In line with the national goals for cultural policy, all Swedish cultural policy should ”promote international and intercultural exchange and cooperation“. Intercultural cooperation is thus seen as an integrated part of the general cultural policy and of general international cooperation. Programmes exist to support such exchanges both within the areas of responsibility of the Ministry of Culture and of the Ministry of Education. The government also supports trans-national intercultural dialogue, as well as trans-national activities of young people, e.g. travel grants, language or cross-cultural training courses. There are, however, no comprehensive studies or overviews of these activities.
See also chapter 1.4.1.
Intercultural dialogue: actors, strategies, programmes
Supporting intercultural dialogue is recognised as one of the main objectives of Swedish cultural policy and has several measures to support it. This is primarily considered an objective that should be promoted in all areas by mainstreaming it as a priority for all government agencies. As a main objective of cultural policy, this will be evaluated by the new Government Agency for Cultural Analysis. See also chapter 2.6 and chapter 2.5.4.
The National Museums of World Culture is a government agency responsible for the Museum of World Culture in Gothenburg, as well as for three museums in Stockholm. As a government agency, it is ”aimed at adapting the collections of historical and ethnographic museums to the globalisation process, as well as to accelerating intercontinental migration and multicultural society“. The Museum of World Culture states as its mission to ”in dialogue with others [be] a forum for emotional and intellectual encounters that help people feel at home wherever they are, trust each other and accept joint responsibility for the planets constantly changing future.”
In line with the objective of including inter-cultural dialogue, several institutions and government agencies run projects and activities in this area. The Arts Grants Committee runs a studio programme for visual artists (IASPIS), open to artists from Sweden and from abroad. The Swedish Institute has grants for international exchange within the arts, science, and media. There is also a system of state income guarantees, through which about 160 artists are guaranteed a minimum annual income.
Additional Resources:
Government’s overall approach to intercultural dialogue
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