Photo: Susan Berg
Contribution to support anti-doping efforts
On 26 January, the Government decided on a contribution to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
"I hope that Sweden's support to WADA will also mean that we are contributing to cleaner sports and less cheating," says Minister for Culture and Sports Lena Adelsohn Liljeroth.
New film agreement
On 25 January, the Government and the film and television industry agreed a new film agreement for Swedish film. The agreement will be signed in autumn 2012 and is for the period 2013-2015.
The agreement will mean more resources for films, as funds will be increased by some SEK 30 million per year, most of which will go towards new support to drama series and expanded support to films for children and young people, short and documentary films, and development.
The agreement is being modernised through the introduction of new objectives, new support to drama series, the possibility of allocating support for innovative `cross media projects´ and greater technological neutrality as the cinema release requirement will be removed.
Initiative to promote literature and reading in 2012
On 22 December, the Government decided to allocate SEK 3 million in 2012 to strengthen the status of literature, promote reading and highlight Swedish quality literature.
New national strategy for digitisation
On 21 December the Government established a new national strategy for digitisation, Digital Cultural Heritage. The aim is for the 23 government agencies and institutions covered by the strategy to produce plans for digitising and making available their archives, collections and libraries. The strategy is for the period 2012-2015. One of the national cultural policy objectives is to promote a living cultural heritage that is preserved, used and developed. Digital technology is a key tool for achieving the objective and also helps to make cultural heritage visible and enhance its impact throughout the community.
Digisam, the National Archives Coordination Secretariat, will support the institutions in various ways. For example, it will produce general advice on setting priorities for their digitisation projects. It has also been tasked with following up and evaluating the strategy.
A key starting point for the strategy is to meet the commitments Sweden has made concerning the European digital library, Europeana.
Task to highlight good sporting activities
In 2012 the Swedish National Centre for Research in Sports at the Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences has the task of analysing why some children and young people stay in club-run sporting activities and others do not.
Committee to review press subsidies
Photo: Pernille Tofte
On 15 December the Government decided to appoint a parliamentary committee to review state subsidies to the daily press. Professor Hans-Gunnar Axberger will chair the committee. Its tasks will include analysing the need for support and presenting proposals on the design and administration of a future support system. The final report is to be submitted by 31 August 2013.
Umeå Capital of Culture a task for cultural institutions
Photo: Robert Rösth
Twenty-two agencies and institutions in the cultural sphere have been tasked with working collaboratively with Umeå Municipality to look into their role ahead of and during Umeå's year as European Capital of Culture in 2014. The municipality of Umeå is preparing a programme based on eight Sami seasons and built around a range of programme areas.
New Chair of the Swedish Film Institute
On 15 December the Government appointed Göran K Johansson as the new Chair of the Swedish Film Institute Foundation (SFI) for the period 1 January 2012-31 December 2014. Prior to joining the SFI, Mr Johansson was Chair and CEO of Concerts Sweden.
Ministers study cultural heritage in practice
On 7 December, Minister for Culture Lena Adelsohn Liljeroth and Minister for Employment Hillevi Engström visited Arkivcentrum, Upplandsmuseet and the State Archives in Uppsala to see examples of how the Boost for Cultural Heritage initiative will work in practice. The Boost for Cultural Heritage was presented in the Government's Budget Bill for 2012 and is an initiative that gives people with disabilities the chance to return to the labour market. Jobs are being created to digitise, inventory and preserve cultural heritage.
VAT exemptions for voluntary activities and match-fixing discussed at Council meeting in Brussels
Minister for Culture and Sports Lena Adelsohn Liljeroth took part today in the Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council (EYCS) meeting in Brussels. Discussions at the Council meeting focused on VAT exemptions for voluntary activities, match-fixing and the growing importance of cultural and creative industries.
- The issue of match-fixing is important and there are problems in various parts of Europe, even if we are fortunate that it is not so common in Sweden. I have presented Sweden's position, stating that the role of the EU is unclear, and instead emphasised the responsibility of sport organisations and gaming companies, says Ms Adelsohn Liljeroth.
