Ministry of Culture

Sweden has been entrusted with holding the Presidency of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) – an intergovernmental organisation to promote Holocaust education, research and remembrance – from 1 March 2022 until 28 February 2023. The decision was taken at the IHRA’s digital plenary meeting in Leipzig on 3 December 2020.

To address the crowding that has been seen in nightclubs, the Government has decided that public dance events for more than 50 people will once again be prohibited. The Government has also adopted a new exemption from the ordinance, allowing public gatherings and public events with a maximum of 300 seated attendees, rather than the 500 previously discussed. The changes come into effect on 1 November.

The Government proposes the following investments in culture in the additional amending budget, the autumn amending budget and the Budget Bill for 2021. The Government’s proposals are based on an agreement between the government parties, the Centre Party and the Liberal Party.

This compilation contains a selection of acts and ordinances – both new and amended – that enter into force in mid-2020.

During the spring, the Government, the Centre Party and the Liberals presented several crisis packages to support culture in response to the new coronavirus. The proposals included SEK 500 million for event organisers and independent artists to mitigate the economic impact of the crisis.

How many people work at the Government Offices? What was the central government budget like last year? How many acts and ordinances were issued last year? The answer to these and other questions can be found in the Swedish Government Offices Yearbook 2019.

The Government, the Centre Party and the Liberals are proposing an investment of SEK 150 million to strengthen cultural life and the cultural infrastructure across Sweden in 2020. The funding will be allocated via the Swedish Cultural Cooperation Model - a model for cooperation and funding of culture between the Government, regions and municipalities.

The human rights situation in Sweden was reviewed by the UN Human Rights Council at the end of January as part of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR). Sweden received 300 recommendations from other UN Member States. The Government has now communicated its position on the recommendations in a report to be submitted to the UN.

The Government has taken a decision on how the SEK 500 million crisis package to culture is to be allocated and on the terms of the support, including by adopting a new ordinance on state aid for cultural events that have been cancelled or postponed due to COVID-19.

The Government, the Centre Party and the Liberals are proposing an investment of SEK 100 million in civil society to strengthen associations and organisations working to support the most vulnerable in society during the coronavirus crisis. It is proposed that SEK 50 million be assigned to help people in particularly vulnerable situations, while the remaining SEK 50 million is to combat isolation among elderly people.

The Government, the Centre Party and the Liberals are proposing support of SEK 319 million in 2020 for several state-funded cultural institutions, including the Vasa Museum, Skansen open-air museum, the Royal Dramatic Theatre, the Royal Swedish Opera, Riksteatern and Ájtte for lost revenue due to the new coronavirus.

To ensure the public’s access to information and mitigate the negative economic impact on news media as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government, in cooperation with the Centre Party and the Liberal Party, will provide an additional SEK 500 million in support to general news media in 2020.

Stockholm, Sweden 2020-04-22. Check against delivery.

The Swedish Agency for Youth and Civil Society (MUCF) is being commissioned to compile and disseminate essential information to organisations within civil society during the current crisis resulting from the new coronavirus.

Media throughout the country have been dramatically affected by the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The Government, the Centre Party and the Liberal Party therefore propose that media support be strengthened. The Government also announced a proposal on altered advertising regulations for TV broadcasts.

The national body for dialogue and consultation between Government and civil society (NOD), has been tasked with helping coordinate civil society’s initiatives in response to the new coronavirus.

Government funding for certain institutions will be paid in advance in order to boost their liquidity in the situation that has arisen due to the spread of the new coronavirus.

Stockholm, Sweden 2020-03-31. Check against delivery.

The cultural sector and sports movement will receive an extra SEK 1 billion in support due to the economic consequences affecting these sectors as a result of the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

In connection with the Government’s International Forum for Holocaust Remembrance and Combating Antisemitism, the Government is allocating SEK 10 million to a national initiative to increase knowledge in schools and society.