Our Strategy 2024-2034 is a framework which sets out our vision, mission, values and principles and both immediate and longer-term commitments.
This Strategy and the way we are delivering on these key strategic commitments will be regularly reviewed and revised, and we will measure its progress through our Annual Plan.
Scroll down to download the full strategy document, or click on the links for a summary of each section.
- Our Vision
The arts are part of the daily lives of the people of Wales, connecting us to each other, integral to our wellbeing, and inspiring us now and for generations to come.
- Our Mission
The role of the Arts Council of Wales is to create an environment where the knowledge, understanding and practice of the arts can flourish and where everybody in Wales can engage with the arts. We want a Wales of ambition and fairness, where the most exciting arts are created; arts that are integral to the health and wellbeing of the nation, relevant to all communities and where opportunities existing for the voices of Wales to inspire and be inspired by the world around us.
- Our Values
We have three core values:
Ambition – ensuring the arts we fund enrich and reflect the needs and aspirations of contemporary Wales, making great things happen at all levels, impacting locally, resonating globally.
Respect – treating everyone – clients, stakeholders, employees, the creative sector and general public – with dignity and value, irrespective of background, status, age or beliefs acknowledging their unique contributions to the arts and culture – locally and globally.
Responsibility – acting ethically and transparently, being fully accountable for our decisions and their outcomes, evaluating and learning from our actions to help drive positive outcomes and foster a culture of trust and improved opportunity for all.
- Our Principles
This Strategic Framework has been shaped by the six principles developed during the Investment Review consultation. These six principles are also our published Well-being Objectives. The Well-being of Future Generations Act underpin these principles, and they also align with the Welsh Government’s Programme for Government and commitments outlined in its draft Culture Strategy.
The six principles are:
- Creativity
Art in all its forms has the power to connect and help us understand each other and the world around us. It challenges our thinking and sparks our imagination. It brings joy and hope to audiences and participants.
Creativity is in everything and everyone we support. We want to see a wide variety of creative forms and practices, developed with audiences and communities in mind, encouraging artistic innovation of the highest quality. - Equality and Engagement
Everyone has the right to enjoy and take part in our culture, language, landscape, and art.
Arts and culture in Wales should reflect the lives of everyone – they belong to us all.
We will seek to remove the barriers and challenges faced in experiencing the arts. We will make sure people from diverse communities are fully represented in the workforce, as leaders, decision-makers, creators, visitors, participants and audience members. - Welsh Language
Our aim is for Welsh language and culture to be at the centre of creativity; it belongs to everyone. It offers creative celebration and inspires connection between communities.
We will encourage and share creative opportunities that contribute to growth in the use and ownership of the Welsh language. We will support the arts sector to place the Welsh language at the centre of creativity and communities by asking what is needed, listening, and learning from each other. We will work together to increase the availability of Welsh language services and creative opportunities. - Climate Justice
We are committed to championing the important role of the arts in transforming our society and economy to tackle the climate and nature emergencies. At the heart of our approach is a recognition that climate change is about more than the environmental repercussions - it is about addressing social justice and inequality as part of the solution.
We will support the arts sector to develop creativity that inspires people to take action for climate justice, and work towards an environmentally sustainable and globally responsible arts sector grounded in social justice. - Develop Talent
We will create an environment to help artists thrive.
We need to make sure that there are pathways that allow people from all backgrounds to develop sustainable creative careers, skills, and leadership.
Working collaboratively, we will ensure that the opportunities available for artists are distributed fairly, that we provide fair work, and improve outcomes for the people of Wales, now and in the future. - Transform
We will seize new opportunities and be agile and confident enough to respond in a positive way to all the changes happening around us. We will take risks, build resilience and be responsive to change, whilst remaining relevant to the people and communities of Wales. We want to find the best opportunities for the arts, to learn from what’s happened in the past and to share what works best.
- Creativity
- Our Goals
These three Goals have been set based on our Royal Charter, the Wellbeing of the Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 and our collective long-term vision for the arts.
Develop
Develop and improve the knowledge, understanding and sustainable practice of the arts.Connect
Work together to improve the opportunity for the people of Wales to experience and enjoy the arts.Promote
Collaborate with partners to promote a Wales of vibrant culture and thriving Welsh Language.- Our Key Commitments
Goal 1: Develop
Key Commitments:
Prioritise
We acknowledge that we can’t do everything all at once so we will reflect on what is more important to do now and focus our actions.Identify
Utilising and sharing our knowledge, experience and evidence we will identify where we can have the most impact. This also means learning from others and sharing what we know.Take Action
We will take action to ensure more people enjoy quality arts experiences. We will continue to invest in individuals and organisations to develop the sector’s sustainability. We will develop and deliver programmes in partnership with others.Simplify
The way we communicate with the arts sector and the public will be clearer and we want our funding to become more transparent and accessible.Career Development
We will work with others to develop sustainable career paths in the arts, remaining flexible to the ever-changing needs of the artist and the sector.Goal 2: Connect
Key Commitments:
Partnership Working
We will work with others to realise our ambitions in Wales and the world. This also means collaborating beyond the arts sector to increase our reach and impact.Community
We will empower communities to shape and inform their own arts experiences, developing and supporting the arts in underrepresented groups and communities. We want to ensure there are opportunities for the people of Wales to experience the arts as participants and audience members.Children & Young People
We want more opportunities for children and young people to take part and enjoy the arts. We will ensure that young people – our future generations – have a voice in our organisation and decision-making processes.Learning
We will use audience, participant and artist feedback and evaluation tools to inform future development and share good practice.Goal 3: Promote
Key Commitments:
Partnerships
We will build and sustain relationships in Wales and internationally.Wellbeing
We will advocate the importance of the arts to the well-being of the people of Wales.Resource
We will allocate resources to raise the profile of the sector.Celebrating
We will use stories to share, promote, and celebrate the arts.- Long-term strategic commitments
These longer-term commitments help guide us to ensure a sustainable model and culturally rich and supportive environment for future generations.
Nurture
Recognising cultural talent and supporting progression through
opportunities and pathways.Opportunities
Developing mentor,apprenticeship and secondment routes, for the sector and for us as an
organisation.Networking
Engaging with different partners and create new relationships, including those outside of the sector, identifying local, national and global connectors and champions.Pace
Ensuring our pace of development and support remains appropriate to the current environment, maximising opportunities and responding to challenges.Shared responsibility
Creating an environment that encourages individuals and groups to take ownership of their work in the public forum, and lift others up on those same platforms.Equity
Making fairness and justice central to our work and addressing barriers to achieving this through targeted measures and support.Evaluate
Using evaluation, learning and audience feedback to inspire and inform future development and good practice.Legacy
Capturing the longer-term impact of our work and the work wehave supported. Ensuring future opportunities consider new and emerging artforms as well as existing ones.