Who are we?
Meet the Swedish Arts Grants Committee (SAGC)
The Swedish Arts Grants Committee is a government body under the Swedish Ministry of Culture with the mission to promote artistic development, and innovative culture, and uplifting/highlight the economic and social conditions of professional artists.
To fulfill this mission the Swedish Arts Grants Committee distributes government-funded grants and scholarships to cultural practitioners, investigates cultural policies and analyzes professional artists working conditions, and facilitates international residences and programs.
Meet ArtNexus
ArtNexus is an international cultural development program, aiming to strengthen the freedoms and rights of artists and culture practitioners in Albania and Armenia.
The ArtNexus program was launched in 2020, by the Swedish Arts Grants Committee (SAGC) and The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) with the goal of creating synergies between cultural and aid policy. It is the first program of its kind in Sweden to bring together cultural policy and development. The main tool is by working with local partners with capacity-building activities to strengthen the rights and conditions of the artists and cultural practitioners in the partner countries. Promoting art and culture with freedom of expression as a basis strengthens the democratization processes in the countries. This means that ArtNexus will work with the rights of the artists and cultural practitioners, the development of artistic freedom, and strengthening international exchanges.
The program was launched in Albania in 2021. In January 2022, ArtNexus held its first dialogue between artists and cultural practitioners, government actors, representatives from civil society, and the private sector in Tirana, Albania. Since then, ArtNexus has arranged a series of workshops focusing on copyright and collective management. ArtNexus has been working with our local partners Destil Creative Hub and United Nations Association Albania on capacity-building efforts focusing on emerging artists, policy development, and promoting an inclusive art scene for people with disabilities since May 2023.
Meet our Regional Partners
Destil Creative Hub
Destil is a culture-led urban project that combines architecture, cultural initiatives, and a sustainable economy as a response to the fast transformation of the city. The project was founded in 2014 in Tirana with the objective of co-creating programs and promoting different collaborations between arts, enterprises, technology, and social innovation.
Find out more about Destil Creativ Hub.
United Nations Association Albania
The cultural equity we strive for embodies the values and practices that ensure that all people are represented in the development of arts policy, the nurturing of accessible spaces for expression, and the fair distribution of financial and informational resources. As an active advocate for human rights and inclusivity, UNAA is implementing the ArtNexus program in Albania. This program is driven by the belief that policies responsive to cultural contexts can yield better, sustainable, inclusive, and equitable development outcomes.
UNAA's proven experience in creating active participation, organising capacity-building, and conducting expert studies in the fields of inclusivity and artistic practice, as evidenced in its Annex undertaking, will prove efficient in the endeavour to cultivate a sense of unity and collaboration. This work propels the arts sector toward accelerated economic development.
But the vision extends beyond economic prosperity; it's about creating an environment where respect and celebration of diversity are woven into the fabric of the art scene. It's about giving a voice to the young, amplifying their innovative ideas and energetic spirit. It's about advocating for universal human rights, using the transformative power of art as a medium to inspire, educate, and effect change.
This program aims to address with a contemporary approach such problems as the empowerment of cultural media, art criticism, development policies, and the distribution of artistic products, etc. For this purpose, experts in the field will have the opportunity to share their experience in the Albanian context regarding culture and art. Also, they will be able to offer constructive criticism on art marketing strategies and their accessibility.
Referring to the above all art practitioners in Albania, as well as others interested, will have access to critical essays, manuals for young artists, and guides that assist in navigating the culture industry in Albania today.
Kristi Çina:
‘’As an active advocate for human rights, youth engagement, and inclusivity, UNAA is implementing the ArtNexus program driven by the belief that policies responsive to cultural contexts can yield better, sustainable, inclusive, and equitable development outcomes.’’
