The cultural news review shows that Nacka Municipality has tried to control the public art in the municipality.

In a tender procurement from 2018, the municipality, among other things, demanded that the artworks "reflect the values ​​of the financiers" and that construction logos should be incorporated into the works. In addition, the municipality wrote that each artistic installation would "contain a subway T in blue and white".

The order was for three temporary artworks at the municipality's upcoming metro stations in Sickla, Järla and Nacka.

The municipality: We do not work that way

The cultural news has been searching for Nacka municipality for an interview for almost a month, and a few hours after our review was published Anders Mebius, cultural director at Nacka municipality, contacted to answer questions. He thinks that the wording was a mistake, and that the municipality should not work that way.

- The wording is very unfortunate, that's not how we work with art. We do not make such demands. When it came to this painting, there were examples of how to manifest it, he says.

- I want to emphasize that we in Nacka fully support the principle of arm's length, and I believe that we have done over the years.

How could it have been so?

- In a municipality that does as many procurements as we do, you can find loose sentences that you can problematize. But to control exactly what motive it should be - or worse yet it should be logos in the artwork - we do not work.

Has been criticized before

Already in September, the Cultural News reported that Nacka municipality introduced comprehensive guidelines for the street art festival Wall street Nacka, that the art would be "socially positive", "peaceful" and "respectful".

At that time, the municipality was criticized for infringing on artistic freedom. Anders Mebius thinks that the case is different, but that it should be evaluated afterwards.

- It has definitely not been the ambition to control the art. We ordered murals that would adorn the public space. These are tax assets, and they would then, among other things, instill future faith. I don't see any major problems with it, and the comments we received from the residents have been incredibly positive.

- But we will evaluate the festival and the key words used.

Is it your image that arm's length really applies in Nacka?

- Yes, that's my picture.