kulturdepartementet

Kulturdepartementet, or the Ministry of Culture, is a ministry within the Government Offices of Sweden (Regeringskansliet). It is responsible for developing and implementing government policy in cultural matters. The ministry’s remit covers culture policy, cultural heritage and preservation, the arts (including theatre, film, music, and literature), design and crafts, and libraries and archives, as well as the operation of state-backed cultural institutions and aspects of media policy. It also handles international cultural cooperation and works to ensure broad access to culture across the country.

The ministry is headed politically by the Minister for Culture and administratively by a permanent secretary who leads the department. It coordinates with a range of public agencies and national cultural institutions, and it works with other government departments on cross-cutting issues such as education, media regulation, and digital culture.

Kulturdepartementet has existed as part of the Swedish government for many decades, with its organizational structure and policy priorities adapting to changing political coalitions and cultural policy goals. The ministry operates within the Government Offices of Sweden and collaborates with cultural actors, including museums, libraries, and funded cultural organizations, to implement national cultural policy.