Since the mid-1990s, the government has been the largest source of public funding for culture. Between 1998 and 2007, the county councils/regions increased their cultural spending, in percentage terms, more than the other public sources. The municipalities increased their cultural spending least, in percentage terms. The higher cultural spending of the county councils/regions is due in part to the major changes in responsibility between county councils and municipalities. Recent years have seen a shift of cultural responsibility, with the county councils/regions taking on a more prominent role.
While all the public players have increased their cultural spending, this still constitutes a very small part of their overall budgets. The government’s cultural spending amounts to less than 1 percent of its total budget, as does the spending of the county councils/regions. Cultural spending by the municipalities accounts for around 2.5 percent of their total net costs.
Households are the largest individual funders of cultural activities. In 2007, household expenditure on culture totalled SEK 45.1 billion, including investments. Excluding investments, the amount comes out at SEK 34 billion.
Private funding in the form of sponsorship continues to make up a very small proportion of overall spending on culture.
The distribution of public spending on culture has changed little over the years. The government’s largest expense remains adult education, while the main focus of the county councils/regions is still theatre, dance and music. Municipal spending goes largely on public libraries, for historical reasons. Household spending, however, has increasingly moved into digital media in recent years.