Swedish Arts Council in the culture budget

Swedish Arts Council,
19 September 2024, Sweden

Creative school, reading lists and leisure cards for children and young people are prioritised in the government's budget. At the same time, support for regional cultural activities is decreasing.

The Swedish Arts Council notes an investment in culture for children and young people in the culture budget. The government wants to increase pupils' access to art and culture in various forms. The Creative School, which has existed for fifteen years, will receive an addition of SEK 50 million over three years. From SEK 176 million to SEK 226 million to the country's schools to give students access to culture and art, while at the same time giving cultural creators more jobs.

The work on the reading lists, which the Swedish Arts Council is developing together with the Swedish National Agency for Education, is an important part of the government's reading promotion initiative. The assignment is supplemented with an implementation phase of an additional three years and a total of SEK 9 million.

Preparations for the leisure card are ongoing and continue in the designated authorities, which also include the Swedish Arts Council.

The budget contains some reinforcement for the internationalisation and export of cultural life, for example strengthened co-financing within Creative Europe. The bill also highlights the importance of government efforts ahead of Sweden's hosting of the European Capital of Culture in 2029. The Government intends to return to the state co-financing.

The largest reductions are in the appropriation for regional cultural activities, which is financed through the cultural collaboration model. SEK 20 million is now being taken from the regions.

The government chose not to proceed with a merger between the Swedish Arts Council and the Swedish Arts Grants Committee.

https://www.kulturradet.se/nyheter/2024/kulturradet-i-kulturbudgeten/