Communities and Culture Committee

Scrutiny Inquiry :
Promoting Welsh Arts and Culture on the World Stage

Response from : Peter Finnemore

Many thanks for your e-mail requesting my input into research about the promotion of Welsh Arts on a world stage.

Through my art practice I have tried to create images of the richness and complexity of Welsh identity, with the aim of raising the relevance of theses issues in a national and international context. Over the past few years I have exhibited in a number venues in several countries around the world and feel I can contribute some ideas about my experiences and expectations. Firstly, I would like to state that a number of my artworks involve site-specific installations. To do this professionally one must be there in person to supervise its installation (it should be emphasized that this is work and not a holiday). The transportation of artwork and travel costs and accommodation are contributors, which make contemporary artwork of international distinction and standing an expensive activity. A major contributing factor to the raising of my profile as an artist who works outside the Welsh metropolis’s has been 2 factors - being selected to represent Wales at the Venice Biennale in 2005 and being able to follow up exhibition opportunities which followed Venice through the direct support of Wales Art International. WAI has supported me since 1999 when they gave travel grant to do an international residency at Syracuse, USA. This organization has been very supportive to my international art practice through financial support and organizational / managerial support. The individuals who I was working with at WAI at this time have been Ceri, Gwenno and Nia Roberts, all of whom have been helpful, friendly, exemplary and professional. These are individuals who understand the pressures on visual artists. Making art itself is time consuming so its essential to have some extra organizational support. Every time I have worked with WAI everything has gone smoothly and well within the deadlines I had to follow. My communications with the WAI has predominantly been through the Welsh language, its important in the future for WAI to continue with this bilingual policy. 

It should be applauded that the Welsh Arts Council with NAGW are being proactive in promoting Welsh art and culture within an international context. The arts can raise the profile of this small nation and equally play a part in regenerating local economies and its day-to-day culture. The creative industries are contemporary wealth creators and should be recognized as such and supported at grass roots levels (similar tax breaks / bands for artists as they have in Ireland would be most helpful). Artists live on relatively small incomes in comparison to the other professions. To choose a career as an artist or creative practitioner within a Welsh context is to be committed - life as an artist is to live on the edge (I speak of 20+ years experience of this). Artist's need support. With this in mind It's is equally important that these grass roots Welsh arts community is recognized, represented and recognizes itself in high profile activities such as Wales at the Venice Biennial and Arts Mundi. These are wonderful opportunities to help support and showcase artists that are recognizable as being part of the Welsh artistic community. Over the previous four Wales / Venice shows only one artist from Cardiff and Swansea has been represented. This is not a good statistic, as these are the main visual arts centers in Wales. Special attention should be paid to the balance that artists who reside and are committed to its day to day cultural life are represented alongside the majority of artists who have represented Wales at Venice are artists who choose to further their careers and reside and work in Paris / New York / London, etc. This is a recurring pattern that needs to be addressed. Curators and their operating committees making such choices may therefore alienate the artists who reside in Wales, sending them the message to that to get on with becoming an artist of standing and worth you need to leave Wales. The organizations that lead high profile events should publicly and unapologetically support, celebrate and have confidence that artists who reside here are good enough to represent Wales on the international stage. The impression created becomes one of a culture and that lacks adventure and confidence in its younger artists. A wonderful opportunity to accelerate the career of a Wales and Welsh based artist upon the world stage is then lost. That this is an opportunity to display and show confidence Wales' national arts community in a high profile international context. This is not parochial thinking; this is a cultural celebration of 'local' within global visual culture.

With its international dimension, a similar discussion could be applied to the Arts Mundi exhibition selection. The Welsh taxpayers (which includes its visual arts community) spend a good chunk of money on this event. Sometimes, it seems that we here in Wales can be too puritanical and hard on ourselves in constantly wishing to prove our commitment to internationalism and to show this through a public display of lack of favorism to 'residing' artists. Within this high profile visual arts event, sometimes artists from Wales are represented, sometimes not. After putting a lot of time, money and effort into this successful event lets now be unapologetic and automatically include one artist from Wales (....and why not 2 or 3... within this current financial climate would be cheaper as well). This is a great opportunity to showcase 'established' and emerging artists from Wales alongside quality international artists.

Arts Mundi should be applauded for its educational work, its relationship to the media in terms of its Sky Arts profile. What I have found most beneficial has been its organization of gathering a number of international curators and bringing them here to view artist’s studios and see their work. This is invaluable! Welsh art is marginalized within a UK / European / World context; activities like this brings in an understanding of the dynamic arts activity that occurs here in Wales, that otherwise they would not be aware of. It opens up new contacts and creates new fresh dynamic cross international opportunities.

When abroad exhibiting or working on residencies or visiting arts festivals, that I am not necessarily representing myself but that I'm an ambassador for Wales, its culture and history (people are curious to know more about Wales, what is unique about it, why does it exist, why isn't it England.... etc) and I formally and informally make those artistic, cultural and political links, which feeds cross cultural exchange and understanding. My exhibition in Brno in the Czech Republic, the British Ambassador in Prague officially opened the exhibition, this type of official / political support adds extra authority and importance to these cultural events. Therefore cultural representatives are important in creating a point of focus and attention.

It's also important to support individual projects that are self-initiated. There are a number of successful examples through galleries and artistic festivals such as LOCWS who are successfully opening up international dialogues. A special mention should be made to the Harlech Biennial and its international dimension (run by John Brown and his team). These type of grass roots initiatives and should be supported and celebrated. They create a range of international links through artists exchange / exhibition opportunities / residencies / festivals. Extra administrative, organizational and financial support for these grass roots and self initiated events by individual artists should be considered,

Through discussions with artists in North Wales, it seems that, compounded by awful public transport links, artists based here and exhibiting in their local areas are potentially marginalized due to this reality. In an already marginalized country there are cultural margins within cultural margins. Artists living in North Wales are possibly not being given the attention and international opportunities they deserve. Within the visual arts here the emphasis of opportunity is clustered around the M4 corridor, an unequally exists that needs to be addressed.

Peter Finnemore