The Government has announced that there will be fewer authorities and several in the cultural sector have been threatened. In November 2023, the Government raised the idea that the Swedish Arts Council and the Arts Grants Committee could be merged and asked the authorities to investigate the issue.
But now the Government writes in its budget proposal that the merger will not take place – since so many have advised against it in the consultation round.
"A significant majority of those who have submitted comments point out problems and risks with the proposed organizational change", the Government writes.
Among other things, the risk of conflicts of interest is highlighted, given that the authorities have different assignments and target groups.
"Based on the authorities' proposals and the consultative bodies' comments, the Government assesses that the benefits of an organizational change in accordance with the proposal are not sufficient and therefore does not intend to proceed with it", the Government writes.
The Director of the Arts Grants Committee, Mika Romanus, is pleased with the decision.
It is very positive for the Arts Grants Committee that the arts policy will continue to stand strong and that the authority that has worked with these issues since the 1970s will continue to do so.
That the arguments in the report we submitted to the Government have been taken into account and that the consultative bodies have been listened to is gratifying. We look forward to continuing to collaborate with the Swedish Arts Council to strengthen cultural policy, she says.
