Swedish Arts Council

The Swedish Arts Council ({{langx|sv|Statens kulturråd}}, or Kulturrådet) is a Swedish administrative authority organized under the Ministry of Culture, and is tasked with promoting culture and its availability by distributing and following up on government grants, on the basis of the national cultural policy objectives, as determined by the Riksdag. The agency works to promote particular artistic and cultural-valuable development in activities related to the performing arts, music, literature, art magazines, public libraries and the fine arts; as well as museums and exhibitions, regional cultural activities and national minorities' culture.{{cite web|title=Swedish Arts Council|url=http://www.kulturradet.se/en/In-English/|accessdate=27 July 2014}}{{cite web|title=Om Kulturrådet|url=http://www.kulturradet.se/sv/Om-kulturradet/|language=Swedish|publisher=Swedish Arts Council|accessdate=27 July 2014}}{{cite web|title=Förordning (2012:515) med instruktion för Statens kulturråd|url=http://www.riksdagen.se/sv/Dokument-Lagar/Lagar/Svenskforfattningssamling/Forordning-2012515-med-inst_sfs-2012-515/|publisher=The Swedish Government|accessdate=27 July 2014|language=Swedish}}{{cite web |title=Regleringsbrev |url=https://www.esv.se/statsliggaren/regleringsbrev/?rbid=22934 |accessdate=2022-08-23 |publisher=Ekonomistyrningsverket |language=Swedish}}

History

The Swedish Arts Council (p.k.a. The Swedish National Council for Cultural Affairs) was established in 1974, in conjunction with the cultural policy

decision of that year, as a public authority with the mission of bringing to fruition the cultural policies adopted by the Riksdag and the government.{{efn|Förordning (1974:644) med instruktion för statens kulturråd}}{{efn|Kungl. Maj:ts proposition angående den statliga kulturpolitiken (Prop. 1974:28)}} Since then, the cultural policies of Sweden have been revised by the Riksdag a number of times. In 1996, the special significance of literature was highlighted through the adoption of a separate piece of legislation, the Library Act. In 2009 a decision to amend the principles for disbursement of state subsidies were adopted. Thus, since 2011, the regions disburse a bigger proportion of the state subsidies.

==Organisation==

The agency has about 120 people working at their office, located at Filmhuset in Stockholm, and is led by a board of directors appointed by the government. The Board has full operational responsibility, and consists of nine members. The Director-General is the chief operating officer, answering to the board of directors. The Board decides on, inter alia, the budget and some government grants.{{cite web|title=Kulturrådets organisation|url=http://www.kulturradet.se/sv/Om-kulturradet/Organisation/|language=Swedish|publisher=Swedish Arts Council|accessdate=27 July 2014}}

Appointed members of the board :{{cite web|title=Kulturrådets styrelse|url=https://www.kulturradet.se/om-oss/var-myndighet/kulturradets-styrelsen/|accessdate=1 April 2021|publisher=Swedish Arts Council|language=Swedish}}

Ulrika Årehed Kågström, Secretary-General of the Swedish Cancer Society (Chairman)
Ann-Sofie Köping Olsson, university lecturer and academic (Vice Chairman)
Kajsa Ravin, Director General of the Swedish Arts Council
Kjell Englund, Director of Wermland Opera
Malena Ernman, artist
Aris Fioretos, author and professor
Po Tidholm, journalist and author
Ellen Nyman, actress, director and artist
Thomas Pålsson, former Director General of Statens servicecenter

Other commitments

The Swedish Arts Council participates in several international projects and awards grants for international cultural exchange. Examples of this are: The Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award and the European Union Creative Europe Desk.{{cite web |title=Our specific Government remit |url=https://www.kulturradet.se/en/about-us/our-specific-government-remit/ |accessdate=2022-08-23 |publisher=Swedish Arts Council}}

=Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award=

The Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, instituted by the Swedish Government in 2002, is the world's largest international award for literature for children and young people and the second largest literary award in the world. The award is administered by the council and is presented annually to authors, illustrators, storytellers and people or organisations promoting reading.