Event Wales sector development and sustainability innovation scheme

If you are using this scheme to provide awards of subsidy, you must inform the Subsidy Control Unit – email: scu@gov.wales

Wales

Event Wales Sector Development and Sustainability Innovation Scheme

Section 1 (economic development of Wales, promote Wales as a location for businesses) of the Welsh Development Agency Act 1975 and the following sections of the Government of Wales Act 2006 (GOWA): section 60 (promotion of the economic, social and environmental well-being of Wales) section 61(i) (supporting cultural activities and projects relating to Wales) section 61(j) (Sport and recreational activities) section 58A (executive functions).

The National Events Strategy for Wales 2022 to 2030 identifies that a strong industry will create and retain job opportunities in Wales and support fair work and a stronger, fairer, greener Wales. In order to support the industry-led programme of development of people within the sector, recommended in the strategy, the Welsh Government is targeting some funding support towards new and innovative projects, capable of replication, to help the industry deliver the recommended action of educating and supporting individual event organisers to be champions and share working examples of best practice which align with the Circular Economy targets in the Beyond Recycling strategy. Funding will also support the development of skills and new and innovative ways to improve the diversity and accessibility of events in Wales.

Welsh Government

The scheme is open to businesses in, or who can impact positively on, the events sector in Wales including event organisers, suppliers, academic, research and other public interest bodies including the third sector.

Arts, entertainment and recreation.

28 August 2024 to 31 March 2031.

£3,000,000.

All subsidy awarded under the scheme will be awarded by way of grants.

The scheme is open to businesses in, or who can impact positively on, the events sector in Wales including event organisers, suppliers, academic, research and other public interest bodies including the third sector.

Applications which can demonstrate partnership working and/or funding from other sources to ensure maximum impact across the sector and value for money for public funds are particularly welcome. Projects seeking full funding will be considered if they demonstrate positive impacts across the sector which would otherwise not be achieved as effectively, or at all.

To be eligible for funding applications will need to demonstrate that they:

• Offer a strategic fit with the National Events Strategy for Wales 2022-2030
• Will support the development of the sector in Wales in the medium to long-term
• Will deliver positive impacts which can support the wider sector across Wales

Eligible applications will be assessed against detailed scheme funding criteria.

Funding will be prioritised towards projects which demonstrate they have the potential to make a difference to the events industry in Wales over the medium to long-term and that also promote or support the principles of fair work and pay, well-being, sustainability, equality and diversity and promotion of the Welsh language leading to the development of case-studies that can be shared across the industry.

All proposals must demonstrate the ‘added value’ of the activity proposed for Wales and the wider industry.

This fund will not support core costs of staging an event or any of the following:

• Any capital costs
• Costs incurred prior to application or which can be met through other funding sources (e.g. the Welsh Government’s Flexible Skills Programme or Apprenticeship Programme)
• Recoverable VAT
• Redundancy costs
• Debt or debt service charges
• Dividends
• Interest payments
• Anything which is in contravention of Welsh Government legislation or advice
• Any kind of activity which in our opinion could bring the Welsh Government into disrepute
• Costs related to promoting the cause or beliefs of political or faith organisations
• Projects which depend on, or encourage, free labour
• Costs not specific to the activity/project applied for
• Existing core event costs or for additional editions of existing events.

Funding awards for successful applications will include targets, based on the application information and proposed outputs. Regular monitoring of these, including a post-completion report, will be undertaken.

We wish to support as many projects as possible so anticipate that individual applications would not exceed £20,000-£30,000 but this is a guide only and each application will be considered on its individual merits. Applicants may submit more than one application. Whilst we will support full project costs, applications which can leverage match-funding (including value-in-kind support) are particularly welcomed as this will enable our funding to go further.

£30,000.