I'm sure we're as one in our hope that this will be a budget for recovery rather than a reactive budget, and I'd like to echo Llyr Gruffydd's points: this needs to be a radical budget if we are to address the challenges faced by our communities. It will be crucial, therefore, that the central role played by our cultural, arts, creative and heritage sectors is recognised in it. After all, these sectors are so central to our economy and our identity as a nation, as well as the well-being of each and every one of us.

They are also an integral part of our lives, as has become even more apparent over the past 12 months, as many of us have found comfort in being creative and having a number of new hobbies, and so on. But although these sectors have been innovative in terms of their response to the pandemic, they have also been impacted greatly, with great uncertainty facing many of those working in these areas, as freelance workers or as staff members. It's not overstatement to say that, despite the cultural recovery fund, the future of Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru, National Theatre Wales, the National Library of Wales, National Museum Wales, Literature Wales, National Dance Company Wales, the Books Council of Wales, the Wales Millennium Centre, Welsh National Opera, Ffilm Cymru, the National Eisteddfod of Wales, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, and Urdd Gobaith Cymru are all under threat. Now, the Welsh Government must safeguard their valuable contribution, their independence and their financial viability.

But let nobody think that this is simply the fault of the pandemic in terms of how vulnerable the cultural organisations of Wales are. The truth is that they have suffered a lack of investment and strategic direction for over a decade—indeed, since the days of the One Wales Government, with Alun Ffred Jones as Minister for culture and sport. It's only a few months since this Senedd discussed the need for fair, consistent funding for our national institutions, such as National Museum Wales and the national library. Thank goodness, after a public debate that went on for many months between the library and the Government, emergency funding was provided to these organisations a few months ago. But that just filled the gap rather than providing long-term support and assurances. It is scandalous that we don't have a cultural strategy with the funding to support it, and I welcome the commitment of the Deputy Minister, Dawn Bowden, to take this work forward. It is needed as a matter of urgency, and the content needs to be radical and ambitious, with the funding to deliver. One possible example that could be considered is the idea of a basic income for creative individuals, something that the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales spoke in favour of, noting too that the Welsh Government is missing opportunities in terms of culture in the post-pandemic planning.

Culture is not something at the margins, and it shouldn't be treated as such by our Government. As What Next? Cymru noted in its manifesto prior to the election, we must strengthen

'the cultural dimension throughout Welsh Government as this will fulfil more effectively and efficiently the government's own societal and economic ambitions'.

They also ask the Government to ensure

'that all departments of government support, fund and advocate a strong cultural component to their work.'

'Culture is ordinary', the famous words of Raymond Williams. But if we are serious about ensuring access and representation for everyone in Wales in terms of culture, then we must fund that. I very much hope that we will see this budget doing exactly that by putting right the historic underfunding and supporting these sectors to deliver their potential for the benefit of the people of Wales, the Welsh economy and also Wales's status as a confident, international, multicultural nation.