In 1974, the first Swedish cultural bill was hammered out in the Riksdag. Together with eight goals – about everything from freedom of expression, decentralization and participation – it became the starting point for a period where culture was highly valued.
Laura Hartman, docent in national economics, independent social economics expert and former chief economist at LO, has in the first interim report looked at how much money the state, municipalities and regions have put into culture over the years.
– The bill led to a strengthening in terms of money. With the goals of decentralization, it meant that above all municipalities and regions invested more.
And that’s how it looked until 1980, says Hartman, who has related the money to Sweden’s GDP and general economic development. At that time, public funding of culture was 0.9 percent of GDP. After that, the curve has turned downwards.
– Both municipalities and the state already reduced their cultural grants during the 1980s. Then the great crisis of the 90s made matters worse, above all in municipalities whose finances crashed. A little pointedly, it can be said that instead of increasing cultural grants, the focus has been on paying off the Swedish national debt and lowering taxes.
Laura Hartman is associate professor of national economics and social economic expert. Photo: Henrik Gustafsson Nicander
Today, more than 40 years later, public funding of culture is 0.6 percent, half of which comes from municipalities and regions, half of which comes from municipalities and regions, half from the state.
– At the same time, there have been more practitioners and organizations, local costs that have increased more than income and an efficiency requirement that applied to the entire public sector – all those factors have made it feel even tighter financially, says Laura Hartman.
At the same time, Sweden’s prosperity and economy have grown, she points out.
– It is ultimately an ideological question, but it can be argued that it should then be possible to spend money also on things that create other values in life, such as culture, says Laura Hartman.
Why is it important to have this type of background?
– We need to be able to have a political discussion that does not forget an area such as culture – which creates social values beyond economic ones – and which can show that the economic problems it is grappling with today are not a new phenomenon.
Ismo Railisson is project manager for People and culture.
Behind the report series “Kulturpolitiken 50 år – where do we stand today?” stands the industry organization Bildkonst Sverige, which represents art organizers such as museums, art galleries and self-organized initiatives. On Wednesday, they therefore presented the first part, where Laura Hartman writes together with the School of Economics’ rector Lars Strannegård and the curator Robert Stasinski about the economy of culture.
This year’s program on the four-day cultural conference will be marked by culture’s financial crisis, says project manager Ismo Railisson.
– The conference is basically about getting cultural issues on the national, regional and municipal agenda. Not least when it looks like it does with all threats to culture.
– The education issue is under scrutiny, libraries and museums close. That makes these questions incredibly urgent and there are many points that touch on the issue. One can hope that what is discussed here is taken forward – there were many issues last year that were further debated.
The Left Party’s party leader Nooshi Dadgostar is one of the party leaders visiting this year’s Folk och Kultur. Photo: Henrik Montgomery/TT
One such question is that of a cultural canon, which was discussed on Wednesday with several national politicians on the panel. On Thursday, there will also be discussions about the rental situation for museums and other cultural institutions such as the Dramaten and the Royal Opera.
During the conference, projects linked to Nordic cultural cooperation and indigenous peoples are also started.
He highlights that two party leaders, Nooshi Dadgostar (V) and Muhareem Demoirok (C), are present this year. It is important to get cultural issues to reach beyond those most closely involved in the cultural industry and raise them to a higher political level.
– Everything that is discussed here is connected to the development of society, he says.
– The whole basis for people and culture is still the meeting. It is in meetings that everything happens in the end.
Facts. Some program items on Folk and culture, 7–10 February
• Events in numbers – new statistics are now presented.
• The culture of the Barents region – about culture and collaboration in the Nordics.
• The alarm about millionaire rents for the culture – what is the solution?
• The voice of the festival in Swedish cultural policy with Sweden Festivals.
• What is happening with culture when public education cuts?
• The parties’ youth confederation discusses the national cultural policy.
• The cultural center Hanaholmen in Finland talks about the value of bilateral relations.
In addition, the organizations Dataspelsbranschen, Sverok, Dataspelscentrum and Embracer Games Archive have entered into a Folk and gaming culture collaboration where they discuss trends in the gaming industry and creative industries.
This year’s edition of Folk och kultur has three keynote speakers: Lars Strannegård, rector of the School of Economics, Ewa Skoog Haslum, head of the navy, and Moussa Mchangama, strategic advisor and opinion leader.
Folk and culture is organized by the County Theaters in Sweden, Regional Music in Sweden and the County Museums’ Cooperation Council. The project owner is the non-profit association Kulturlyftet.
Source: People and culture
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