Cyfres A1 - Arts Council of Wales

The Welsh Arts Council (WAC) was established by Royal Charter in 1946. In 1994, the Council merged with the three Welsh regional arts associations to create the Arts Council of Wales (ACW). At the same time the Arts Council of Great Britain separated its responsibilities for England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. It was set up by Royal Charter, with four main objectives, to develop and improve the knowledge, understanding and practice of the arts; to increase the accessibility of the arts to the public; to advise and co-operate with other public bodies; and to work through the medium of Welsh and English.

Since 1999 the Arts Council of Wales has been an Assembly Sponsored Public Body (ASPB) and receives its money to fund the arts in Wales from the Welsh Assembly. ACW is therefore responsible to the Assembly for the way the money is spent.

ACW underwent further restructuring in 1997 when five new divisions were created: Access Development Division, Artform Development Division, Lottery Division, Planning and Public Affairs Division and Finance and Resources Division; and again in [2002] when recommendations made in an action plan were implemented and a new structure was imposed.