Cultural and creative industries

In 2012 the three-year national action plan for cultural and creative industries drew to a close. The action plan included nine sub-commissions to national agencies and organisations. One important result of the work was establishing contacts between participating agencies from the field of industry and culture. At the same time, a considerable amount of knowledge was amassed and disseminated within the framework of the sub-commissions. All in all, this resulted in overall awareness of the importance of the cultural and creative industries for the development of society being clarified and strengthened.

In 2013–2015 the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth decided to run a special programme to develop cultural and creative industries. Initiatives in the area were mainly focussed on developing wider structures such as regions, industry organisations and actors in business consultancy, such that these could then in their turn better help companies in the area. In many cases the work was run in partnership with cultural agencies, including The Swedish Arts Council.

Cooperation between The Swedish Arts Council and the Agency for Economic and Regional Growth has also led to a grant being established for professionals in the intermediary stage in the worlds of literature and drama, the performing arts and the visual and applied arts, which seeks to promote Swedish cultural exports, focussing on actors such as publishers, curators, galleries, agents and producers.

In September 2015 the Government decided on an export strategy  that involves a total of 22 initiatives to increase Swedish exports and Sweden’s attractiveness for investment, tourism and talent. One of the initiatives is, together with actors concerned, to carry out an initiative to increase internationalisation in the cultural and creative industries and promote culture driven exports.