The Welsh Government Cabinet Minister for Culture and Sport, Heledd Fychan, will travel to New York and Washington D.C. this week on the first transatlantic visit by the new Welsh Government, using Wales’s cultural influence and creative strengths to build new opportunities for trade, investment and collaboration with the United States.
The visit will put culture, technology and innovation at the heart of Wales’s economic diplomacy, showcasing the country’s creative strengths while promoting Wales as a destination of choice for American businesses and investors.
It comes as the United States marks its 250th anniversary, providing an opportunity to celebrate the deep historical connections between Wales and the US and the enduring contribution of Welsh people and culture to American life.
As part of the celebrations, the Minister will present a special gift of music on behalf of the people of Wales at the Library of Congress, recognising the shared history between the two nations.
Building digital bridges
A central theme of the visit will be “Building Digital Bridges”, demonstrating how Welsh creativity, technology and culture can reach new international audiences.
In New York, the Minister will meet Emmy-nominated Welsh actor Matthew Rhys to discuss the Welsh arts and creative sector in the United States, including the growing opportunities for Welsh talent to build international audiences and partnerships.
The Minister will also meet representatives of the Gotham Center for New York City History at Fraunces Tavern, who have worked with Welsh creative technology company Sugar Creative on Echoes of Revolution, a digital project developed around the USA250 celebrations.
The project demonstrates how Welsh digital talent can combine storytelling, technology and creativity to connect people across the Atlantic, while providing a platform to promote Wales’s wider tech and creative sectors to US businesses, investors and cultural partners.
The United States is the largest export market for Welsh companies and the largest source of inward investment. Technology and creative sectors are among the fastest-growing contributors to this relationship.
The Minister will use the visit to encourage further trade and collaboration, while making the case for Wales as a place where American companies can invest, innovate and grow.
Together, the programme will demonstrate how Wales’s cultural strengths can open doors for trade, investment and long-term commercial relationships, while highlighting the country’s highly skilled workforce, growing technology and creative sectors, universities and distinctive cultural identity.
Strengthening economic and cultural diplomacy
In New York, the Minister will meet the UK Trade Commissioner to the United States and engage with US businesses and investors with an interest in Wales.
The Minister will also host a Cultural Partnerships Reception in Manhattan, bringing together Welsh and US businesses, cultural organisations and other partners.
In Washington, the Minister will meet members of the Friends of Wales Caucus on Capitol Hill, strengthening links between Wales and the United States and exploring opportunities to deepen cooperation around trade, investment and culture.
The Minister will also visit the 9/11 Memorial in New York, ahead of the 25th anniversary of the attacks, paying tribute to those who lost their lives and recognising the enduring solidarity between Wales and the people of the United States.
Speaking ahead of the visit, the Minister said:
“The United States is one of Wales’s most important international partners, and this visit is an opportunity to build on that relationship and create new opportunities for people and businesses in Wales.
“Our culture is one of our greatest assets. It gives us a unique platform to build relationships, open conversations and create new economic opportunities. From music and our shared history to the world-class digital and creative talent working in Wales today, we have a compelling story to tell.
“As America celebrates its 250th anniversary, we will celebrate the deep and enduring links between our nations, while looking firmly to the future.
“We want American businesses to see Wales not just as a place with which they can trade, but as a place where they can invest, innovate and grow. This visit is about building those digital, cultural and economic bridges for the years ahead.”
Celebrating Welsh connections in North America
Following the New York and Washington programme, the Minister will travel to Springfield, Massachusetts, to attend the North American Festival of Wales.
The festival brings together Welsh communities from across North America to celebrate Welsh culture, music, language and heritage. It will provide an opportunity for the Minister to meet the Welsh-American community and celebrate the enduring connections between Wales and the United States.
Through engagements in New York, Washington and Springfield, the Welsh Government will seek to turn long-standing connections into new cultural, digital and economic partnerships between Wales and the United States.
