Dawn Bowden MS, Deputy Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism
The comprehensive report makes 77 recommendations about Amgueddfa Cymru’s governance; equality, diversity and inclusion; partnerships and relationships; contribution to economy and society and opportunities for investment, growth and shared services.
The panel, which was chaired by David Allen, the former chair of the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales, was convened in August 2022. It was initially asked to prioritise governance and an interim report was shared with Amgueddfa Cymru and the Welsh Government in December 2022. The findings of that report have been integrated into the final report published today. I would like to thank the panel for its thorough and dedicated work.
I have asked my officials to work through the final report with Amgueddfa Cymru to explore the implications of each recommendation and develop an implementation plan and timeline.
Some of the recommendations made by the panel are already being implemented – the titles of president and vice president are being replaced by chair and vice chair to better reflect the nature of these roles.
I am grateful for the positivity shown by Amgueddfa Cymru and the engagement of staff throughout this review process. The panel said there is a huge amount to celebrate in the work of Amgueddfa Cymru, calling it a “jewel in the crown” of Welsh culture.
The panel has put forward a programme of work to Welsh Government and Amgueddfa Cymru which will enable it to move forward in partnership with other organisations and with the support of Welsh Government as a lynchpin of the cultural regeneration of Wales.
Amgueddfa Cymru is entering a new and exciting phase and I look forward to updating you on the progress made in relation to the panel’s recommendations later this year.