The Society warmly welcomes the Report and Recommendations of the National Eisteddfod Task and Finish Group which was published by the Welsh Government on 24 October 2013.  The Group was established in 2012 by the then Minister for Education and Skills, Leighton Andrews AM, to consider the question of whether the Eisteddfod should modernise. 

The Remit of the Task and Finish Group included the following:

• What are the advantages and disadvantages of the Eisteddfod relocating each year between North and South Wales and to new sites each time? What would be the advantages and disadvantages of alternative models, for example, should the Eisteddfod be based around two permanent homes, one in North-West Wales, and one in West Wales, operating on a four-year cycle, with the other two years of the cycle, as now, involving travelling between north and south Wales alternately?

• Whether permanent homes for the Eisteddfod could become the focus for economic stimulus in their local regions, drivers of cultural tourism, reflecting the best of the Welsh arts scene?

In its response to the public consultation on the work of the Group, the Society argued strongly in favour of the Eisteddfod’s continuing to be located in different parts of the country each year and concluded:

“… we fear that a decision to restrict the Eisteddfod to two permanent sites could considerably reduce its influence and contribution and result in irretrievable damage”.

The Society therefore especially welcomes the Group’s unanimous conclusion “that the Eisteddfod should continue to travel to a different part of Wales each year”.