Finland
The Ministry of Education
is responsible for developing educational, science, cultural, sport and
youth policies as well as international cooperation in these fields. The
Ministry creates favourable conditions for education, know-how, lifelong
learning, creativity and citizens' social participation and well-being.
There are two ministers at the Ministry of Education: the Minister of
Education and Science is in charge of matters relating to education and
research; the Minister of Culture is responsible for matters relating
to culture, sports, youth, copyright, student financial aid and church
affairs.
The Ministry of Education is responsible for promoting and developing
culture in Finland. In its Department for Cultural Policy these tasks
are divided between the Culture and Media Division and the Arts and Cultural
Heritage Division.
The Ministry of Education main class represents over 15% of the state
budget. The Ministry of Education is the third largest ministry after
the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and the Ministry of Finance.
In 2003 the Ministry of Education budget is EUR 5.9 billion. In addition
to these budgetary funds, the provision of education, training, research
and culture is financed by local authorities, the private sector and citizens.
The Ministry's budget includes some EUR 399 million of pools and lottery
funds. Oy Veikkaus Ab (National Lottery) transfers its returns to the
Ministry, which allocates the funds to the arts (55 %), sports (21 %),
research (19 %) and youth work (5 %). In the cultural sector, these resources
are used to support theatres, cultural events, museums, music institutes,
art institutes, cinema, and orchestras.
Subordinate to the Ministry of Education is the Arts
Council of Finland. It comprises the Central Arts Council, which allocates
project grants, and nine separate councils, which allocate artist grants
in different forms of art. This structure is complemented by 13 regional
arts councils, which promote professional and amateur arts and their development
at the regional level. Most cultural financing comes from the Ministry
of Education and the local authorities.
For more information on Finnish culture:
The Ministry of Education
The Arts Council of Finland
Portal of Finnish Culture
The Finnish Cultural and
Academic Institutes
National Cultural sites
