The committee that is to produce a canon has a budget of 4 million kronor for 2024, according to the Ministry of Culture's information to TT. The budget for 2025 is the same amount, which gives a total cost of 8 million kronor for the canon.
For 8 million, you can get a lot of culture, says Simon Norrthon, who represents one of the hardest hit areas in a crisis-ridden Cultural Sweden.
He does not think, however, that one should stare blindly at the cost of the canon – since "everything costs".
The question is more about whether it is needed? Art and culture have an extremely important place in society today, not least linked to the preparedness issue of having a strong open democracy even in times of crisis. The cuts that occur when cultural grants are not increased are the big problem.
"Greater benefit"
The state funding of culture, media, and adult education is at the same level as 20 years ago, as recently shown by a compilation from the Agency for Cultural Analysis. A cultural canon is, however, one of the expenditure items that the government has invested in.
I wish them good luck, but I think the money would have done greater good for cultural creators and above all for citizens in other ways, says Simon Norrthon.
The budget includes, among other things, a fee to Lars Trägårdh, chairman of the committee, with 20,000 kronor per month. The members receive a daily allowance of 350 kronor per meeting day.
50-year-old works
The committee has now also announced that the canon will include 100 works, which must be at least 50 years old. The new guidelines were presented on the cultural canon's website, reports Kulturnytt in Sveriges Radio.
The committee will soon publish an article on the website explaining more.
The decision to produce a Swedish cultural canon was made by the Tidö parties.
The committee, appointed by the government, began its work on March 1 last year and is to report its mission no later than August 31 this year.
Recently, the committee announced that the canon will contain a number of categories, including the arts of literature, visual and design arts, music, film, and performing arts, as well as learning and non-fiction. In the category of society, areas such as religion, law and justice, economics, inventions, and public affairs will be included.
