NATIONALISTS renewed pressure on the Welsh government yesterday to properly support cultural institutions in Wales.

Plaid Cymru’s culture spokeswoman Heledd Fychan wrote to Culture Minister Jack Sargeant, saying the government should fund National Theatre Wales after the organisation announced its closure following Arts Council budget cuts. 

Actor Michael Sheen then pledged to cover the shortfall and found a national theatre for Wales, something Ms Fychan said was the duty of the Welsh government.

Ms Fychan said Labour is not listening to Arts Council of Wales (ACW), which warned that “there will be no professional sector in 10 years” if funding cuts continue.

Simon Curtis from Equity Wales said the government’s “latest draft budget offered a derisory amount to the ACW.

Equity said after a 40 per cent cut in funding to ACW since 2010, it was not surprising that arts institutions have closed or are in danger of doing so.

“The Welsh government must increase arts funding or they run the very real risk of bleeding dry arts and culture in Wales,” Mr Curtis said.

A Welsh government spokesperson said: “We have had to take very difficult decisions to protect front line services following years of difficult funding settlements from the UK government.”