Anyone looking to find entertainment in Wales does not have to look too far. The country is blessed with well-known singers and lesser-known vocalists littering the bars and clubs.
Today, much of the entertainment and casino industry has moved online, where people seek their thrills by playing slot machines or watching Welsh-made shows on streaming platforms like Netflix.
Unfortunately, classic shows like these have become fewer and further between. New calls from different groups are asking the Welsh Government to do something about it and protect the future of the Welsh tv and film industry.
The Background and Stats
The creative industry is an important cog in the Welsh economy. It is estimated that most £190 million is brought into the country from these projects with 58,000 locals working on them. Creative work in Wales is a driving force to maintain employment and project Wales’s cultural heritage.
The success of films and TV can also help promote tourism to Wales. For example, tourism in Dubrovnik has skyrocketed since the success of Game of Thrones. This is why keeping up with industry trends and continuing to produce entertaining shows in Wales is fundamental to the country.
The opportunities are there, but one group of people comprising of industry experts, academics, producers, actors and broadcasters have reported that the Welsh TV industry may soon lose momentum.
What Is Their Proposal?
This group has called on the Welsh government to do more to protect and promote the Welsh entertainment industry. Although the group acknowledges that the government has already helped the industry over the past, they feel more needs to be done to protect it. They have provided suggestion in how this could be achieved, namely:
- To consider a base rate of using local Welsh talent in all stages of film and TV development. This will protect jobs for those in the industry.
- Increasing Welsh crews should be employed by companies who have the government’s support.
- To compose a long-term strategy for maintaining the industry in Wales.
There is also a call to develop the creative skills of Welsh people, which would then trickle into a more prosperous industry in the future. Investing in people is one of the fundamental ways that can maintain Wales’s foothold. Getting younger people into the industry is something other Welsh actors have encouraged, specifically Matthew Rhys and Rhys Ifans who asked teachers to take their pupils to free film festivals.
To achieve their goals, they have advised a new group to be created named Creative Wales. This group would be responsible for enhancing the skills of the industry’s new and long-term workers.
What Has the Governments Response Been?
It has not been radio silence from the government, but they are weighing up the report and what can be done. Given their history, it is unlikely that the government will ignore the report, but what they set out to achieve may not be known for some time.
