Sign up to FREE email alerts from NorthWalesLive - Anglesey News Subscribe Thank you for subscribing See our privacy notice Invalid Email

The Welsh Government should increase its funding to the National Eisteddfod to allow future festivals to be free to enter.

That could help the Government reach its stated target of one million Welsh speakers by 2050, the Eisteddfod’s outgoing chief executive Elfed Roberts said.

The Eisteddfod at Cardiff was staged in the Bay area using existing buildings as much as possible. A decision was made early on not to charge an admission fee and no fences to close off the area around the Wales Millennium Centre were put in place.

As a result the festival attracted large crowds each day.

Mr Roberts, who retires at the end of August, said a relatively small amount of money is received from the Welsh Government to help stage the festival each year.

“I have spoken with many politicians during the Eisteddfod this week and have made the point that the festival does not receive that much public money.

"The biggest percentage of the money required each year comes from sponsorship from private companies and the monies raised by the local committee.

“If the Government are serious about reaching the one million Welsh speakers target then perhaps we, the Eisteddfod, can help them bring Welsh to the attention of more people by offering them free admission to the Eisteddfod,” he said.

(Image: Arwyn Roberts)

Although the many ways of entering the Roald Dahl Plass area prevented Eisteddfod officials from counting the total numbers attending Mr Roberts revealed more than 160,000 people had entered the Wales Millennium centre itself up to Thursday.

Officials confidently expected the total to rise to more than 200,000 by Saturday evening when the last competition left the stage of the Donal Gordon Theatre.

The last time the Eisteddfod was staged in south Wales, at Abergavenny in 2016, more than 130,000 people attended. Last year’s festival on Anglesey, which was badly affected by rain which caused difficulties on the Maes and forced officials to close car parks, made a susrplus of £93,000 raising hopes that the 2018 event will at least break even.

Mr Roberts added: “The gate receipts usually contribute about £500,000 to the Eisteddfod and this year we’ve only been able to offer 2,500 tickets per day at £10 each to enter the Wales Millennium Centre and that was for safety reasons which insist we regulate the numbers in the centre.

“We’ve been able to reduce costs because we have not had to bring in temporary buildings. Nine buildings we normally bring to the Maes are housed in existing buildings this year.

“We’ve not had to provide services like electricity and water and the number of toilets have been reduced because a number were here already.

“On the other hand we’ve had to provide a park and ride bus service for the caravan park and that’s expensive and have more secutity.

“But I’m hopeful the two will balance out and if the Eisteddfod holds its head above water I’ll be happy.”

Mr Roberts said he was delighted the idea of staging the Eisteddfod in Cardiff Bay had been a success.

“There were doubters from the very start but I was confident and happy the Eisteddfod gave it the go ahead.

“The local volunteers have worked very hard to raise money and organise a whole range of events and activities and from the very first day it was obvious this was an idea that was going to work.

“During the Eisteddfod I’ve spoken with traders and caterers who tell me they have had their best Eisteddfod for years. One trader was so busy she had to fetch more stock from home.

“Another tells me he’s sold five times more than last year and the wife of a t-shirt business, who normally visits the Eisteddfod, has stayed at home printing more stock,” he added.

Mr Roberts will be replaced as chief executive by former Arts Council for Wales publications officer chief Betsan Moses.