A headshot of Jack Sargeant

Sargeant became the youngest member of the Senedd in 2018 at the age of 23

Changing Faces

Welsh government names third Culture Minister in six months

Arts Professional
2 min read

Welsh First Minister ELUNED MORGAN has selected JACK SARGEANT as Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership.

The MS for Alyn and Deeside takes up the post this month, succeeding JANE HUTT, who was named Culture Minister in July, after her predecessor LESLEY GRIFFITHS, resigned after only four months in protest over former First Minister VAUGHAN GETHING‘s leadership.

Morgan, who was appointed in August after Gething’s resignation, has made Hutt Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Trefnydd and Chief Whip.

Sargeant is a trained engineer who worked for former North Wales engineering firm DRB Group and as a research and development engineer at Henrob before becoming the youngest member of the Senedd in 2018 at the age of 23.

He previously served as chair of the Petitions Committee and on the Health and Social Care Committee and the Children, Young People and Education Committee.

Sergeant’s new remit will include culture and the arts, broadcasting and media policy alongside sport, equality and welfare.

In a video message, Sergeant said that his first item of business was the country’s cultural strategy, adding that he was “looking forward to working with so many exciting and ambitious partners on the challenges and opportunities ahead”.

The culture brief covers national museums and galleries, local museums and collections, the historic environment, Cadw and the Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments and Arts Council of Wales as well as local archive services and the development of a National Archive for Wales.