Where Are the Critics? The Shrinking Landscape of Arts Writing in Wales

credit: Florian Klauer

In a land steeped in bardic tradition, where song and story are woven into the landscape, the silence creeping across the arts pages of Welsh media is both curious and concerning.

Once, arts criticism was the bridge between artist and audience – a dynamic space of dialogue, sometimes disagreement, but always engagement. In Wales today, that bridge feels increasingly unstable. With shrinking budgets, editorial prioritisation of faster-turnaround news, and the digital overwhelm of social media discourse, serious critical writing about the arts is at risk of being lost in the noise.

The Vanishing Act

The disappearance hasn’t been sudden. It has crept in quietly. Where once local papers routinely sent reviewers to theatre openings or exhibition launches, now coverage – if it appears at all – is often limited to press release rewrites or community calendar blurbs.

Independent platforms like Wales Arts Review and O’r Pedwar Gwynt continue to hold the torch, publishing long-form reviews, essays, and cultural commentary. But they are often labours of love, sustained by freelance writers working for small fees or passion alone. The scarcity of paying opportunities is turning arts writing into an increasingly exclusive field – only accessible to those with the time, privilege, or subsidy to contribute.

“It’s not that there’s a lack of interest,” says Bethan Mair, a Cardiff-based theatre-maker. “We’ve had sold-out runs and great audience feedback, but the reviews just aren’t there anymore. That critical mirror is missing – and for artists, that’s a real loss.”

“According to a 2023 survey by Arts Professional, over 70% of UK-based arts writers rely on freelance work for income.”

A Fragile Ecosystem

Arts criticism does more than offer star ratings or clever turns of phrase. It archives work. It contextualises culture. It challenges complacency. Without it, Welsh artists risk being seen without being truly understood. And without a vibrant public conversation about our cultural output, the wider value of the arts in society is diminished.

This isn’t just a Welsh problem, of course. Across the UK, national newspapers have slashed their arts sections. Critics are now more likely to be freelancers than salaried staffers. But Wales, with its already under-resourced media infrastructure, is particularly vulnerable.

And the issue isn’t only about quantity – it’s about diversity. Who gets to be a critic in Wales? Whose voices are being platformed? Are we hearing enough from working-class writers, from Black Welsh voices, from disabled and neurodivergent critics?

“I want to read criticism that comes from someone who shares my lived experience,” says Haf Jones, a young writer from Wrexham. “Not every show resonates the same way across communities – and criticism should reflect that multiplicity.”

“Fewer than 5% of Welsh local newspapers currently have a dedicated arts correspondent.”

A Time for Rebuilding?

Some glimmers of change are emerging. Initiatives like the National Theatre Wales’ Writers Group and Literature Wales’ Emerging Critics Programme have helped develop new voices. And grassroots digital publications – especially bilingual or Welsh-language platforms – continue to innovate, often filling the gaps left by larger institutions.

But structural change is needed. Funding bodies and arts organisations must invest not just in making art, but in responding to it. Commissioning reviews, supporting critical mentorships, and integrating criticism into programming strategies are all part of revitalising the ecology.

“3 out of 4 small-scale theatre productions in Wales receive no independent critical coverage.”

Conclusion: More Than Just Opinion

We often say that Welsh culture is thriving – and in many ways, it is. Our festivals are vibrant, our artists are bold, and our stages are full. But without critical engagement, we’re only telling half the story.

Arts writing doesn’t just chronicle what happens. It asks why it matters.

And in a time when truth is fractured, attention is fleeting, and culture is increasingly commodified, that question might be more important than ever.