Culture for everyone

Kristina Axén Olin (M)

Madam Speaker! Culture is something that engages a large part of the population, and that is pleasing.

It can also be seen from motions written by different members of Parliament that there is a genuine interest in culture, which most of us actually use on a daily basis.

Today we have motions that deal with everything from Swedish performing arts to the Sámi national stage, libraries and literature. But we also have motions about our opera house here in Stockholm.

Culture for all

It is therefore extra pleasing as a Moderate here today to be able to vote in favor of the committee's proposal for a decision and thereby reject almost all motions on the grounds that the vast majority are actually already approved and decided or are under investigation.

I think the opera house is a symbol of how cultural policy has been handled for several decades. The misery that actually prevails now at the Royal Opera in Stockholm is not a new issue.

Even when I was a city councilor in the City Hall in the early 2000s, we approached Marita Ulvskog, who was then the Social Democratic Minister for Culture, regarding the plight of the opera house and the need for renovation. After that, we approached Leif Pagrotsky, Social Democratic Minister for Culture, on the same issue, but met with a rather firm lack of interest. Then Lena Adelsohn Liljeroth became Minister for Culture. She understood that the opera house needed to be renovated and commissioned the first investigations, but unfortunately, they were never decided upon. The issue disappeared as the Moderaterna lost government power and Alice Bah Kuhnke became the Green Party Minister for Culture. Then nothing happened. After that, Amanda Lind became the Green Party Minister for Culture. Then nothing happened. Then Jeanette Gustafsdotter became Minister for Culture. Then nothing happened.

Madam Speaker! Now the Opera is almost world-famous, I believe, because of how bad the condition of the building is. Stones are falling down. There are buckets in the costume room, and there is even a gutter there because it rains in. Now it is also leaking feces because there are holes in the sewage pipes, so it smells like an outhouse in the entire opera house.

Our government takes responsibility for culture and makes necessary decisions. It is therefore pleasing that Parisa Liljestrand and Niklas Wykman, who commissioned operational investigations regarding the opera house, on Monday received both proposals from Statens fastighetsverk and Operan for the renovation of the opera house. Within a few months, the government and the coalition partner will make the necessary decisions regarding a renovation of the opera house. This should have been done decades ago. In area after area, our government makes necessary decisions that promote culture throughout the country.

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Amanda Lind (MP)

Madam Speaker! It is a very broad report we are dealing with today. Culture for all spans everything from literature and library issues, games as a cultural form, national minorities' culture and the indigenous Sami people's culture to access to culture and cultural practice throughout the country. I will make some points in the report where the Green Party has many motion proposals.

What do The Brothers Lionheart, The Witches, and Harry Potter have in common? It is not only that they are beloved children's books and staples in our homes and in libraries. They are books that at different times and in different countries have been banned. The Brothers Lionheart were considered to encourage revolution in the Czechoslovakia of that time. The Witches were considered to be hateful towards women. Harry Potter was banned in Saudi Arabia and at a local level in the USA due to occult elements.

Culture touches and has a unique ability to open our eyes and create new frames of reference. It has not always been appreciated by those in power, not infrequently for reasons that were perceived as positive at the time. One has wanted to protect and counteract harmful effects. It can be easy to laugh at in hindsight, but all the more difficult to see and see through when it happens in the present.

Madam Speaker! Unfortunately, today we see a negative development of artistic freedom around the world. When the author Laurie Halse Andersen received the Almapriset last year, she gave a moving acceptance speech. She told that in the USA, a censorship of children's books of rarely seen proportions is now occurring. Her own books Say Something and Shout have been banned in libraries all over the USA because they deal with sexual violence and have thus been classified as pornography.

It can also be about not wanting young people to read about sex, homosexuals or trans people, other religions than a certain type of Christianity or racial theory. What affected us who sat in the audience during the Alma Awards, I believe, was particularly that we do not perceive the USA as something far away but rather very close to our everyday lives here in Sweden.

Madam Speaker! Even in Sweden, we have challenges. Artistic freedom is so much more than just what is not prohibited. It is about the space of freedom that artists feel they have and whether they feel pressured by self-censorship or a tough economic situation. It can involve threats and persecution but also poor conditions for working as an artist.

In the autumn, I had the pleasure of participating in the opening of Forbidden Culture Week in Malmö. It is a week with a focus on forbidden culture and artistic freedom. It included everything from book tips, lectures, city walks, and art exhibitions to marathon reading of forbidden texts. It was a week aimed at spreading knowledge about the reasons for censorship and about forbidden music and journalism around the world.

Madam Speaker! In today's committee debate, I want to shed light on our motion regarding asylum cities. Through the asylum city system, for almost 30 years, it has been possible for threatened and persecuted authors and artists to be given a place in Sweden to create. The asylum city program means that an author, musician, visual artist, illustrator, performing artist, or filmmaker who is subject to persecution or censorship in their home country is offered a two-year scholarship with free housing and a network in the city's and region's cultural life in order to be able to develop artistically and work freely within their artistic field. Malmö, as I mentioned earlier, is now on its ninth asylum city scholar.

There are currently 24 sanctuary cities in Sweden. These are municipalities or regions that are connected to an international network called Icorn. We in Miljöpartiet believe that the number of sanctuary cities for persecuted authors, journalists, and artists in Sweden would need to be expanded to better meet the existing need. Therefore, in this motion, we urge the government to review and further support the Icorn program so that the program can be expanded and the conditions for the artists can be secured even after their time as sanctuary artists has expired.

We also believe that the government, in all international contexts, not least at EU level, should continue to highlight the issue of artistic freedom and safe havens as an opportunity to safeguard both democracy and freedom of speech.

Madam Speaker! In this report, we also have motions concerning the culture of the national minorities and the indigenous people, the Sámi. Here I would particularly like to mention Giron Sámi Teáhter. It is today the largest actor within Sámi performing arts on the Swedish side. Giron Sámi Teáhter was formed through a decision in the Sámi Parliament in 1992 and is today run as a non-profit association. It is financed by the Sámi Parliament, the regions of Norrbotten and Västerbotten, and the municipalities of Kiruna and Storuman. They also have a grant via the state.

Madam Speaker! Giron Sámi Teáhter is important for promoting Sami culture, the art of storytelling, and the performing arts, and also for spreading stories with a Sami foundation throughout our country. Giron Sámi Teáhter has done its own work on how they can develop into a Sami national stage. The Government has given Giron Sámi Teáhter a financial supplement. We think that is good, but we think it should be developed further. We also think that Giron Sámi Teáhter should be given a mandate to act as a national stage. It would be an important step to take, both for Sami culture and for our entire country's cultural development.

Madam Speaker! In conclusion, I would like to say a few words about some current issues in the debate and in the committee report. An investigation has submitted proposals linked to the merger of agencies in the cultural field. I would particularly like to mention the proposal that exists regarding the merger of the Swedish Arts Council and the Swedish Arts Grants Committee. Background material has been received from those agencies highlighting what opportunities and risks exist with the proposal. Not least, the Swedish Arts Grants Committee is very clear that there is a risk that the specific mandate one has to protect the artists in Sweden could be lost. There is a value in an independent agency that can protect precisely the artists' conditions and circumstances.

I have been able to see in the investigation *Så fri är konsten* that Konstnärsnämnden is an agency that has succeeded very well in safeguarding and promoting artistic freedom. We from Miljöpartiet's side hope that the government considers the views that have come from Konstnärsnämnden. We believe that there are great values in not carrying out the merger with Kulturrådet. One should investigate if there are other possibilities within the cultural area when it comes to agencies and to streamline the agency side there.

Madam Speaker! In addition, I would like to briefly mention the issue of the Opera. This is an issue, as has been said from the rostrum, that has engaged many governments. Many different investigations have been carried out to illuminate the options available, and on Monday, two alternatives from Statens fastighetsverk were presented for how one could proceed.

Madam Speaker! We have a motion in this report concerning the Opera. I will not say it is overplayed, but a bit has happened since it was written. What is stated in our motion is that we assume that the new basis from Statens fastighetsverk is characterized by a great sensitivity to the Royal Opera's input and that the decision from the government subsequently carefully considers the needs that exist for a modern opera and dance activity and that there is a great measure of long-term perspective in the decision.

I will not take up too much speaking time on this. It is an ongoing discussion being held. But I note that the Royal Opera is concerned about the first option in the investigation presented on Monday. It is said that there is a risk of an inefficient operation that negatively affects their artistic work. And that the orchestra having to transport instruments perhaps daily to Musikaliska Kvarteret without having the possibility to conduct their rehearsals and operate within the framework of the Opera's building could be negative for their operations.

There is another alternative that has been presented which is not much more expensive but which in the long run would provide a better opportunity for a long-term opera activity. We in Miljöpartiet will also delve into these documents, and we look forward to continuing the dialogue with the government parties on this. We think it would be good for long-term sustainability that this type of broad party-political conversation takes place. We also want to emphasize here that this is a decision that will apply for a long time to come and that we must ensure that we have an opera activity on our national stage that is given the opportunity to flourish for a long time ahead. Therefore, this decision must be made with a great measure of long-term perspective.

I naturally stand behind all our motions in this report, but I choose to vote in favor of reservation 11 concerning a Sami national stage.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Lars Mejern Larsson (S)

Madam Speaker! One day long ago, five guys were going to start a rock band. The name was simple: The Berets, baskrarna.

The remaining steps came naturally. There was a drummer, a bassist, and guitarists. Now there was only one question left to solve. Who would sing? A singer was needed. The dream existed of the big arenas. Enthusiastically, they contacted the music school's singing teacher Maud Lax, who welcomed them and wanted to test the guys' skills. For most, it went really well, but obviously, they needed to practice and train to get better.

Madam Speaker! When it was my turn, I had to sing a song called Köp varm korv. I had to sing it repeatedly, and when I was finished, Maud said dejectedly: Oh, that voice requires a lot, a lot of work ahead. And as you surely understand, my singing career was over even before it had begun.

But the music has never left me. It has been there through all stages of life, from the first LP with Abba, which dad gave me, to all the magical concerts on the big stages with, among others, Bruce and Bowie.

But if I stick to Sweden and not just to the 80s Folkets Parker with Gyllene Tider and Uggla, but to the Swedish artists who I have actually made an impact internationally, I can mention the hard rock group Europe, who introduced the glam metal genre, Roxette, who had four number one hits on the US Billboard chart, Ace of Base, who hit in both East and West, and Rednex, who in recent days have been played 3 billion times on YouTube with Cotton Eye Joe.

The Swedish music saga just continues with music producers and Swedish world-class artists, and if I were to list them all, I would be standing here forever.

Madam Speaker! Music invites one to dance. I shall illuminate the world of dance and its fundamental role in our culture, especially in the context of small and independent actors. These do not only constitute the core of our performing arts infrastructure but are also pioneers in innovative cultural expressions. In recent years, these independent actors, namely dance studios and independent dancers, have encountered significant economic challenges. Increased electricity prices and rent hikes have hit the sector hard, which already operates under tight economic frameworks.

The popularity of dance, especially among young people, is undisputed. It is an art form that not only offers an expression of creativity and emotions but also promotes physical health and mental well-being - hence, for example, the origin of Alla kan dansa in Dansstudion at home in Karlstad in the cultural county of Värmland. Despite this, dance has not received the same institutional or structural support as other art forms.

Madam Speaker! Music lessons do not help everyone, but Sweden would not have had these enormous musical successes if there had not been a good foundation. The music ecosystem consisting of public and private actors is crucial for our Swedish music scene.

Music education in preschool, the artistic programs of higher education, and local scenes and music events are interconnecting parts that contribute to the nation's musical successes.

Unfortunately, we see that the resources for important institutions such as municipal music schools and music colleges have decreased, as have the number of music venues. This constitutes a great threat to this ecosystem.

We urge the government to initiate a dialogue with dance education, representatives for dance, independent performers, music schools and municipal cultural schools to improve the conditions for the future of these art forms in Sweden.

Madam Speaker! The breakthrough of streaming services, such as Spotify which started in Sweden, is also changing how we consume music globally and has continued to strengthen Sweden's position in the music world. The music industry has become one of Sweden's largest exports and an industry that deserves all the attention.

Changes within the music industry are occurring very rapidly, which we learned about during the research day last week. The development of technology, digitalization, and globalization has transformed the music industry and is creating new conditions.

If Sweden is to continue to be great within music, new political initiatives are required that meet today's challenges. It is high time to investigate the conditions and prerequisites for Swedish music.

Madam Speaker! We must see the importance of the cultural cooperation model. The purpose of the model is to give the regions increased responsibility and increased freedom within the cultural area, while at the same time safeguarding an arm's length distance from us politicians. It is crucial for achieving the national cultural policy goals and strengthening regional priorities as well as bringing culture closer to the citizens. We want to emphasize that the government shall safeguard, strengthen, and develop the cultural cooperation model.

Madam Speaker! For us Social Democrats, culture and democracy have always gone hand in hand. We see an active cultural policy as a catalyst for democracy. The policy must be prepared to take responsibility to ensure that cultural life also continues to have good conditions. We therefore see dangers in, just as Amanda Lind said, that the government has ruled out a merger of the Arts Council and the Swedish Arts Grants Committee. Such a measure should be preceded by a consequence analysis.

I support all Social Democratic reservations, but I move for approval of reservation 1. I also support our special statement.

It is difficult to build a society without culture. Culture is not just a luxury that we acquire when we consider that we can afford it. It is a necessary part of society's soul and society's development.

I want to highlight an institution that exemplifies the power and necessity of culture in our society, and that is the Royal Swedish Opera.

But let us first travel back to the 90s, when Sweden's economic situation was precarious. We had a national debt of 70 percent. Since then, Sweden's economy has improved significantly, and we are now one of the world's most stable nations. With lower national debt, reduced tax pressure, and improved economic conditions, the opportunities for investments in culture should be great. Yet we see a continuous deprioritization of the investments in culture.

The Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm, our national stage for ballet and opera, suffers under reprehensible working conditions. Musicians practice in corridors, ballerinas hit their heads on the ceiling due to inadequate facilities, rain leaks in, and it is too cramped among the costume and wig makers, who Kristina was also in. But pride permeates all opera employees. Like magic, they sew together performance after performance. It is unworthy that such an icon is treated in the way that occurs.

Madam Speaker! The Royal Opera, our greatest cultural gem, has suffered long enough. I expect the Minister to take the initiative for cross-bloc talks based on the opportunities available in the two proposals; it is a matter of necessity and further development, one could say. This must happen across the bloc. The cultural institution the Royal Opera and our commitment to Icorn create long-term values that go far beyond economic return. It is enriching in the form of identity and community and deepens our understanding of humanity.

Madam Speaker! Let us therefore not see culture as a cost but rather as an investment in our country's soul and future prosperity! Let us elevate culture to the heights it deserves! We need a broad political consensus so that our cultural treasures shall not only survive but also be invested in. We must also continue to support and expand our commitment to Icorn in order to strengthen our position as a bastion for freedom of expression and human rights.

Finally, I believe that Pablo Neruda's words can inspire us in this endeavor: "They can remove all the flowers, but they can never stop the spring." Let us ensure that culture, our eternal spring, never ceases to bloom in our country!

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Alexander Christiansson (SD)

Madam Speaker! I lost my voice on Monday. Perhaps it is due to a rock concert over the weekend, but I will leave that unsaid. It is not quite clear yet.

I naturally stand behind all of our reservations, but I move for approval only of reservation 9. There, we in Sverigedemokraterna highlight the issue of strengthening the cultural and creative industries. We believe that the conditions for individual cultural creators could be strengthened, among other things, through patronage and alternative financing models. It is an important issue for creating better conditions for a free and independent culture.

In our Nordic neighboring countries Norway and Denmark, systems for patronage for cultural creators have already been established. In an international comparison, we can also see that there are, for example, a number of different financing models for contemporary culture, but in order for as many cultural creators as possible to be able to be independent and operate outside the established institutions, the financing needs to be reviewed. We therefore believe that the government should investigate a patronage model inspired by precisely Norway and Denmark in order to promote the opportunities for independent cultural creators. Such a measure could strengthen the independence of cultural life.

Another way to strengthen the cultural and creative industries is to give the cultural authorities a more active role in supporting and assisting them in their business activities. During the pandemic, it became clear that the cultural and creative industries fell between the cracks, as it was unclear which authorities they should turn to in order to receive the service they expected. This applied to both cultural creators and entrepreneurs. It is therefore important that the cultural authorities receive a clarified mandate on how they should support and assist entrepreneurship within the creative industries. Most telling was that the commercial actors did not even see themselves as part of the cultural sector during the pandemic. That is a bad sign.

Sweden's cultural authorities have a great deal of competence that can be of great help to the cultural and creative industries. It is therefore important to investigate how Swedish cultural authorities can contribute to helping the cultural and creative industries in their role as entrepreneurs. This can be achieved by developing better guidelines, increasing communication and cooperation between authorities and the business sector, and offering more tailored services and support. We Sverigedemokrater have long highlighted precisely these issues, and it is pleasing that the government is now beginning to drive them with its white paper Strategy for companies in cultural and creative industries.

Madam Speaker! There is, of course, much more to say about this report, which is very broad. But I choose to content myself here, given my voting position, and thank you.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Vasiliki Tsouplaki (V)

Madam Speaker! The vast majority of people in our country experience culture daily – to what extent and in what way, of course, varies. When it comes to personal creation, the differences are not so great, but when it comes to participating as an audience in professional culture on stages and in museums and art galleries, the differences become even greater. In that case, factors such as class and place of residence play a role. We can see that women are overrepresented and persons with disabilities are underrepresented.

We mean that this ultimately leaves an impression on those who might consider working in an artistic profession. Without diversity among cultural workers, culture risks touching fewer people. Perspectives become one-dimensional. Many stories will never emerge, and interest in culture becomes lower. Then it also becomes difficult to reach new groups, and the situation is cemented. The person who never sees anyone who resembles themselves on the white canvas, the screen, or the stage has a harder time imagining themselves there.

The Left Party's goal of a society with culture for everyone therefore requires active work to increase diversity within the artistic professions, what is often referred to as broadened recruitment. It is also about equality, democracy, and the right to the public space. Those who create music, literature, and performing arts are also involved in shaping the present and creating our future cultural heritage, and they receive a platform to advance opinions.

We see that a strategy to reach out with culture to everyone must include perspectives on increased diversity within the cultural life and touch upon both what is traditionally culture policy and what is called arts policy, that is, both broad measures for the entire population and targeted measures for those who work within the cultural sector.

Madam Speaker! The artistic programs at the university level are among the most skewed in terms of recruitment, especially when it comes to the students' socioeconomic background. There may be many reasons why it has been difficult to break the skewed recruitment to precisely the artistic programs, for example the fact that those who have been educated for many years within an artistic profession earn 65 percent of the average salary for university graduates. It is common that after graduation one must have a number of different jobs to be able to support oneself. Many have to combine scholarships, projects, part-time positions and freelancing with their own company. In an industry with few permanent positions, contacts also become more important. Statistics show that students from homes unaccustomed to studies more often choose programs that lead directly to work.

This situation implies not only uncertain monthly incomes but also difficulties in predicting income during illness, parental leave, and retirement. The investigation "Entrepreneurs in the social security systems" points out that this insecurity can be a deterrent for those who have a weak position on the labor market. The real conditions for those who choose to invest in an artistic profession are probably one of the biggest challenges to attracting more from the working class to the cultural sector and, above all, the artistic professions. The same applies to those who have been in Sweden for a short time. The well-paid and secure jobs are few, and the reduction has been ongoing for a longer period. Vänsterpartiet therefore wants the cultural institutions to receive increased grants so that more can be employed. We want to expand the artist alliances, a special form of employment for dancers, actors, and musicians which provides security between different assignments but today cannot accept everyone who actually qualifies.

We hope that the government addresses the social insurance issue so that artists can also take parental leave and be signed off sick without having to leave their homes. A functioning fund is also needed.

When it comes to creating opportunities for more people to enter the cultural sector, we also need to create broad early interventions aimed at children. All children should be given the opportunity to participate in and create culture themselves, and be encouraged to be creative from preschool all the way through upper secondary school.

Everyone who wants to should be able to get a place at a cultural school, and the youth centers shall be arenas for independent creation. We shall have strong folk high schools and study associations that provide people with paths to both professional practice and a rich leisure life.

Mr. Speaker! In addition to the broad investments in children and young people, a strong education system and strengthened social security, the state also needs to take responsibility for a policy directed at minorities so that they have the opportunity to preserve and develop their culture. This concerns both the national minorities as well as other cultural and linguistic minorities who have immigrated to our country.

It is remarkable that the government and the Sweden Democrats have decided that a type of association, the one that gathers people around a linguistic and cultural community, shall not receive grants. For example, it works very well to get grants for Swedish folk dance as a cultural association, but not for an organization with a focus on Estonian, Kurdish, or Somali culture in a broader sense.

Representatives from the Liberals have said that it is segregating to be part of such an association and that one should organize together with others. One of the problems one then encounters is well that Serbian folk dance is not taught in so many other contexts than specifically within a Serbian organization.

I mean that there is a big difference between practicing a language with other Greek speakers and attending a study circle at a study association with those who want to learn how to order food on their holiday trip.

The whole point of us organizing ourselves in different associations is that we have different interests and form a community with certain people around that interest. But that does not mean that we cannot be part of other communities.

It is possible to have a job where one speaks Swedish, to play football with people from different social classes, and then on the weekend meet and watch French films with French-speakers. From Vänsterpartiet, we want to see a society where multilingualism and broad cultural competence are something that is utilized and valued and not seen as a threat to a fantasy of a uniform Swedish culture.

Mr. Speaker! In our motion, which is being discussed today in the report Culture for All, we specifically highlight Sámi culture. The Sámi's rights have been strengthened in recent decades. But the abuses and the discrimination that the Swedish state has subjected the Sámi to, and which still continue on many levels, are often unknown to both decision-makers and the general public. International bodies such as the UN and the Council of Europe repeatedly point out deficiencies in how Sweden respects the Sámi's rights as an indigenous people and how discrimination affects the Sámi's situation.

From Vänsterpartiet, we have previously submitted proposals in the Cultural Committee regarding a truth commission on the state's actions. Some of the questions are also being addressed in the Committee on the Constitution.

We have highlighted the issue of repatriation, the return of Sámi objects and remains. There is a declaration from the Riksdag that both the previous and current governments have had and need to address. We also raise the issue of more resources for language initiatives and the Sámi resource library in our budget motion for 2024.

An important contribution for the Sámi culture would also be to establish a Sámi national stage. The Sámi theatre was formed through a decision in the Sámi Parliament already in 1992 and later took its current name, Giron Sámi Teáhter. Since then, it has had the mandate to conduct professional performing arts with Sámi culture and identity as the basis and also to promote the Sámi languages by highlighting, for example, socially relevant issues.

In addition to Giron Sámi Teáhter being the Sami people's theater, it is also, we argue, a knowledge bank in language and culture for the entire Sami area. A pilot and development project was carried out 2017-2020 with the mandate to investigate and clarify how the activities could be developed into a Sami national stage.

From Vänsterpartiet, we mean that the proposal must now be taken further. We allocate funds for that purpose in our budget motion, and we want the government to address the issue promptly. Therefore, I would like to move today for the approval of reservation number 11.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Catarina Deremar (C)

Mr. Speaker! I would like to begin by moving for approval of reservation 4 under point 3 in the report.

We have many different parts in the report, but I intend to stop at a few to try to put it together. For me, Culture for all is about accessibility, pushing one's boundaries, and being able to reflect on our contemporary time and our history. Having access to culture regardless of where you live is a pure accessibility issue. Culture therefore needs to be strong throughout the entire country.

Mr. Speaker! It is about the importance of children encountering culture at an early age. The first and truly important thing for small children is the encounter with the book. If it is done in the right way, the book becomes a friend for life and is seen as an important foundation for education throughout life.

But it is also about children getting to meet the professional cultural creators. It can inspire them to find it easier later in life to get themselves to theater stages or to have it as a natural part of their leisure time to participate in culture as an audience.

Good examples of this include, among others, Gävle Symphony Orchestra, which in a smaller format lets 3-5-year-olds meet musicians and is offered classical music just to awaken curiosity for the future. Or Norrköping Symphony Orchestra, which with its activities for children and young people every year invites up to 20,000 pupils to school concerts, study visits and other collaborations where children also get to participate in concert productions. The orchestra also records music specifically for the target group of children. In Uppsala County, there is a culture bus for school children. This makes it easier for pupils to travel to museums, for example, inside Uppsala.

I believe that we adults have a responsibility to lower the thresholds to culture for our children, whether it is about reading a book or visiting a museum. It is about making the arts and culture accessible to children.

But we have different circumstances. We must also see the importance of people with different disabilities having the opportunity to participate in culture. It is a matter of it being physically accessible. But it is also about help with interpretation and guidance both to and from the activities. Going to an art exhibition or a cinema with a visual impairment can involve both guidance, as I said, and audio description on site.

Mr. Speaker! How does it begin? If you are a musician, it is not unthinkable that the start was in a study association as a pure leisure activity. You meet others, and you explore together based on your own circumstances. There is activity there and a structure that ensures the projects move forward. You set goals, and you carry out your plan.

Another path is, of course, the music school, and often via the folk high schools, before studies at the Academy of Music. Folk education plays an immensely large role for our Swedish music scene, which we are all so proud of. It continues to be the case that I watch with great concern the Tidö government's cuts to precisely folk education. It hits culture hard on all fronts.

Another important part is that we, in our entire country, can see opportunities to participate in culture. I cannot help but mention civil society and the association life, which, with community centers and local heritage societies, provide the stages and the reception when theater companies arrive. In all our rural areas, this is a prerequisite for the infrastructure when it comes to culture. It is how we encounter culture on home turf, and Sweden is indeed a fantastic country, full of culture in every corner.

Through culture we get to know ourselves. We test our boundaries. We get to re-examine our prejudices. It provides lifeblood and creates community. We experience something together.

To continue fighting for a free culture, where politics keeps an arm's length distance, will continue to be a self-evident foundation in my political commitment.

I would like to conclude by saying something about the Opera. There are two proposals that several previous speakers have touched upon, and I want to urge the government to also listen with big ears to the Opera's views on this. It is about the development of the Opera. We need a long-term, sustainable solution, and I look forward to it.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Robert Hannah (L)

Mr. Speaker! The government's cultural policy aims to make culture a common right. Anyone who has listened to Parisa Liljestrand, our Minister for Culture, knows that this is something she constantly returns to. But it is not just words, it is also action.

This government is in the process of developing a cultural canon. We are developing reading lists in schools and a Sweden course for newcomers. All of this aims to make culture a common right and ensure that all people in Sweden have a real opportunity to take in the enormous cultural heritage that exists in Sweden.

Reading is the entire foundation for being able to take in culture, and in that regard, it is incredibly important to invest in children and young people. That is why we are making a major investment in school libraries, in educational materials, and in reading in general. We are also investing in sports in vulnerable areas with over 100 million every year, and we also have a temporary solution with 100 million during this year ahead of the introduction of the leisure card. We are also investing an extra 32 million this year in the cultural school before the leisure card arrives, and the investment aims to reach those young people who would otherwise not come to the cultural school.

But we are also taking care of our great cultural heritage in Sweden. The Swedish Museum of Natural History will receive an addition in the budget that we will decide on in a couple of months to compensate for the fact that the museum has remained closed. We will invest heavily in the Royal Opera. For over ten years, there has been a decision in the chamber to renovate the opera, and with the bourgeois government, a real renovation of the opera is now being carried out. It will be Statens fastighetsverks largest and most complicated renovation ever.

The cultural right of the public that Parisa Liljestrand speaks about is therefore not just talk but also action. A lot of things are happening here.

Mr. Speaker! I want to devote the last part of my speech to addressing the chair of the Culture Committee, Amanda Lind, who will probably make her absolute last contribution here in the chamber as chair of the Culture Committee before she moves on and presumably becomes a spokesperson.

I want to quote Astrid Lindgren's Pippi Longstocking: "He who is very strong must also be very kind." I think that quote says a lot about Amanda Lind. She entered the committee as a former Minister for Culture. She knew everything and knew everyone and has been incredibly generous towards us other members when it comes to sharing her experiences and contacts when we have been out and talked. She has also led the committee in an exemplary manner.

I really want to thank Amanda Lind here in the chamber for a fantastic execution of the chairmanship in the Cultural Committee. Thank you!

(Applause)

Culture for everyone

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Amanda Lind (MP)

Mr. Speaker! Now, I don't really know what is customary at this type of vote of thanks, but I have seen the party leadership debates. I am very happy, I want to say to the vice chairman of the Cultural Committee Robert Hannah, for the very fine words.

Sitting in the Culture Committee is a privilege as a member of this Riksdag. I want to emphasize that. We have ideological debates here in the chamber. We have different proposals on how we should concretely strengthen culture in our country, but we share a strong common commitment in the committee. We are a committee that travels a lot together, share knowledge and experiences, and listen to interest organizations. I am convinced that the Culture Committee will hold that banner very high in the future as well.

I also want to thank Robert Hannah very much for a joint effort in the committee.

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Robert Hannah (L)

Mr. Speaker! I have nothing to add. I agree!

The deliberation was hereby concluded.

(Decisions were made under § 13.)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)