The Swedish Arts Council´s International Strategy 2016–2018

In 2015 The Swedish Arts Council adopted a strategy for the period 2016–2018 whereby the council is to facilitate the development of the arts and create diversity and quality of culture by promoting international exchange and collaboration. By means of this strategy The Arts Council is to ensure that efforts in working for greater international exchange and cooperation throughout the whole cultural sphere and in its own operations are run in a structured and long-term manner. The strategy is focussed on activities that include meetings between actors active in Sweden and actors from other countries. These may be shorter exchanges such as guest performances or more long-term collaboration covering repeated activities. Exchanges and cooperation may take place in Sweden or abroad.

Sub-objectives

- More cultural practitioners and cultural actors in Sweden must be given the opportunity to be present and sought-after abroad and take part in international cultural encounters.
- More people in Sweden must be given access to art and culture from across the world and thus diversity and quality of provision.
- The cultural dimension must be strengthened in all Sweden’s foreign contacts.
- The Arts Council is to promote freedom of expression and democratisation in international contexts and work to establish more cities of refuge for threatened artists.
 - It is to be knowledgeable in the arts scene and in cultural policy in an international perspective.