The Union of Journalists, the Union of Stage & Film, the Writers' Union, Swedish cartoonists, the Swedish Photographers' Union, the Playwrights' Union, the Association of Swedish Composers, the National Artists' Organization and Swedish stage directors have signed a joint letter in which they oppose a national cultural canon.
"We want to unanimously and firmly advise against the implementation of a Swedish cultural canon.
We believe that interest, commitment and knowledge of art and culture are better promoted through long-term investments in both contemporary art and cultural heritage," they write.
Cultural Sweden skeptical
A cultural canon means that a number of works are listed as particularly important or good.
A canon can then be used in, for example, school teaching or in a test to obtain Swedish citizenship.
The government has proposed that cultural institutions should draw up the list, but so far few of the intended ones seem to be interested.
The Swedish Academy's permanent secretary Mats Malm has told Dagens Nyheter that he will not be involved and also Dramaten's theater manager Mattias Andersson has been skeptical about participating.
"There is no contradiction"
Culture Minister Parisa Liljestrand (M) has previously written in an email to Kulturnyheterna that she does not agree with the criticism directed at the cultural canon proposal.
"There is no contradiction between investing in culture and introducing a cultural canon.
I myself am a Swedish teacher and therefore, just as the authors write, have both studied literature in education and taught students.
For me, there is no conflict between a canon and the teachers' competence to pass on the cultural treasure," she wrote at the time.