The Government is investing SEK 100 million per year in promoting low fees for municipal schools for music and the arts. This is proposed in the Government’s Budget Bill for 2016 following an agreement with the Left Party.
There are several obstacles to attending municipal schools for music and the arts, one of which is high fees. This is why the Government wants to help secure low fees for municipal schools for music and the arts. The aim is to make municipal schools for music and the arts more accessible and equitable.
The Swedish Arts Council will be tasked with administering and distributing the grant.
Background
In the 2014 Statement of Government Policy, the Prime Minister announced that a national strategy for schools for music and the arts would be drawn up. An Inquiry Chair, Professor Monica Lindgren, has been tasked with drawing up a proposal for a national strategy for municipal schools for music and the arts.
One important part of the remit is to survey and describe the municipal schools for music and the arts and identify obstacles to attending. We already know that the fees are not the only obstacle to attending; socioeconomic background and geographical differences also mean that not all children have the same opportunities to take part in activities. The conclusions of the Inquiry will provide important material for the Government’s future deliberations.