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The Culture Year 2024 – Poetry, Canon, and Crisis

Bruno K Öijer fans experienced ecstasy at the same time as the young poets stepped forward. But the cultural year 2024 was marked by economic crisis and the debate about a Swedish cultural canon that dragged on.

» Published: 19 December 2024

The Culture Year 2024 – Poetry, Canon, and Crisis
Photo: Maya Eizin Öijer

The state funding of culture, media, and adult education is now at the same level as 20 years ago, according to a compilation from the Agency for Cultural Analysis.

Other state expenditures have increased more simply, said investigator Martin Rickardsson.

During the year, cultural practitioners, theaters, and art galleries that could no longer make ends meet sounded the alarm. The Dance Museum in Stockholm began selling matchboxes for 1,000 kronor each as a desperate cry for help. And before Christmas, cultural magazines and books from threatened small publishers were launched as nice crisis gifts.

Culture Minister Parisa Liljestrand (M) advocated for private cultural funding to reduce culture's "public dependence". But to increase private funding, political signals are needed that culture is important, according to a new report she herself commissioned.

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The young poets stepped forward in online newspapers and fanzines. After ten years of preparation, Bruno K Öijer also came out with a new poetry collection, "Växla ringar med mörkret" and went on a rock star tour. With "rhythmic hits", the 73-year-old BKÖ enchanted his fans.

I'm the same old guy from start to finish. It's a constant mix of darkness and light, he said to TT.

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Theater giant Suzanne Osten concluded the year's "Summer in P1" and died unexpectedly a few months later, in the midst of things. Her summer talk was about turning a no into a yes, about making a zest for life into politics.

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With more than half a year left, neither the subjects nor the expert groups that are to select the works for the Tidö Party's Swedish cultural canon have been presented. The public has submitted proposals such as bandy and kale. A committee member has jumped off and chairman Lars Trägårdh chose not to answer the media's questions anymore.

Alexander Christiansson, the SD's cultural policy spokesperson, is not worried:

We are not aware of any delays and look forward to the final result in August, he says to TT before Christmas.

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A logistical nightmare – that's what Fredrik Lindgren, the CEO of the Royal Opera, called the original renovation proposal from the State Property Agency. The 105 musicians of the Court Orchestra would have to commute with instruments for approximately 30 million kronor. But in June, the government gave the State Property Agency the task of also renovating their rehearsal rooms when the opera house is renovated.

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50 Palestinian journalists, writers, and poets killed in Gaza were honored outside the Book Fair in Gothenburg. But the debate has been characterized by polarization – and poet Hanna Rajs was hit by a hate storm when she took a stand against the war.

The criticized cost rent was reviewed. It led to an unreasonably high rent for the newly renovated National Museum and likely contributed to other institutions not daring to renovate their dilapidated premises. Now it should be scrapped, according to a new investigation.

The National Agency for Education and the Arts Council presented reading lists with 250 literary works for schoolchildren, and the Media Council found that young people are reading more again. At the same time, the number of published youth books in Swedish decreased for the seventh year in a row. The sale of printed books decreased by 5.3 percent, according to the Publishers' Association.

Photographer Elisabeth Ohlson, who broke through with the controversial photo exhibition "Ecce homo", passed away at just 63 years old. Her last exhibition, at Abecita Popkonst & Foto in Borås, attracted a record audience.

The European jury for cultural capitals dissed Uppsala and stuck with Kiruna's concept "Movement. Below ground. On earth. In space". In 2029, Kiruna will show what it means.

The production of Ingmar Bergman's "Fanny and Alexander" at Teater Galeasen in Stockholm was praised. Christina Schollin plays the role of Grandma Ekdahl. "The myth of the small life is shaking" wrote Ingegärd Waaranperä in Dagens Nyheter.

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By TTThis article has been altered and translated by Sweden Herald

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