On this page

1. Existence of a national strategy

2. Scope and contents

3. Responsible authority for the implementation of the strategy

4. Revisions/updates

Existence of a national strategy

A national strategy for municipal culture schools was adopted in 2018. The strategy is based on the inquiry ‘An inclusive culture school on its own basis’, En inkluderande kulturskola på egen grund. The Riksdag (the parliament) adopted the government proposal, based on the inquiry, in May 2018. 

Scope and contents

The government proposition, adopted by the Parliament, in May 2018 sets the overall objective in supporting the municipal culture school to:

"Municipal culture schools shall: 

•  Provide children and young people with the opportunity to learn, practice and experience artistic expression at first  and, in groups, be carried out in children and young people’s free time.
• Be characterised by a high quality and be broad artistically and in terms of the genres covered, with activities in three or more types of artistic expression.
• apply an educational philosophy that is based on the child’s own experiences and interests. Provide children and young people with good opportunities to have an influence on the structure and content of the activity. Have a high proportion of educationally and artistically trained staff.
• Take place in premises that are adapted to the activity and are appropriately equipped. Actively work to inform the municipality’s children and young people about the culture school and to provide them with the opportunity to participate in its activities.
• Work in broad partnership and conduct outreach activities with and the community at large.

(Government proposition 2017/18:164)

In order to monitor and support municipal efforts based on these objectives, the inquiry proposes the establishment of a national culture schools centre that has responsibility for national monitoring and statistics."

(SOU 2016:69, p. 23)

Responsible authority for the implementation of the strategy

As a part of the national strategy on creativity and culture for young people, the government has given the Swedish Arts Council (Kulturrådet) the tasks of supporting national coordination, contributing to development and supporting improved skills supply.

A National culture school centre was established in 2018 as part of the Swedish Arts Council. The Centre's mission is to support the municipal culture school. The mission includes:

- allocating state grants

- being responsible for statistics and follow-up

- following and disseminating research

- identifying educational and developmental needs,

- promoting cooperation between municipalities engaged in municipal cultural education and other actors.

The culture school centre provides research reports and statistics, information on working methods and good examples and on training opportunities etc., addressing both municipal culture school staff and local land national level decision makers.

Revisions/updates

Not applicable.