Fight the cuts to Welsh culture and heritage institutions

PCS is calling upon the Welsh Government to increase spending on institutions that safeguard the heritage and history of Wales – the National Library of Wales, Amgueddfa Cymru and the Royal Commission – instead of cutting funding by between 10.5% and 22.3%.

These institutions protect the historical and cultural legacy of our nation, by collecting and preserving it, and then showcasing it to everyone who lives in Wales. They also provide the world with a window to our unique history.

Our Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales and the National Library of Wales branches are organising a protest outside the Senedd in Cardiff Bay from 11am to 3pm on 27 February. Both organisations are facing a 10.5% cut to their budgets, which in addition to extant budget deficits leave the museum facing a £4.5 million budget cut and the library a £2.7m cut. These cuts will have a devastating effect on both organisations with 95 jobs at risk of redundancy at the museum and 50 jobs at risk this financial year (2023/24) at the library, with 20 more under threat next financial year (2024/25) – a loss of around a third of the staff at the library in two years. The size of these cuts raises serious questions about how these organisations will function moving forward, and more generally the state of culture sector funding in Wales, which has been underfunded for over a decade.

Hard hit by cuts

PCS reps at the National Library of Wales and Amgueddfa Cymru have written to all Senedd members about the impact of Welsh government budget cuts, warning them that cuts to budgets will decimate cultural services.

PCS General Secretary Fran Heathcote has said: “Following a decade of underfunding, the culture sector in Wales has been hit particularly hard by cuts in the draft budget.

“We’ve made it clear that we want to engage with the museum and the library to help mitigate the impact of these cuts but we will resist any compulsory job losses.”

Bearing in mind that every £1 invested in the sector leads to £5 worth of economic growth, the 0.02 per cent saving made in the national budget makes little sense.

Amid severe cuts to school budgets, and with Welsh society facing challenges in the context of poverty and failings in the provision of health and care services, holding on to the institutions that sustain and grow our country and our communities, thereby allowing future generations to build on the solid foundations of past successes, is as important as ever.

Sign and share the petition and join the protest, if you are able.

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#AchubEinTreftadaeth #SaveWelshHeritage