31.08.2024
Statement by the four Region Mayors: Cuts to regional theatres threaten well over half of Finland's rights to domestic culture
The regional directors of regional theatre regions in Lapland, Northern Ostrobothnia, Kainuu and North Karelia express their deep concern about the cuts in funding for culture included in the Ministry of Finance's budget proposal. The regional leaders fear that the cuts will weaken regional theatre operations in particular, which will ensure the regionally equitable accessibility of culture over long distances in Finland.
“If the activity of regional theatre is reduced, well over half of Finland’s territory will be left in cooperation in cooperation without a domestic professional theatre. This threatens equal access to the fundamental rights of culture and centralises Finnish culture away from the heartlands of Eastern and Northern Finland."
The regional leaders remind that the Government wants to invest in the vitality of both eastern and northern Finland through special programmes.
"Culture is an indispensable part of the vitality and regional economy of our major region. In addition, the accessibility of culture is important for the well-being of the population in the region. We expect the government to reconsider the cuts so that the cultural services in Eastern and Northern Finland were not endangered. We will not be left in an unequal position from a cultural point of view than the rest of Finland," the regional leaders demanded.
The regional leaders of Lapland, Kainuu, North Karelia and Northern Ostrobothnia also point out that all cultural cuts have an impact not only on the opportunities for civilisation and well-being of every resident of a municipality, but also on the attractiveness of different localities.
Further information:
Jussi Rämet, Regional Director, Northern Ostrobothnia, tel. 040 586 38 77
Päivi Ekdahl, Regional Director of Lapland, tel. 0400 383 578
Markus Hirvonen, Regional Director of North Karelia, tel. 050 357 77 39
Riikka Pirkkalainen, Regional Director of Kainuu, tel. 040 539 50 90
