We call for stronger protection of culture in the Constitution

At Dansens Hus you meet dance from both Sweden and around the world. We provide space for Swedish choreographers and dancers to create art and present it to an audience. At the same time, some of the world's most important choreographers and companies come here to visit. What the audience may not know is that a majority of the dance shown is created by choreographers and dancers who are freelancers and have no permanent employment.

Job insecurity and uncertain economic conditions for choreographers and dancers affect the ability to create free art. Sheer cuts in the cultural budget and political and bureaucratic control of the few remaining resources limit an independent and free culture.

At the same time, increasing nationalism is a threat to the art of dance, as international exchanges, guest performances and tours are crucial for both Swedish and international choreographers to be able to afford to stage productions. We see examples both nationally and internationally of how resources for culture are being cut and how conservative forces are pitting culture against other welfare issues in order to score cheap points.

Stronger legal protection for free culture and stable public funding are two ways to reverse this trend. Today, 16 December, there are 1 000 days left until the elections. During this period, Dansens Hus will create conversations with audiences and politicians about the defence of artistic freedom.

Challa Gustavsson, acting Head of Theatre, Dansens Hus

DN DEBATE 16/12.
Swedish cultural policy has become an ideological battlefield where accepted political agreements are challenged. "We now demand that the government set up an inquiry to investigate how culture can be given the same dignity as housing, education, social care and other fundamental rights in the law," write representatives of 17 cultural institutions.
We see with dismay a Sweden where cultural policy has become an ideological battlefield and where accepted political agreements are being challenged. In an era of populism and nationalism, democracies around the world are being dismantled and freedom of expression is being restricted. Often by directly controlling and directing culture. These alarming developments show that the legal protection of culture is not strong enough to withstand political influence. It is a threat to one of the most important foundations of our democracy, namely the right of everyone to practice and enjoy a free and independent culture. It is high time that culture is given the same legal dignity as other welfare rights.

Culture in all its forms, from theatre, circus and dance to visual arts, literature, music and film, contributes to a vibrant democracy. It gives us perspective on ourselves, our fellow human beings, the society we live in and our shared history and cultural heritage. Culture makes the world a little bigger. Being able to freely participate in cultural life and express yourself through art is a human right under the UN International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

It is also everyone's equal right to participate and express themselves that forms the basis for many activities in the cultural sector. The fact that activities are wholly or partly publicly funded on the basis of these rights can be seen as a guarantee that everyone living in Sweden will have the opportunity to access culture that is free and unrestricted.

The lack of legal protection is evident in the wording of the constitution. The Constitution states that public organisations should work for the cultural welfare of the individual. However, the law then prioritises the right to a number of specific rights, such as housing, education and social care, which excludes culture. These rights are undoubtedly crucial in a democracy. But this prioritisation belongs to a time when culture was not under systematic attack. The right to culture deserves the same protection as the right to education and housing.

In Swedish cultural policy, there has long been cross-party agreement on how public funds should be used to support a free and vibrant cultural life. Partly through the cultural policy objectives, which were last revised in 2009 by the Riksdag and which state that everyone should have the opportunity to participate in cultural life and that culture should be a dynamic, challenging and independent force. The parliamentary parties have also agreed on the arm's length principle, which means that politics creates the conditions but does not interfere with the content of culture. The principle is not a law, but something that the state, regions and municipalities support.

Recently, however, we have seen several examples of politicians at municipal level questioning and challenging existing agreements. This gives a worrying indication of what may happen at national level in a few years' time.

- We see this clearly in the municipality of Sölvesborg, where a number of high-profile decisions have recently been made, resulting in the municipality no longer purchasing what the council calls "challenging contemporary art".

- Or when a member of the culture and leisure committee in Täby municipality demanded that a discussion at the library on LGBT issues be stopped. This was because the talk was perceived as destructive and questioning of gender roles.

- In Nacka municipality, the arm's length principle was not respected when the municipality prevented artworks that were critical of society, rebellious or aggressive from being displayed during the Wall Street Nacka street art festival.

Putting this in relation to the situation in other European countries might be considered extreme. But in Poland, for example, we see how the control of culture has become an important tool for ideological propaganda. For example, a politically charged film was stopped by the country's Ministry of Culture during a film festival. Or that the head of the World War II Museum was dismissed because the museum was not sufficiently patriotic according to the government.

Stronger legal protection is needed to ensure that publicly funded culture is free from direct political influence and does not become an ideological tool for the powers that be. We have previously seen no need for a cultural law to establish the public sector's responsibility to ensure that culture is available throughout the country and that the principle of arm's length is respected. However, when the principle is put out of play, we believe that the issue of further legislation on the freedom and integrity of culture has been brought to the fore.

We therefore call on the government to set up an investigation into how culture can be given the same dignity as housing, education, social care and other fundamental rights in the law. Strengthening the legal protection should be considered alongside the assignment recently given to the Swedish Agency for Cultural Analysis by Minister for Culture and Democracy Amanda Lind to review the principle of arm's length.

In parallel with the review of legal protection, understanding of the role of culture in a democracy needs to increase and gain wider acceptance, both among politicians and the public. More people need to recognise the importance of a diverse range of films, challenging public art and performing arts throughout the country. As fully or partly publicly funded organisations, we see it as our task to increase understanding. That is why we are now choosing to join forces.

On 16 December, there are 1 000 days left until the next elections. We are inviting organisations to participate in a joint initiative that aims to implement as many actions, one per day, to demonstrate the role of culture in a vibrant democracy. Partly by highlighting what we already do, but also by creating platforms for discussions about culture. Such as opinion pieces, dissemination of information, dialogue with politicians and citizens. Small and large initiatives. We invite all actors who want to join the initiative. We are convinced that, more than ever, we need to debate the role of culture.

We will do it every day, a thousand times over.

Anders Frennberg, CEO, Cirkus cirkör
Anna Serner, CEO, Swedish Film Institute
Björn Sandmark, CEO, Gothenburg City Theatre
Calle Nathanson, CEO, People's House and Parks
Challa Gustavsson, Acting Head of Theatre, Dansens hus
Eric Birath, CEO, Fasching
Fransesca Quartey, CEO, Västerbottensteatern.
Jesper Larsson, CEO, Kulturhuset stadsteatern
Johan Oljeqvist, CEO, Fryshuset
Kitte Wagner, CEO, Malmö City Theatre
Leif Magnusson, Director, Multicultural Centre.
Magnus Aspegren, CEO, Riksteatern
Monica Fredriksson, CEO, Folkoperan
Petra Brylander, CEO, Uppsala City Theatre
Pia Kronqvist, CEO, Performing Arts East
Robert Uitto, Chairman, County Theatres in Sweden
Stefan Hansen, CEO, Unga Klara