Minister for Culture, Sport and the Welsh Language in the Wales Assembly, Jenny Randerson, in February released a 10-year plan designed to put cultural issues higher up on the nation’s agenda. Creative Future: Cymru Greadigol puts forward eight key priorities to guide the work of cultural bodies: young people, communities, cultural diversity, the creative industries, emphasis on evidence-based policy making, sport, international profile and the development of professional arts and artists. Randerson commented that, in support of these ideals, the Welsh Assembly had already increased its cultural budget by 11% for 2003 – funding particularly targeted to enable the Arts Council of Wales to better resource existing clients and broaden the scope of its work. Stressing that cultural life cannot be parcelled up separately from the rest of living, the minister said: ‘Wales has a rich past and a wealth of present day talent but it still has an opportunity to achieve a new cultural transformation. The purpose of Creative Future is to show how cross-cutting cultural development is.’ Developed in partnership with the minister’s Culture Committee, following a public consultation period, the new strategy is expected to be implemented in a co-ordinated approach between the Welsh Assembly, local government authorities and assembly-sponsored public organisations, both cultural and economic. Further information regarding the strategy is available online at: www.wales.gov.uk/newsite.dbs?3A140C0B0005829B00004F7000000000+current+3C62587E000B90120000128600000000+cur_date+02_2002