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Central Arts Council appeals to Prime Minister Sanna Marin: do not cut funding for culture

The Central Arts Council of the Arts Promotion Centre Finland (Taike) calls on Prime Minister Sanna Marin to save the culture budget. A parliamentary agreement has been reached on sectors funded by revenues from the state-owned gambling monopoly Veikkaus, such as culture, from 2024 onwards. The size of the culture budget for 2023 will be negotiated in a framework meeting of the Government.
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The Central Arts Council points out that artists have a lot to offer in building peace. Culture can also help in rebuilding spirit: the corona crisis is not over but still among us. Face masks are still worn. There is no absolute certainty that no new restrictions on public events will be imposed because of corona. The culture and arts sector is only just beginning to recover from the corona crisis.

When the framework meeting of the Government last year outlined cuts for 2023 due to the decline in revenues from Veikkaus, it was not known that corona would continue for so long. Many in the culture and arts sector are unemployed and in deep financial distress in the wake of the restrictions. Cultural life needs rebuilding, not cuts. Finns need their own culture and a living cultural heritage, not only to survive but also to exist as a nation.

The Central Arts Council serves as an advisory body to the Ministry of Education and Culture.