Page 17 - SKR-annual-report-2022-EN
P. 17
17
general public. The things that artists themselves Supporters of the Left Alliance (61%) and the Greens
valued most were guiding people towards deep (54%) were most likely to feel that the aid given was too
thoughts or to seeing things in new ways (96%) and the small, but even 30% of Finns Party supporters agreed.
provision of aesthetic experiences (94%). Towards the
end of the scale for both artists and the general public Differences could be discerned between the views
were appreciation of provocation and disruption, and of artists and their audiences, but over 70% of both
the provision of financial added value. groups agreed at least to some extent with the claim
that artists should address their messages towards the
A clear majority (63%) of the survey’s respondents public rather than to their colleagues or critics.
supported the provision of arts funding from tax
revenues in order that the arts be available to all. This One half of citizens hoped for a broader group of
proportion was even higher than the proportion of people than only professionals deciding on arts funding,
those for whom the offerings of cultural institutions while professional respondents were less sympathetic,
were personally important. Public funding for the arts with 64% opposed to the idea. Around one half of both
was supported by nearly one half of even the most the public and artists considered a service voucher
passive consumers of culture. funded by taxpayers a good way of letting the public
influence arts funding.
It was also extensively supported right across party
allegiances, with the exception of the Finns Party’s Greater disagreement was found in responses
supporters, of whom one half were opposed. As many to the claim that “funding should go to art valued by
as 97% of artists supported funding of the arts from tax professionals and other artists even if its audiences
revenues. In contrast, artists were not keen on the idea are small”: only one in four respondents agreed.
of cultural institutions obtaining more funding directly The corresponding figure among the most active
from the audience: This was supported by only 22% of consumers of the art was around 50%, while among
artists, compared to 53% of the general public. artists it was as much as 80%.
More respondents (41%) considered the pandemic The survey also investigated respondents’ views on
aid given to the arts to have been too small than cultural journalism, their reasons for not partaking of
those who felt it was too large (10%). One quarter cultural offerings, and what kind of cultural services
of respondents considered the aid to have been they would like to have locally available.
appropriate, while another quarter did not know.
The full research report is available (in Finnish) on
the Cultural Foundation’s website at
SKR.FI/KULTTUURITUTKIMUS
