The Budget Bill for 2017 contains several initiatives and reforms to safeguard an open and accessible cultural heritage. The proposals include committing resources to digitisation of the Swedish film heritage and to more museums so as to promote democracy and increase participation.
The initiatives are included in the Budget Bill for 2017, which is based on an agreement between the government parties and the Left Party.
The basic idea behind the Government's cultural heritage policy is that cultural heritage is constantly being developed and shaped jointly by people. Everyone is to have the right to help shape our cultural heritage. Together with other reforms, including in the area of culture, cultural heritage policy will also contribute to an inclusive Sweden that stands together.
Museum agencies promote democracy
The National Historical Museums and the National Museums of World Culture will each receive SEK 4 million per year over a period of four years to improve the prospects for a knowledge-based and reflective historiography. The way people use history and cultural heritage is an important force in the democratic development of society. At present, our society can be characterised as increasingly polarised. Is therefore important that the state museums have resources to contribute to a Sweden that stands together.
Possibility for civil society to apply for new support in the cultural heritage field
The Government will develop and strengthen the grant to cultural environment conservation to enable support to be provided to civil society actors in the field of cultural heritage, such as the Swedish Local Heritage Movement. The involvement of civil society is an important prerequisite to reach many people throughout the country. To accomplish this, SEK 3 million will be allocated to the grant annually over a period of four years.
Increased investment in more accessible film heritage
The current initiative to digitise our film heritage will receive an additional SEK 2.5 million from 2017. A total of 141 films were already digitised between 2014 and 2015. Thanks to digitisation, more films from the common film heritage can be screened in Sweden and abroad, and preserved for the future.
National Museums of World Culture's work with threatened cultural heritage
The National Museums of World Culture will receive SEK 1.3 million from 2017 to develop a long-term project aimed at promoting the protection of threatened cultural heritage in, for example, Syria and Iraq. Ongoing international conflicts have resulted in the widespread destruction of priceless relics and illegal trade in cultural objects. The National Museums of World Culture have established contacts with international actors, and have good prospects of developing this work.
http://www.government.se/articles/2016/09/a-living-and-shared-cultural-heritage/