The Swedish Arts Grants Committee and Sida: New collaboration coalesce culture and development cooperation

“Culture is a vital part of a strong democracy and Sida is pleased enter this cooperation with the Swedish Arts Grants Committee at a time when the democratic space is threatened and diminishing in many parts of the world. The Swedish Arts Grants Committee has extensive experience of partnerships and building capacity, and these are important components to help further democracies and implement Agenda 2030,“ says Carin Jämtin, Director-General of Sida.

The programme will contribute to strengthening freedom of expression and artistic freedom in partner countries. From a development cooperation and democracy perspective, the goal is to work through exchanges, partnerships, and capacity building efforts with particular focus on youth. The main principle is to develop initiatives that are demand-driven and based on the local actors’ own needs and priorities.

“This is a long-awaited collaboration. The Swedish Arts Grants Committee has been advocating for a more prominent role for the arts and culture in the realm of Swedish international development cooperation.” says Anna Söderbäck, the Director of the Swedish Arts Grants Committee.

Destil-desound © destil (Oda Haliti concert at the New Bazar Tirana)

Through this new collaboration with Sida, the Committee will develop an international programming proposal on culture partnerships and supporting institutions alongside a dozen Swedish government agencies and national organisations including the Swedish Film Institute, Sweden’s National Touring Theatre, Skap, the Swedish Intellectual Property Office and the Swedish Arts Council. Sida and the Swedish Embassies will contribute with knowledge regarding the social, economic, and political contexts in partner countries.

 

For more information, please contact:

Neda Mansouri, Head of Programme, The Swedish Arts Grants Committee: neda.mansouri@konstnarsnamnden.se, +46 (0)70 758 21 62