Culture

The Government’s Music Export Prize for extraordinary services to Swedish music exports in 2021 goes to ABBA. The Special Prize for long-standing contributions to Swedish music exports goes to Håkan Hardenberger, while the Honourable Mention for achievements of particular importance to the internationalisation of Swedish music was awarded to Export Music Sweden.

Sweden condemns in the strongest possible terms Russia’s unprovoked, illegal and unjustifiable aggression against Ukraine. Russia’s actions are an attack on the European security order, and European countries now stand in solidarity with Ukraine and the Ukrainian people. Extensive sanctions have been imposed in a short period of time against Russia and the Russian central government. The Government is now continuing to push for sanctions against Russia, support to Ukraine and strengthening Sweden.

On 18 January, the Government will submit an initial additional amending budget for 2022 to the Riksdag. The budget includes, among other things, increased crisis support to culture and sport. In addition to the proposals presented earlier, an additional SEK 100 million is now being allocated to culture and sport.

Cultural activities and actors throughout the country have been severely affected by the pandemic. The Government is now setting up a new consultation forum for the cultural sector and is investing more than SEK 1 billion in culture through the distribution of previously announced support and proposals in the additional amending budget.

On 7 February, the Government decided on the distribution of the SEK 1 billion in crisis support allocated to culture, as previously announced in the additional amending budget. The crisis support concerns independent cultural life, individual cultural creators, film, regional culture, certain publicly supported cultural institutions and public venues.

Stockholm, 8 February 2022. Check against delivery.

The phasing out of measures in response to COVID-19 will begin on 9 February 2022. As of that date, measures such as the participant limit for public gatherings and events and the possibility to demand vaccination certificates upon entry will be removed. The same will apply to other restrictions, such as the requirement of social distancing between groups and cap on group sizes.

On 12 January 2022, stricter infection control measures will be introduced due to the significant increase in community transmission at the same time as there is increased pressure on health care. The overall assessment is that Sweden is in a situation where it is necessary to take certain infection control measures in stage 3 of the Government’s action plan for introducing infection control measures.

On 23 December, more infection control measures will be introduced in accordance with the Government’s action plan for introducing infection control measures. This is due to the increased community transmission of COVID-19 and the increased burden on health and medical care services.

The Government intends to proceed with the proposal to allow the use of vaccination certificates at public gatherings and public functions from 1 December 2021. The aim is to limit the spread of the virus among unvaccinated people in particular by preventing them from gathering in large groups, while public gatherings and public functions can continue to receive visitors.

Gothenburg has been admitted to the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) in the field of literature. It will be Sweden’s third city in the UNESCO network.

The Government’s Music Export Prize for extraordinary services to Swedish music exports in 2020 goes to Oscar Holter. The Government’s 2020 Special Prize for long-standing contributions to Swedish music exports goes to Ale Möller. The Government’s 2020 Honourable Mention for achievements of particular importance to the internationalisation of Swedish music goes to the duo Sunshine.

The Government’s Music Export Prize is awarded every year to an artist who has been internationally successful during the preceding year and has contributed to Swedish musical export success and to a positive image of Sweden. The winner will be announced by Minister for Foreign Trade and Nordic affairs Anna Hallberg.

The government has previously presented a plan for how the advice and restrictions introduced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic are to be adapted and removed. At a press conference on 7 September, the government announced that restrictions on attendance numbers at public gatherings and events are planned to be removed as of 29 September 2021.

The Government has today decided to allow Nationalmuseum to transfer the painting The Lamentation of Christ by the School of Lucas Cranach the Elder (inventory number NM 6344) to Muzeum Narodowe we Wrocławiu (National Museum in Wrocław) in Poland.

The Government previously presented a plan for adapting and phasing out the restrictions put in place in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. At a press conference on Monday, June 28 2021, it was announced that a number of restrictions will be lifted as of 1 July 2021, in line with stage 2 of the Government’s plan.

The Government proposes that the area of culture be allocated an additional SEK 750 million for extended emergency support and incentives in 2021 to mitigate the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and facilitate the resumption of activities once the situation allows. The proposal is based on an agreement between the government parties, the Centre Party and the Liberal Party.

The Government intends to introduce new financial support to organisers of events planned for period July–December 2021 that cannot be held or must be greatly limited due to the restrictions resulting from the spread of COVID-19. The proposal means that the State will cover part of the financial risk. The design of the support is currently being prepared at the Government Offices, and the Government intends to present the details at a later date. This is based on an agreement between the government parties, the Centre Party and the Liberal Party.

The Government proposes that the area of culture be allocated an additional SEK 1.28 billion for emergency support and incentives in 2021 to mitigate the economic impact of the spread of COVID-19 and to facilitate a restart of activities once the situation allows. The proposal is based on an agreement between the government parties, the Centre Party and the Liberal Party.

Businesses that are unable to operate as a result of a closure decision under the new Pandemic Act will be able to receive financial support to cover their fixed costs during the closure. Up to 100 per cent of the costs will be reimbursed. The proposal is based on an agreement between the Government, the Centre Party and the Liberal Party.