Kulturrådet

Kulturrådet, the Swedish Arts Council, is a government agency that helps put national cultural policy into practice. It supports the development of culture, shares knowledge and information, and distributes grants to cultural organisations and practitioners across Sweden. Its work spans performing arts, music, literature and reading, visual arts, crafts, design, libraries, cultural magazines, and traditional crafts. The agency also promotes cultural participation for children and young people, accessibility, regional development, and the cultures and languages of national minorities.

Kulturrådet offers funding opportunities for projects and ongoing activities, including support for international collaboration and Swedish participation in the EU’s Creative Europe programme. It provides guidance, research, statistics, publications, events, and examples of cultural initiatives to inform the sector and the public. The agency also administers the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award and runs initiatives such as Swedish Literature Exchange, Bokstart, and the Arts Council’s support for municipal arts schools. Through these activities, Kulturrådet connects cultural communities, encourages reading, and helps Swedish culture reach audiences at home and abroad.