The sum includes £391m distributed to 16,718 projects through the Arts Council of Wales.
Thanks to National Lottery players, more than £30 million is raised every week for Good Causes, funding over 700,000 projects across community, heritage, sport and the arts in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
In addition to changing the face of communities throughout the nation, more than 7,400 millionaires have been created and over £95 billion paid out in prizes since the launch of The National Lottery in 1994. Wales has seen 408 millionaires created over this period.
To mark the 30-year anniversary and impact of £50bn in Good Causes funding, 30 Game Changing Moments have been immortalised in an exhibition by photographer Thomas Duke – unveiled at The National Portrait Gallery in London and online today (link here). The photographer has used his unique style to highlight some of the most memorable cultural moments of the last three decades made possible with the help of National Lottery funding.
Iconic moments for Wales celebrated at the exhibition include the first match at the Principality Stadium, Dame Tanni Grey Thompson's inspirational Paralympic World Cup victory in 2005, Michael Sheen's community-uniting production of The Passion in Port Talbot, and that unforgettable day when Geraint Thomas became the first Welsh winner of the Tour de France.
Thomas Duke is known for his project @steppingthroughfilm where iconic photographs are rephotographed within the context of their original location. He travelled the length and breadth of the UK to recreate the moments which recognise our success in sport, arts and film, preserving natural and built heritage and bringing communities together. Actors Michael Sheen and Vicky McClure, who is married to Welsh filmmaker and Merthyr Tydfil native Johnny Owen, Olympian Jess Ennis and Lioness Chloe Kelly, are among several famous faces featured in the exhibition.
Michael Sheen, actor said: "It was a pleasure to be a part of The National Lottery’s 30th birthday celebrations and to have The Passion performed in Port Talbot featured in the 30 Game Changing Moments exhibition. That production was a hugely special project for me, to witness how it galvanized the town and brought them together for that weekend, created bonds that have endured since, is remarkable. It was a revelatory moment to see Port Talbot illuminated as it was and was the catalyst for me moving back here.
“The funding and support we received were vital in allowing it all to come to life, and have such a wide-reaching, positive impact on those involved and the wider community. The same of which is true of Street Football Wales, another project that’s close to my heart.
“The continued funding of projects such as these is so essential in allowing more of these moments to take place and making the power of similar projects as accessible to as many as people as possible.”
Andria Vidler, CEO of Allwyn, operator of The National Lottery said:
“Today marks a remarkable milestone as National Lottery players have now raised £50 billion for Good Causes across the UK. Over 30 years, this hasn’t just been about numbers – it's been about countless lives changed and communities transformed, while continuing to create millionaires nationwide. As we look forward, our plans to transform The National Lottery are underway and we're committed to raising even more for these vital Good Causes.”
John Rose, Chair of the Wales National Lottery Forum and Wales Director of The National Lottery Community Fund, said: "The Game Changing Moments showcased in today's 30th Birthday exhibition represent the culmination of decades of funding, unwavering commitment, dedicated training, steadfast belief, selfless volunteering and remarkable tenacity.
“The National Lottery's influence on Welsh arts, film, heritage, sport and communities has been truly transformative. For 30 years, it has empowered individuals and communities alike, enabling thousands of life-changing projects across Wales. As we mark this extraordinary milestone, we remain committed to building upon this proud legacy and fostering even more Game Changing Moments for generations to come."
Three decades of TNL funding has created an unparalleled legacy: powering athletic excellence, protecting cultural treasures, advancing artistic achievement and strengthening communities nationwide.
Since funding began in 1994, UK athletes have won more than 1,000 Olympic and Paralympic medals. The National Lottery has funded the making of more than 600 films which have won an incredible 551 awards, including 16 Oscars, 128 BAFTAs and 34 Cannes awards. Popular attractions and notable landmarks across the UK such as the Eden Project, the Giant’s Causeway, the Kelpies, the Angel of the North and The Principality Stadium and Wembley Stadium have all received support from The National Lottery.
Running alongside these major initiatives are the hundreds of thousands of grants – usually for £10,000 or less – which help vital community led projects to make an amazing difference in their areas.
For the last 30 years no one has done more to change the game in the UK than National Lottery players. But we are just getting started, could National Lottery funding fund your Game Changing Moment? Find out more here: https://www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk/gamechangers