WMC 'must widen appeal in Wales

The WMC has celebrated its fifth birthday but could do more to attract visitors from around Wales says minister.

The Wales Millennium Centre (WMC) needs to do more to attract visitors from around the country, according to the Welsh culture minister.

Alun Ffred Jones said he was unsure the £109m arts complex in Cardiff, which stages top musicals and opera, was benefiting the whole of Wales.

Mr Jones told BBC Wales the WMC received public funds and had an obligation to serve all parts of Wales.

The WMC said south Wales could be marketed better in north Wales.

Mr Jones told BBC Radio Cymru: "I'm not sure that the centre is servicing the needs of all the people of Wales at the moment, although a number visit from west Wales, it's obviously far from north Wales, that's why it was significant that the Urdd Eisteddfod was held there."

"It receives a lot of public money, and it has an obligation to other parts of Wales, to drive events in other parts of Wales and to promote relations with other cultural institutions in Wales, as it's doing with Galeri in Caernarfon for instance, but it could do more."

But a spokesperson for the WMC said two thirds of the population of Wales was in the south east and a visit from north Wales might require an overnight stay.

"I would question whether there is enough marketing to attract people from north to south Wales for breaks and holidays," she said.

On a monthly-basis about 3% of the audience comes from north Wales, with 10% from west Wales and 10% from across the border, with the rest from south east Wales.

A spokesperson for Cardiff and co, the company set up to promote Cardiff, said the WMC, which opened five years ago, was a major attraction.

"We are happy to work with the Wales Millennium Centre. It is one of the city's most attractive buildings and plays a key role in selling Cardiff to Wales and the world," he said.

The WMC is home to the Welsh National Opera (WNO), National Dance Company Wales, BBC National Orchestra of Wales and Hijinx Theatre, among other arts bodies.

It also stages large scale musical productions, touring ballet and one-off shows by music artists and comedians.

A spokesperson for Visit Wales said: "We're working with the tourism industry and the cultural sector to ensure that visitors to Wales experience our country and its people at its best."

It was "working closely" with partners such as the WMC "to build on their good work and provide a platform to promote what they have to offer to visitors."

The WMC's debts of more than £13m were written off by the Welsh Assembly Government three years ago.

It receives a yearly grant of £3.5m.

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