The EU and cultural initiatives in Wales

Since the Maastricht Treaty of 1991 support for the arts and culture in the Member States has become an increasingly important aspect of the role the European Community. Culture offers significant potential for economic development and for increasing awareness and understanding of Europe's common cultural heritage. Wales benefits from a number of European Commission initiatives intended to promote culture, of which the following are examples:

Cultural Explosion

Supported by the EU, Cultural Explosion (Creu Cyfle) aims to establish links between cultural organisations in Wales and those in the 10 new Member States (Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia). The initiative also seeks to raise awareness about Wales and Welsh culture in those countries, and to give people in Wales - especially young people - a taste of the cultures of these new EU members.

Welsh harpist Catrin Finch said "If the Welsh cultural industries are going to thrive in years to come, then partnership in Europe is going to be essential to us. The UK cannot compete with the likes of China and India on our own."

Boosting the arts in North Wales

The creative Enterprise Centre Galeri Caernarfon has been described as "a significant development for the arts and creative industries in North Wales." Designed as part of a wider plan to regenerate the town's Victoria Dock, the Galeri includes a 400-seat theatre, two rehearsal studios, an Art Space, Café Bar, rooms for hire and enterprise units.

The £7.5m project was part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) under the Objective 1 programme.

Speaking in April 2005 when the centre was officially opened, the Chief Executive of Cwmni Tref Caernarfon, Gwyn Roberts, said "The purpose of Galeri is to be the focus for the arts and the creative industries in the region. As a centrepoint, we hope that Galeri will be an inspiration to promote additional artistic and creative activities throughout the area, develop skills and confidence in the community and present a varied programme of entertainment."

Bendigeidfran - promoting youth culture

Launched in Summer 2005, the Bendigeidfran project focuses on cultural co-operation between youth agencies in Wales and Ireland. The two organisations involved, Urdd Gobaith Cymru and Ógras, will arrange study visits where experience and good practice will be exchanged on various aspects of youth work. EU funding of £183,174 (€264,794.04) was made available to Urdd Gobaith Cymru via the INTERREG programme.

According to Project Development Officer Nia Meleri Roberts, the name of the project is extremely relevant: "Bendigeidfran was a character from the Mabinogi who formed a bridge between Wales and Ireland. The saying "A fo ben bid bont" (the one who'd be a leader must be a bridge) is also very relevant as the aim of the scheme is to train and encourage young people to develop new skills and take interest in youth and social work."

Support for minority languages

Welsh is one of the regional and minority languages supported by the European Bureau for Lesser Used Languages URL added (EBLUL), which seeks to safeguard the languages of more than 40 million minority language speakers living in the Union's Member States. Established in 1982 by the European Parliament the Bureau, receives financial assistance from the European Commission.

The UK Committee of EBLUL comprises four UK Sub-Committees, including one for Wales. The Bureau's main activities include: providing daily news about languages and culture, via the 'Eurolang' news agency; publishing the magazine Contact Bulletin; offering consultative, advice and information services (including a documentation centre with comprehensive coverage of recent literature and articles); maintaining a publishing house for regional, minority and autochthonous non-territorial languages in Europe; organising study visits between regions of lesser used languages in the EU.

In November 2005, the European Commission published its first Communication on multilingualism. A New Framework Strategy for Multilingualism reaffirmed the Commission's commitment to multilingualism in the EU, set out a strategy for promoting multilingualism, and proposed a number of specific actions.

Contacts

Institute of Welsh Affairs
St Andrews House
24 St Andrews Crescent
Cardiff CF10 3DD
Tel: 029 2066 6606
Fax: 029 2022 1482
wales@iwa.org.uk

Galeri Caernarfon
Doc Victoria
Caernarfon
Gwynedd LL55 1SQ
Tel: 01286 685252
Fax: 01286 678140
post@galericaernarfon.com

European Bureau for Lesser Used Languages
John McIntyre
EBLUL UK Secretary
Ulster-Scots Language Society
2 Brerton Grove
Belfast
Northern Ireland BT8 6QW
Tel: 02890 746939
Fax: 02890 746980
ulster-scots@utvinternet.com