Eleven companies have merged into the association Sweden's Producers and Private Theaters - including Scalateatern, Oscarsteatern and Chinateatern.
Together, they now demand increased state support to cover the revenue they lost due to audience restrictions.
- The eleven of us are still standing up, but there will come a time when the money runs out and then it is bankruptcy or reconstruction that awaits, says Emelie Löfmark, producer at Julius production in Malmö.
Stronger voice together
Sweden's producers and private theaters will work with other issues after the pandemic, but at present it is a matter of helping to interpret current restrictions and recommendations, as well as what cultural support one can apply for.
They also hope to be a stronger voice together.
In a letter to the Ministry of Culture, they tell about how the privately funded culture has been affected by the pandemic.
- People disappear from the industry.
People who have made a living from this can not support themselves right now and they may not come back.
It takes time to recreate the type of competence that exists at all levels, says Löfmark.
Requires support even after the pandemic
Sweden's producers and private theaters are now demanding increased state support.
They believe that the support must also cover as much as six months after the audience restrictions have been lifted, as the industry has long planning stages.
- From the time we find out that it is free to open up, it takes six months to get the productions started.
We can not just open the gates and believe that people will come.
We need to rehearse, plan and sell tickets, says Löfmark.
And they say that if the industry is to prepare for easing restrictions right now, it must know that there is something to fall back on.
- We need to know that we have some form of financing if we are to dare to invest before the second half of 2021, says Emelie Löfmark, producer at Julius.