In 2016, the Welsh Government supported 35 major sporting and cultural events across Wales which attracted 348,000 visitors and generated a direct economic impact of £53 million for the economy. Local and national events are also being supported for 2017.
Following the Champions League Final, the Summer of Sporting Legends continues with Champions Trophy Cricket and the Senior Open Championship over the summer months.
The cultural events supported by the Welsh Government got underway with another successful Machynlleth Comedy Festival at the beginning of the month which welcomed 6,000 visitors to the town.
Focus Wales festival gets underway this weekend and Economy Secretary Ken Skates, will visit the event’s Digital Day on Saturday. 2017 marks the festival’s 7th edition, and will welcome over 7,000 people to Wrexham. Focus Wales was established to provide an annual showcase event for the Welsh Music Industry and the Digital Day will focus on digital innovation in the music industry in Wales.
The Economy Secretary, said:
“Whilst major events such as the Champions League Final, being staged in Cardiff in just a few weeks time, provide invaluable profile and exposure for Wales to global audiences of millions, there are of course many smaller scale events, with their roots firmly planted in Wales, that deliver equally valuable benefits to the Welsh economy. I’m delighted that the Welsh Government has been able to support the growth of events such as Focus Wales which make such a valuable contribution to Wales’ thriving events scene.”
The Welsh Government has also recently offered funding for further development to the Pembrokeshire Fish Week – having started in 1999 as a small event focussed around a national Sewin competition, the festival now takes place over a week and incorporates over 250 organisations and businesses in over 500 different public events and activities across the breadth of the county; the Steelhouse Festival in Hafod-y-Dafal Farm situated on the southern edge of the Brecon Beacons started out with just under 1,000 visitors over the weekend in 2011 has now grown year on year to a total audience of over 10,000 in 2016. The 4th edition of Cerys Matthews’ Good Life Festival will take place at the Hawarden Estate during September and the Welsh Government have agreed to fund the future development of the festival for the next two years. The Diffusion Festival – Cardiff’s International Festival of Photography also takes place until the end of the month.
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