The situation for the country's 20 regional theaters has hardened further ahead of 2025, when the government has cut funding to the regions and no longer makes any adjustments for increased costs. Most regional theaters expect to hire fewer freelancers and order less new dramatic writing this year, a survey by the Regional Theaters showed ahead of 2025.
At the same time as regional theaters, free groups, and performing arts producers are experiencing shrinking resources, they are facing increased demands for self-financing.
But we have a major mission to play for children and young people. We offer our performances to schools out in the regions, and it's not something that regional theaters can make any money on, says Ylva Nordin, CEO of the Regional Theaters.
May be left without
It's precisely children and young people who are now at the greatest risk of being left without professional cultural experiences, claims Ylva Nordin. Often, schools have difficulty getting to the theaters, which instead come to the children – it's not covered by increased ticket prices.
The theater's operations are already based on low wages and short contracts, according to Thomas Sundström, theater manager at Gotland's regional theater. They have only one permanent employee, and he doesn't see much left to cut. Many theaters already have complementary financing, he emphasizes.
We're approaching 30 percent self-financing. We rely on ticket revenue and collaborations with actors outside the cultural world, says Sundström, adding:
The problem is those who have difficulty paying, such as children and young people, it's performing arts for them that the public sector must help finance.
Only farces
Gotland is one of the few regions going against the tide and not cutting back on culture. Still, the theater has had to start playing it safe, says Thomas Sundström. They did 400 performances in 2024 to survive, which indeed yielded results: the economy is now under control. But they have to play for more and take fewer risks.
We're trying to stretch our resources, but we have to do things that will be a huge success because we need 3,000 people to pay. I understand that you want to save generally in a recession, but money for culture must be considered a smaller part of the state budget.
He thinks the government must start deciding that culture is important.
Otherwise, we'll only be playing farces in the future.
The allocation to the regions for 2025 decreased by 15 million kronor, or 0.91 percent compared to last year. Since 2024, the allocation is no longer adjusted for annual price and wage increases.
The cultural cooperation model is based on cooperation and co-financing between the state, regions, and municipalities to strengthen regional culture. Today, the regions account for about half of the financing within the model, while the municipalities contribute an additional 25 percent. In total, regions and municipalities cover over 70 percent of the financing.
The Regional Theaters in Sweden, Assitej, and Teatercentrum wrote an appeal for children's theater in Dagens Samhälle, ahead of the cultural policy convention Folk och kultur: "Public expenditure on culture is decreasing, and the opportunities for performing arts are shrinking. We are far from fulfilling the national cultural policy goals of 'all children and young people's right to culture'".
