Culture to receive CHF1.12 billion over five years

Swiss cinema will receive CHF253.9 million over the next five years Keystone

The Swiss government will contribute CHF1.12 billion ($1.2 billion) towards culture between 2016 and 2020. The conservative right Swiss People’s Party and centre-right Radical Party had tried to lower the amount to 2014 levels, namely CHF976.7 million. 

The money is destined for all the areas covered by the Federal Office of Culture, the Swiss Arts Council and the Swiss National Museum. 

Cinema will receive the largest share, CHF253.9 million – another thing that irritated the People’s Party and Radicals, which tried in vain to reduce this by around CHF42 million. 

“It’s too much,” said Felix Müri from the People’s Party, criticising lobbying by cultural organisations while the federal finances were in the red. 

Interior Minister Alain Berset pointed out that culture represents 3% of Swiss GDP and employs some 260,000 people. 

The Swiss Arts Council, Pro Helvetia, will receive CHF210.9 million over five years. It too had to withstand attempts to have this lowered by CHF34 million. 

National cohesion 

Berset said Pro Helvetia not only contributed to Switzerland’s international profile but also strengthened national cohesion. “A reduction like that could mean the absence of our country from the Venice Biennale,” he said. 

While Müri believed culture should be a cantonal issue and the government should stay out of it, Berset said Bern guaranteed coordination between cantons, communes and financial institutions. 

Of the remaining money, CHF174.1 million was set aside for cultural promotion, for example the promotion of literature, translations and reading. 

The Swiss National Museum will receive CHF160.6 million and Swiss schools abroad CHF110.1 million.