Parliamentary elections 2027 – Election Manifesto

The Election Manifesto of KULTA ry as PDF.

Culture is the solution – a percentage of the state budget for culture

Culture, art, and cultural heritage are part of the solution to all key challenges facing society. The most pressing cultural policy task for the next government will be to implement the cultural policy report, which was prepared with broad participation and unanimously approved by Parliament. It has set cultural policy the task of making Finland more sustainable, more civilized, and more democratic.

Implementing the report requires strengthening basic funding for culture by increasing the culture budget to a percent of the state budget. Only we Finns can take care of Finnish culture.

1. Sustainable growth and security through internationality

Internationality is one of the new highlights of the cultural policy report. Culture and art develop through international interaction. Internationality means quality – the international level of our cultural and artistic life. Growth in the cultural sector also means growth in Finland’s intellectual capital, which makes us a nation greater than our size.

A country image strengthened by culture enhances our overall security. Culture creates emotional bonds for others as well as for ourselves – bonds that carry us through crises. When we create internationally appealing art, culture, and cultural heritage work, we make Finland and Finnish culture a visible part of the mental landscape of our audience. Through our culture, we are also part of the international debate at the civil society level – we are heard and we learn from others, their stories and their cultural capital.

To counterbalance authoritarian regimes, we need diversity that flourishes in democracies. Free science, art, the press, and civil society organizations play a key role in this, which requires economic operating conditions. By defending pluralistic culture, art, and cultural heritage, we defend democracy.

In foreign policy, the UN’s new sustainable development goals for the period after 2030 are becoming topical, and culture should have its own goal among them. All major changes are cultural in nature, so culture should be used as a solution in the pursuit of ecological, economic, and social sustainability.

The internationalization of culture and the arts as a choice means growing export and tourism revenues and, through tourism, regional vitality, as cultural sites, events, and cultural heritage attract more and more visitors. Finnish culture is not well known around the world, so investing in the internationalization of culture would strengthen our country’s image. The more international the culture, the better the career prospects for domestic cultural actors.

2. Culture creates growth and vitality

Culture is part of economic policy. Culture is an industry, and often also a business. The cultural sector forms an ecosystem in which public and publicly funded services, leisure activities, and private business support each other.

For example, many programs are organized as private businesses in cultural facilities maintained by municipalities. Libraries, on the other hand, serve the entire population and all cultural professionals as a free, statutory municipal service, but they would have no content without private publishing companies. Non-governmental organizations are a cost-effective way to organize cultural activities that benefit the public and are part of the cultural ecosystem. Museums generate additional demand in their area that is many times greater than the museum’s public funding.

Most of the money in the cultural economy comes from private household consumption. According to the cultural policy report, the common goal is the growth of domestic culture. This requires that, in the face of fierce international competition, there is a competitive domestic offering in terms of quality and diversity. The specific characteristics of each art, culture, and cultural heritage sector must be taken into account in order to achieve domestic growth.

We need to expand the funding base and increase private investment. The level of tax deductions for private donations should also be raised in order to create a genuine culture of giving in Finland.

Culture is a medium-sized, labor-intensive industry. A significant proportion of those employed in the cultural sector are self-employed. Creators are our most important asset, and it is therefore important to ensure that cultural professionals have the opportunity to earn a living through their work and entrepreneurship. Art can bring the radical creativity needed in any industry, creating intangible added value and improving work productivity. Ingenuity and originality are the strengths of a small nation. Creative skills can be enhanced by attracting people to art and artists.

By strengthening the appeal of municipalities, cultural services also bring new customers and revenue to restaurants and accommodation services, for example. In terms of the vitality of a city, it is essential that the cultural and artistic life is diverse, that our cultural heritage is cherished, and that culture appeals to a wide range of target groups. The regional supply of culture supports not only local vitality but also the growth of the entire cultural sector. The accessibility of culture throughout Finland is also important for the equality of citizens.

Growth in the cultural sector diversifies our economic structure and thus strengthens Finland’s economic sustainability. We need strong consumer brands and creative expertise. The cultural policy report sets the goal of doubling the share of GDP generated by the creative industries. This, along with the continued implementation of the creative economy growth strategy, should also be included in the next government program.

3. Children and young people have the right to create and experience culture

 Children are also the future of Finnish culture. Children and young people will grow up to be both the creators and consumers of the future. For the sake of our children, we must ensure that culture is accessible throughout the country.

Research shows that cultural participation, cultural education, and cultural hobbies have a huge impact on the well-being and inclusion of children and young people. Art education at school in all its forms provides children with ways to express themselves, breaks from busy days, joy, and experiences of success. It is also about growing up as a Finn: carrying identity through the generations. Cultural heritage brings resilience, comfort, security, and hope to children and young people.

Children’s culture is part of children’s rights. Art is part of quality leisure time, and diverse cultural education is an essential part of a civilized and sustainable society. All children and young people must have the right to experience and engage in culture and art, and to learn about their own cultural heritage and that of their region, regardless of where they live or their financial status. Investing in accessibility is also important for children and young people who need special support.

High-quality art experiences and art-based methods support the growth and development of children and young people, and quite concretely combat depression and alleviate anxiety. Children want to engage in artistic activities, but these are not always available or accessible to them. Every child should be able to enjoy their favorite hobby!

Artistic activities also support other learning. Art strengthens cognitive skills and critical thinking and boosts self-confidence. Literacy is part of all learning, and it cannot be achieved without reading books. 

It is important that arts subjects, arts-based methods, basic arts education, and continuing education in the arts have an increasingly solid place in our education system. By taking care of Finnish culture, we are raising children and young people to be mentally resilient and have a broad worldview.