The Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award
The Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award is a literary prize established by the Swedish government in 2002. The aim of the award is to strengthen and increase interest around the world in literature for children and young people, and to promote children's rights. Presented annually, the award is administered by the Swedish Arts Council. Living authors, illustrators, storytellers and persons or organisations that have made valuable contributions towards the promotion of reading are eligible for the award. The prize money of SEK five million makes this the world's biggest award for literature for children and young people, and also the second biggest literary award in the world overall.
Cultural Contact Point Sweden
The Swedish government has made the Swedish Arts Council responsible for keeping up to date with and providing information about EU policy and activities in the cultural sphere. Together with the National Heritage Board, the Council runs the EU contact office for culture in Sweden, Cultural Contact Point Sweden. The aim of such offices, which operate in 29 countries, is to promote European cooperation on the cultural front with special emphasis on each country's participation in cultural partnership projects, in European networks and in organisations in the cultural sphere.
Statistics relating to cultural life in Sweden
The Council represents Swedish cultural statistics within the EU, contributes towards the establishment of joint EU cultural statistics and also provides data to the statistical offices of UNESCO.
Support for international cultural exchange
The Swedish Arts Council can provide funding for international cultural exchange initiatives. Funding is limited. Awards can be made for the performing arts, art and design, museums, literature, arts periodical and libraries, i.e. each area of cultural life in which the Council is engaged. Grants are awarded for travel expenses, or, for example, when international artists make guest appearances in Sweden, for hotel and travel
expenses within Sweden.