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Investments from the Welsh Government’s creative agency, Creative Wales, have boosted the Welsh economy by £187m, deputy minister Dawn Bowden has announced.

Launched in 2020, Creative Wales has invested £16.3m in production funding for 31 products – generating more than 11 times that in the process.

The investment has also led to the creation of more than 265 paid placements for trainees looking to break into the industry, according to the Welsh Government.

Some of the projects supported by the funding include The Way; Lost Boys and Fairies; Creisis; Steeltown Murders; and crime thriller Wolf – which will air in early July on BBC Wales.

Ms Bowden, who is the deputy minister for arts, sport and tourism, announced the figures at Creative Wales’ first in-person showcase event in Cardiff on Tuesday June 20.

Ms Bowden, who is also the Labour MS for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney, will be announcing the next wave of funding, with £1m being made available to from July.

This funding will be open to those in creative industries with ideas of developing high quality film, television, gaming and animation content made in Wales.

MS Bowden, said: “It’s through investing and supporting the industry that we can realise its full potential. We are a small but mighty nation that stands proudly among some of the biggest players globally.

“Our talented people, stunning locations, infrastructure and facilities really do make Wales the best place on earth for creatives to locate and thrive.”