The Minister of Culture on the cultural workers’ protest

At a quarter past eight on Friday, stage workers and cultural workers fall silent, a manifestation called “Three silent minutes”.

– We have seen an erosion of the grants for decades. So it may not be so much about cutbacks as about a generally tough situation for the performing arts and music life in general, says Simon Norrthon, chairman of the trade union Scen och Film

Simon Norrthon also points out that cultural life has not recovered after the pandemic and that the difficult economic times are hitting the industry hard.

– It is clear that all businesses must be involved and contribute in difficult economic times, but there is so much more to plan in these businesses, he says.

The purpose of the appeal is to show that culture is part of welfare.

– It is a common part of what we own, it is not a special interest on the side. It is not only the culture that can be cut off, but it is part of the whole, says Simon Norrthon.

“Will have to make tough priorities”

Culture Minister Parisa Liljestrand agrees with Simon Norrthon that culture has an important role, especially in a troubled world.

– It is he who creates common frames of reference, gives us experience and creates a bond, says the minister.

Something Parisa Liljestrand believes she will carry out as minister is renovations of various museums. A number of museums have raised the alarm that they are in very poor condition.

– This is a decades-long concern that has been put off, where politics has not been able to make the necessary decisions. Now we need to roll up our sleeves, she says.

But even though the industry is sounding the alarm and the share of cultural money, relative to the entire budget, has fallen year by year, the Minister of Culture does not completely agree with the worried cultural workers. She believes that the cultural sector has recovered well after the pandemic and that it is difficult to say what the support for culture has looked like over time .

– That depends a little on how you cut it. After all, the total budget has increased over time. You can always twist and turn numbers, she says.

Soon the industry will receive more information about the future when the autumn budget arrives, but the minister cannot yet say anything about what the budget will look like for culture.

– We live in a difficult economic time and the role of politics is to set priorities. We will have to make tough priorities – there is no doubt about that, says Parisa Liljestrand.