David Samuelsson, secretary general of the interest organization Studieförbunden, which is behind the report, says that every fourth gig has disappeared over the period:
We have lost 300 rehearsal spaces. That's a huge loss. That's a lot of music that hasn't been played, that's a lot of dreams that haven't been realized.
The government is reducing state funding for student unions by SEK 500 million over three years starting in 2024. Even before the cuts, support for student unions had also been reduced from municipal and regional sources. Over approximately 30 years, support has been halved.
"This is very negative for Sweden's development and in the long term this will damage the regrowth of large established artists who win export awards. But we may not see that for 10–20 years," says Samuelsson.
"Invest in young musicians"
Avazeh Ceghafi plays in the indie pop band Svartån from Örebro. The band has been playing together for about three years.
Ceghafi says the band immediately felt the cuts when the rent for their rehearsal space was raised. They have also noticed that there are not as many gigs as before. The band wants politicians to invest in young musicians and public education.
"Having a rehearsal space to go to and bandmates to hang out with both counteracts loneliness and prevents you from being out on the street doing other things," says Avazeh Ceghafi.
Putting spokes in the wheels
The band Mångatan from Stockholm has also noticed that it is more difficult to find gigs. The fact that the student unions' finances are tight is a direct obstacle to young people who want to start playing music, says drummer Luna Harrison Edgren.
"It discourages and prevents small bands from even being created or given the chance to establish themselves. It leads to fewer musicians and less music in Sweden," says Harrison Edgren.
The effects of the cuts
In the 2024 state budget, the government presented a cut in the allocation to student unions by SEK 500 million, which corresponds to one-third of the student unions' annual state grant. The cut will be made gradually over three years.
In 2024, the government grant to the student unions was reduced by SEK 250 million. In 2025, it will be reduced by SEK 100 million and in 2026 by a further SEK 150 million.
A fifth of the student unions' popular education has disappeared since 2023.
Cultural programs have decreased the most. Almost one in three cultural programs is gone.
The student unions have closed premises in four out of ten municipalities.
Nearly 1,000 employees have been laid off, corresponding to a quarter.
Two out of ten student unions have closed down completely.
Source: The Swedish Student Association's report "The Gambling Crisis"
