatives across the NHS in Wales. It's this type of work that I would like to see incorporated in the Welsh Government's 'build back better' approach to COVID. It will be important to keep building on the really positive work that's clearly going on, and look beyond the pandemic to ensure these initiatives are a core part of Wales's preventative approach to health and care for the future.

We need to come through this crisis by maintaining our well-being as best we can. The arts are vital for that now, and they will be vital for that in the future. The value and importance of this sector cannot be understated. The benefits are immense. If we lose or fail to utilise these skills, we'll be tremendously poorer for it. I've highlighted a few of the projects going on today in Wales, and there are so many more, so many that you could cover a map of Wales with them. The arts play a crucial role in our mental and physical well-being. They can help reduce inequalities and if we harness their power, they can help Wales heal from the pandemic.

Here in Wales, music, art and culture is part of our make-up. In our own national anthem, we're identified as being a land of poets and musicians. Long may that continue. Diolch yn fawr.