Minister of Culture on hard budget criticism: There will be more budgets

A reintroduced state aid of 100 million annually to the cultural schools, and SEK 85 million to the support for local media. The government's big news in the cultural budget was known since before, but was equally the culture minister Amanda Lind's (MP) focus during the press conference for the autumn budget on Wednesday morning:

- This budget is mainly about the January agreement, and I am happy that we can now carry out the cultural promises made there: Invest in the cultural school, invest in the media support and make several investments in reading promotion, says Amanda Lind to the Culture News.

But Wednesday's budget presentation has come to deal equally with those who receive money and who do not. Last week, the County Administrative Cooperation Council once again alerted to a hard-pressed financial situation for the regional museums, where it is expected that every third county museum will be forced to reduce the number of employees next year. But no rescue package from the government was not relevant in the autumn budget.

- I am aware that both the county museums have a tough economic reality. What we are doing overall is that we strengthen the grants to municipalities and regions, so it is clear that it also strengthens regional cultural practitioners, says Amanda Lind.

- But I have also invited the regional cultural representatives so that we can discuss the conditions regionally next week.

It is not only museum Sweden who is upset about the government's priorities, during Wednesday several heavy names in the film industry criticized the absence of so-called production discounts in the budget. Ever since the election, the industry has been lobbying for a state subsidization of film recordings in Sweden, as one experiences a competitive disadvantage against the rest of Europe where similar discounts have been introduced.

- I am aware that the film has this need to level the competitive environment in Europe, and it is an important cultural issue, says Amanda Lind about the criticism, and continues:

- This is the first budget we spend with the Center Party and the Liberals, and then the focus has been on the January agreement. But there will be more budgets.

Another major issue before the budget presentation is that of the National Museum in Stockholm's financial situation. In June, they requested permission to exceed their budget by 49 million, and have requested 60 million in increased appropriations to deal with the large crowd pressure that has arisen in the wake of the inauguration and free entrance reform.

The National Museum also receives an extra 11 million in the autumn budget, but the question is whether this is enough?

Enough 11 million?

- The National Museum has been flagging for this for a long time and we have listened to it, so we are also increasing the funding for the coming years. It is important that when we have done such a renovation that there will be no negative consequences, says Amanda Lind.

So they have no reason to worry?

- Now we are making a substantial contribution, and then of course we will follow the development.