The Creative Schools Initiative
Swedish cultural policy rests on the right of children and young people to culture. Cultural experiences expand young people’s horizons, offer perspective and an understanding of the world in which they live in and enable them to influence and change their living conditions and those of others. Children and young people must be inspired to express their thoughts and be given opportunities to do so through culture and arts, and develop their own creativity. They have the right to artistic experiences but also to develop their language, musicality and visual and physical forms of expression themselves. Culture must be a natural part of the daily life and learning of children and young people. Creative Schools is an initiative to strengthen cooperation between schools and professional cultural life. The aim is for students to gain access to all forms of cultural expression and increase their opportunities to explore their own creativity.
In 2015 applications covered 879 000 students, up by about seven per cent compared with 2014. Many newly arrived immigrants are able to participate in The Creative Schools Initiative and the applications of the majority of education providers include an integration perspective. The Swedish Arts Council has chosen to prioritise cultural initiatives that seek to integrate children who have recently arrived in Sweden from another country at school and in society.
The Swedish Arts Council particularly wishes to boost schools that receive a large number of recently arrived children and that have well-considered and inclusive cultural provision. Initiatives that develop students’ capacities in the field of culture and simultaneously provide an opportunity for understanding different cultures and new interfaces are particularly prioritised.The Creative Schools Initiative is now in its eighth year. Cooperation between schools and the arts is improving year on year. By the programme hundreds of thousands of students have been able to experience professional art and culture.
Creative Schools is an initiative to strengthened cooperation between schools and professional cultural life. The aim is for students to gain access to all forms of cultural expression and increase their opportunities to explore their own creativity.
Strengthen cooperation between schools and professional cultural life. The aim is for students/pupils to gain access to all forms of cultural expressions and increase their opportunities to explore their own creativity.
In 2016 SEK 185 million will be distributed to professional cultural activities in schools.
The study that was conducted by The Swedish Agency for Cultural Policy Analysis covers some aspects of the grant since its creation in 2008. One issue is whether the municipalities have reduced their commitments regarding children's culture after the Creative Schools grant added. Another question is whether there has been a competitive advantage for public institutions and publicly-supported activities.
The general conclusion is that there are no signs that the municipalities reduced their resources to culture for children and young people or culture in the school since Creative School was introduced. They also concluded that there are no competitive advantages for public institutions, as the price is not a determining factor for the schools.