Lead partner in developing a new culture strategy for Wales

Tender description

The Co-operation Agreement and updated Programme for Government commit to ‘Engage with the arts, culture and heritage sectors to develop a new culture strategy’. This builds on commitments in the Senedd by the Deputy Minister for Arts and Sport, and Chief Whip to take this work forward in 2022. The Co-Operation Agreement states: “Together we will develop a new culture strategy, reflecting Wales’ diversity, a thriving Welsh language, our arts, culture and heritage sectors and our duties under the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act. We will ensure the financial sustainability of national cultural institutions as we implement the Strategy, and we will also develop the proposals for a national contemporary art gallery.” Welsh Government Ministers and Co-operation Agreement Designated Members from Plaid Cymru have agreed the scope of the required Strategy and an indicative timeline for its publication, as well setting out some specific requirements in terms of governance and engagement - these are described below. They have further agreed that we should seek an external lead partner to support the development of the Strategy, working collaboratively with officials from the Welsh Government’s Culture Division, who will lead the Welsh Government’s input into this work and manage the contract, and with Cadw , the Welsh Government’s historic environment service. The successful bidder will work in close partnership with the Welsh Government to produce the Strategy. The overall aim of this contract is for a lead partner to work with and support Welsh Government officials in the production of a new Culture Strategy for Wales, working to the specified timeline, and based on appropriate sector research and engagement. The research and engagement work included in this contract will examine the current position across the cultural sectors through meaningful discussion with representatives from these sectors and with wider stakeholders. The research and engagement work will collate data, information, and perspectives, based on lived/professional experience, to form an evidence-base from which the new Strategy can be developed. It will also consider strategic opportunities for supporting and enabling the culture sectors to flourish in Wales. At minimum, the lead partner will work towards collating a list of goals and actions that the Client can take forward in a final Strategy document. The lead partner will work with officials during the latter stages of the contract to write, refine and finalise the Strategy, based on feedback from Ministers and Designated Members.