Eisteddfod celebrates £100,000 funding boost

* Chair of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod John Gambles with local MS Ken Skates a Vice-President of the festival and strong supporter.

Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod has welcomed a huge funding boost as they prepare to launch their iconic festival on Wednesday December 11.  

The Arts Council of Wales have confirmed that the Llangollen Eisteddfod will receive £100,000 for the iconic festival that has promoted peace and reconciliation through music and dance since 1947.

 Organisers  say this is “massive” for the world-famous event. 

John Gambles, Chair of the Llangollen Musical Eisteddfod, said: "We are delighted to have received a significant amount of money from Arts Council of Wales from their resilience funding pot. The Llangollen International Eisteddfod, like other similar festivals has seen a dramatic rise in costs and this money will allow us to move forward with our most ambitious programme yet. 

"This news is massive for our festival and shows that Arts Council Wales and Welsh Government remain committed to ensuring that festivals like ours don't just survive but thrive.

 

"We are looking forward to announcing our most ambitious programme yet next week for our festival in 2025. We'd like to thank our local MP Becky Gittins and Ken Skates our local MS, for their continued support not only with this successful bid, but with their ongoing support in ensuring that our Eisteddfod, that has existed since 1947, continues to benefit Llangollen, Denbighshire and the wider North Wales region."

Becky Gittins, MP for Clwyd East, said: “The Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod attracts musicians and dancers from all over the world and is of huge cultural significance to our area. This investment will support an event which brings tens of thousands of visitors to North East Wales and a provides a huge boost to our local economy.

 

“Spreading the messages of international friendship and peace, I want to pay tribute to everyone who works all year round to make Llangollen Eisteddfod the huge success that it is.” 

 

Ken Skates, MS for Clwyd South, added: “I was honoured to be asked to announce one of the biggest coups in the Eisteddfod’s illustrious history earlier this year when Sir Tom Jones was unveiled as the headline act in an incredible bill.

 

“I’m a proud vice-president of the event and its importance to our area and specifically the local economy cannot be underestimated – we’re talking millions of pounds every year.

 

“I was only too happy to write a letter of support for the Eisteddfod to the Arts Council of Wales earlier this year, so I’m delighted it has helped.”

 

Last year’s event boasted huge names such as Manic Street Preachers, Katherine Jenkins, Madness, Bryan Adams, Kaiser Chiefs and Paloma Faith.

 

Organisers say they will be announcing ‘the most ambitious festival’ yet on Wednesday (December 11).

 

Across Wales, 60 arts organisations are set to benefit from an additional £3.6m in funding thanks to a Jobs Protection and Resilience Fund set up by Arts Council of Wales and supported by the Welsh Government. 

 

Mr Skates added: “I’m proud of the major financial support the Welsh Government has given the Eisteddfod in recent years, and swift action by the Welsh Government and Minister Jack Sargeant to support the sector has no doubt helped benefit the Eisteddfod this time.”

 

Jack Sargeant, Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership said: “The arts sector makes a vital social, cultural and economic contribution to our society, enriching our communities and inspiring future generations.

 

“I’m therefore very pleased that, despite financial pressures, we’ve been able to support some of our most cherished and talented arts organisations with this extra, immediate funding, to improve resilience amid ongoing challenges.”