“Basic funding for performing arts and regional culture should be strengthened"
2023-09-10
3 quick questions to Lawen Redar, cultural policy spokesperson for the Social Democrats and Member of Parliament, on cultural policy.
The government recently announced a review of the rental model for cultural properties. What measures are the Social Democrats advocating to ensure appropriate cultural properties?
"Since the proposed rent increase at the Royal Academy of Music, we the Social Democrats have approached the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Culture for serious discussions on cultural properties and rents. Both ministers were summoned to the committee during spring, but no action has been taken. In practice, the current models mean that all increased grants for cultural activities - which should go to developing and broadening the mission, reaching more visitors, and developing the cultural content - go to rent increases. We therefore welcome the fact that the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Culture, following the situation at the National Museum, the Swedish Film Institute and the Swedish Museum of Natural History, want to review the rental models. We believe that broad cross-party discussions are needed."
Recently, three minutes of silence were held for the performing arts in Sweden, where the initiators made demands on cultural policy. How do we ensure long-term funding for Swedish cultural life?
"Largely, thanks to the Social Democratic-led government, Sweden's cultural life received strong support during the pandemic, and later a restart budget of over SEK 1 billion. In our Social Democratic budget for 2023, we had budgeted for continued restart resources of over SEK 200 million for the performing arts to give the operations time to recover. The current government has not done this and therefore the financial situation is extremely tangible. We Social Democrats want to strengthen basic funding for the performing arts and regional culture through the collaboration model."
What proposals do you hope will be highlighted in the upcoming report on the cultural cooperation model that will be presented on September 29?
"Answers to how we strengthen the conditions for independent culture and non-profit culture locally, how we consolidate the principle of an arm's length distance, and how we can use and develop collaboration between the state and the regions' efforts for a rich Swedish cultural life that reaches more people."
Lawen Redar was interviewed by Cecilia Eklund, Senior Consultant and Partner at New Republic. "3 quick questions..." is a series of interviews conducted by New Republic.