First Minister of Wales Vaughan Gething has confirmed budget cuts impacting Museum Wales, potentially risking the closure of the National Museum Cardiff and the loss of 90 jobs. During a press conference in Ebbw Vale, Gething highlighted the strategic focus on the NHS and other vital sectors like steelworking and farming, citing budget constraints as a cause for these difficult financial decisions.

The National Museum Cardiff faces a £4.5 million budget cut, which has sparked criticism and calls for action from opposition parties and the cultural sector. While acknowledging the importance of cultural institutions, Gething emphasised tough choices had to be made to prioritise healthcare and other critical areas amid financial limitations. Museum Wales is currently discussing potential solutions with the government to support the maintenance of the museum, though its future remains uncertain.

In Scotland, a similar scenario unfolds as the arts sector faces a crisis following a 10% funding cut to Creative Scotland. This reduction threatens the closure of cultural events and projects like the Glasgow book festival Aye Write and the filmmaker initiative Short Circuit. The Scottish arts community has expressed a desperate need for increased government support to prevent a decline in cultural access and diversity, while Creative Scotland’s chief executive warns of the sector’s potential collapse without further funding. The Scottish government faces pressure to fulfill a promise to boost the culture budget by £100m by the fiscal year 2028-29, amidst challenges posed by external factors such as Brexit and the war in Ukraine.

Both Wales and Scotland are grappling with the allocation of limited funds across crucial sectors, facing strong opposition and concern from their respective cultural communities over the sustainability and future of national cultural institutions and projects.