The arts community is concerned Government has abandoned its focus on culture after the word was lost in a ministry reshuffle.

New Premier Paula Cox placed cultural matters under the Ministry of Youth, Families and Community Development on Monday.

They had been the responsibility of the Ministry of Culture and Social Rehabilitation under former Premier Ewart Brown.

National Dance Theatre co-founder Louise Jackson said she was concerned such issues were no longer on Government's agenda.

"They are obviously saying it is something minor and unimportant. It deserves to have a name within the Ministry — this is the case within just about every country I know about," she said.

"What Bermuda is saying is culture is a non-entity, it's a non-name, it's not important enough to be considered. Obviously the people in this Country will not know where to go to find information about culture. If they are looking in the phone book I do not think people would know to look under that [new] Ministry."

Senior community and cultural affairs officer Heather Whalen said the department would still operate with culture at its forefront.

She said it would continue to be responsible for over a dozen events from Bermuda Day to National Heroes Day.

The department will also be in charge of community education and development courses, summer student internship programmes and independent historical research.

According to Mrs. Jackson, it is still "concerning" and "upsetting" that the word culture has been abandoned.

"I find it very important. It is part of the life blood of our Country. If you kill it off what do we have left?"

The Island's first cultural affairs officer, Ruth Thomas, said there needs to be a greater emphasis on culture in Bermuda.

"By the nature of Bermuda we have people from other countries here all the time and that makes an impact on our culture, so we need to know exactly what our culture is," she said.

"I think in Bermuda culture has been on the back burner for a long time. When you look now in terms of its budget, it is very small. I just hope under this new Ministry it will be brought forward from the back burner.

"The fact that culture is hiding in the list of responsibilities that come under that title means it probably isn't thought of as being relevant. I think it leads to the belief that it is still not thought of as an important factor — but it is the very first thing that encapsulates our life. It is our identity and we need to know what it is."

Ms Thomas said it was also important to not dismiss the prominent role that arts played, even if not always valued by the "powers at bay".

She added she hoped Ms Cox would give "serious" thought to protecting the Island's culture.

"Her plate is full but I do not want culture to be erased from the slate or written off."