Highlights and learning from cultural legislation, policy and delivery in Wales and Ireland
This page offers highlights of the learning and lessons from recent cultural legislation in Wales and Ireland, shared during a webinar held by Culture Counts and Community Leisure UK on Tuesday 20 January 2026. It is intended to inform ongoing conversations about the opportunities and potential for A Culture Act for Scotland, which is an ask of Scotland’s political parties in the run up to the 2026 Scottish elections. More information on this campaign is available here.
Guest speakers
Heather Stuart (Chair): CEO of OnFife and member of the Community Leisure UK Executive
Tania Banotti: Director, Creative Ireland Programme/ Clár Éire Ildánach, Dept of Culture, Communications and Sport, Government of Ireland
Jacob Ellis: Director, External Relations and Culture, Office of the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales
Sophia Woodley: Head of Policy Research, The Audience Agency
Insight from all these speakers is collated below into three key themes.
1) Cultural legislation can build a multi-disciplinary, cross-portfolio approach
A significant opportunity of cultural legislation is that it can enable an ‘all of government approach’ to explore the role(s) that culture and creativity can plan in addressing the key issues of our time, such as child poverty, climate change, equitable growth, future skills and inclusive communities. It enables interdisciplinary working across sectors, departments and policy areas, which results in action that is more imaginative, more exciting, more effective – and ultimately more impactful. For example, the Creative Ireland programme explicitly provides funding for local authorities to work across disciplines using a creative lens. This enables them to incentivise “a great unlocking of creative practice”, and to demonstrate the impact of culture and creativity teams on challenges such as migrant integration and ageing well.
A legislative commitment to culture puts the sector on an equal footing with colleagues across government departments, and enables culture to be leveraged as part of the solution to a whole range of national challenges. In France, for example, cultural legislation is supporting cross-departmental investment in shared community spaces, that might host a vibrant programme of food markets, ageing well groups, cinema nights and sports clubs – delivering on a host of policy objectives via imaginative, efficient and locally-responsive activity.
We should not assume that passing a Culture Act for Scotland is a one-step process, nor a ‘catch all’ solution. Rather, it would act as the framework for a package of rights, legislative commitments, strategic priorities, budgets and governance arrangements that together would realise change on issues of national importance. For example, the challenges facing rural areas in Scotland can be better addressed holistically, bringing together the skills and opportunities of those working in transport, planning, the economy, culture, climate change, education and others. This focus on outcomes, rather than a single output, is reflected in Culture Counts’ explicit principles for a Culture Act, that sets out a process that is ambitious, inclusive and consultative.
2) Cultural legislation enables the building of connections across the whole creative ecosystem
A Culture Act for Scotland can be far more than simply an additional obligation for the public sector. Rather, it is an opportunity to bring together stakeholders across the whole landscape of cultural provision, incorporating local and national government, charities, freelancers, policymakers, funders and private organisations (from the micro to the international). The culture sector has long been championing innovative action on matters such as climate change and the future of our communities. Approaching cultural legislation as an opportunity to invest in the interconnectedness of this ecosystem drives much broader ambition. For example, a new National Curriculum for Wales will embrace the need for creative and global future citizens to address (and adapt to) the challenges and opportunities of our changing world. This leverages the skills of the (public, private, charitable and independent) culture sector for the benefit of the Education department and, ultimately, for the future potential of all children.
Speakers reiterated the importance of figureheads and champions for culture – within government, and amongst political representatives as well as from within and beyond the sector. Visible, confident and ambitious leadership builds a vital groundswell of support across departments, both in making the case for, and in maximising the impact of, cultural legislation.
3) Cultural legislation enables longer-term, more sustainable activity
Speakers recognised the importance of a mature approach to governance that looks beyond the immediate pressures of today, and considers longer-term aspirations for our society, economy, and environment. The power and potential of public bodies of all kinds to lead by example in this way of working has transformative potential. In Wales, for example, all public bodies are required to demonstrate their impact toward more prosperous, resilient, globally-responsible, healthier, more equal and cohesive communities, with a vibrant culture and thriving Welsh language. This means all public bodies (whether cultural or not) must justify their activity in terms of its impact on creating a society that promotes and protects culture, heritage and the Welsh language, and that encourages people to participate in the arts, and sport and recreation.
Legislation brings with it an obligation to measure, report on, and to be held accountable to progress toward these long-term aspirations, giving public bodies an explicit remit to consider the long-term within their budgetary decisions. Effective legislation creates accountability for a flexible, locally-responsive approach to cultural provision that invites citizens to co-create what their national culture(s) mean for them. In Wales, this was described as “a continuous pledge to the people of Wales to deliver on their vision for the future of their country”.