"We moderates want culture to be independent and free (...) We want to prioritize children and young people's right to culture"

This is how the Moderates' cultural policy spokesperson Kristina Axén Olin describes her party's cultural policy.

The Moderates have been the largest party in Täby since 1976. In the last election, M received 38 percent of the vote and the municipality is governed in alliance with C, L and KD.

During the past term of office, the municipal government has pushed through a major cultural policy change.

Täby opened for private music schools within the cultural school already just over ten years ago - but in 2019 the municipality decided to discontinue the individual instrument lessons in the municipal cultural school completely.

They wanted to deal with the existing financial deficit and increase the students' freedom of choice.

The individual tuition has been taken over by six procured private schools.

Orchestral playing and other group teaching are continued under municipal auspices.

- The cultural school has looked the same throughout Sweden for many many years.

This is new thinking.

My family and I should be able to choose: "Kalle should go to school here", says Birgitta Kaasik (M) who is happy with the result: more students and a balanced budget.

A: "Risk of odd instruments dying out"

The Social Democrats have been opposed to the closure of the municipal individual instrument education.

If the municipality does not run its own business, it will be difficult to make demands on the private schools, says Camilla Henriksson Bajas (S), second vice chair of the culture committee.

She is critical of the lack of requirements for trained music teachers and thinks that the range of instruments will be uniform.

- For natural reasons, private schools choose instruments that are popular.

There is a great risk that more odd instruments will eventually die out, that classical music and folk music will disappear, says Camilla Henriksson Bajas (S).

M: "May transport his child"

The moderates see no problem in that narrower instruments such as viola, harp or harp are not offered in Täby.

In these cases, the student can apply outside the municipality's boundaries through a project with the neighboring municipalities, says Birgitta Kaasik and takes an example:

- If there is a good harp teacher in Danderyd, the student can go there.

Then you have to drive your child, she says.

Requirements for trained teachers are not needed, thinks Birgitta Kaasik.

- They must have a corresponding music education for five years.

If you have been playing guitar with Per Gessle for ten years, you can probably teach "Pelle" to play guitar.