Culture
The City of Stockholm is responsible for a number of cultural institutions and supports independent culture.
Cultural activities integrate into other operations within the City, for example in pre-schools, schools and elderly care services. Stockholm aims to be a vibrant, inclusive and open city for culture and events. Activities for children and young people are a priority.
Stockholm has a large and wide range of cultural offerings all year round through a number of institutions and independent groups. The institutions are private, state-owned or county-owned, and some are municipal.
Stockholm House of Culture & City Theatre
Stockholm City Museum, the Medieval Museum and Liljevalchs art gallery belong to the City.
The City Archives is the archive for the City of Stockholm and for Stockholm County. This is where you can trace Stockholm’s inhabitants and the City’s development from the Middle Ages until the present day. The City Archives also offer lectures, seminars and guided tours.
Stockholm Culture Festival and Stockholm Culture Night are famous events, usually held outdoors, without entrance fees.
Common priorities
Cultural activities in the City must be convenient, equal, and democratic. They must be easily accessible for all.
Children and young people are a priority in all operations.
Independent culture
There is a wide range of independent culture in Stockholm, and the City offers many different forms of support. To receive support, a number of criteria need to be met. For example, the activities must be open to all. The activities must serve as a meeting place to talk about democracy, provide space for free speech and strengthen the language and culture of national minorities.
Professional culture in pre-school and school
All children in the City of Stockholm’s pre-schools and schools should have access to cultural activities and opportunities.
“Kulturskolan” the Stockholm School of the Arts, offer an opportunity for young people to learn and be able to express yourself through the areas of music, singing, theatre, musicals, dance, circus, art and media. The classes are available for students between the ages of 6 to 22 years old.
Culture and urban development
Stockholm offers a vibrant urban life in all parts of the City. Culture is an important element of urban development, and new planning directions must act as a support and ensure that cultural issues are included at an early stage in the City’s planning.
Art
When the City undertakes new construction, at least 1 percent of the cost must go to art. Through its own organisation – Stockholm Art – public works are acquired for streets, parks, residential areas and squares – so-called site-specific art. This includes art in pre-schools, schools and homes for the elderly. The City has its own art collection, from where departments and companies can borrow art to enrich the environment.
Cultural heritage values
At Stockholm City Museum, the City has expertise in issues relating to archaeology and the history of urban planning. The museum acts as a referral body in building permits and detailed development planning.
Organisation
The Culture Department is responsible for supporting independent culture, as well as
- Stockholm Public Libraries - about 40 libraries and the digital library
- Stockholm City Museum
- Medieval Museum
- Liljevalchs art gallery
- Stockholm Art
- Stockholmia publishing house
- School of the Arts
- Culture Festival, We Are Sthlm, Stockholm Culture Night and New Year celebrations.
The Culture Department is also responsible for several different areas of expertise with regard to how culture is included in the City’s development and in urban planning.
Stockholm House of Culture & City Theatre is one of the City’s companies. It also operates:
- Parkteatern
- Stockholm House of Culture & City Theatre in Skärholmen and Vällingby
Stockholm House of Culture and City Theatre
The city district departments must enhance children’s access to culture and the opportunity for their own creativity.
The City Archives preserve and manage information from the City of Stockholm and Stockholm County.
Culture Strategy Programme for the City of Stockholm
The culture strategy programme sets out the direction for the City’s departments and companies, which have a joint responsibility, often in collaboration with private or other public actors. The programme is based on two perspectives: Equal opportunities to access and create culture and A creative and attractive Stockholm, and it contains five collaboration strategies for the areas:
- Urban development
- Education and learning
- The state, the region and academia
- Cultural and creative industries
- Tourism.
Culture at Eye Level
The aim of the Culture at Eye Level programme is to enable all children and young people to access cultural activities. They should also have the opportunity to influence their cultural and leisure activities and the environments in which they live.
School Library Plan
The starting point for the City’s school library plan is that students and teachers should have access to school libraries.