Accessibility and diversity of culture

Arts and culture must be accessible to all. The realisation of equality and non-discrimination requires often that the special needs of the different minority groups are taken into account when designing services and support forms.

Action plan to promote diversity in the arts and culture

The Ministry of Education and Culture has drawn up an action plan to promote diversity in the arts and culture. The action plan aims to take into account the diversity of the Finnish population in all planning and decision-making in the arts and cultural policy.

The action plan aims to promote equity and gender equality, to recognise the diversity of cultural heritage, to strengthen intercultural dialogue, and to enable the development and utilisation of the knowledge and skills of everyone living in Finland, in work and leisure.

The action plan contains six sets of measures that promote cultural diversity, equity and integration in cultural policy, in the agencies of the Ministry's branch of government, in the national art institutions, and in the cooperation carried out with cultural communities.

• Art, Culture and Diverse Finland.Ministry of Education and Culture's action plan to promote diversity in the field of arts and culture

• Final report of the Working Group for Cultural Policy, Immigrants and Promotion of Cultural Diversity Art, culture and a diverse Finland

Dialogue cards promote cultural diversity and sustainable development

Dialogue cards enable organisations in the arts and cultural sector make their activities more equal and sustainable. The dialogue cards are available free of charge.

The dialogue cards are used in three-hour workshops to discuss how cultural diversity and sustainable development become visible in work communities and in the sector and how the organisation can take better account of them in its activities.

• To find out more and order the dialogue cards, visit Dialogue cards

Accessibility of culture

Cultural supply is accessible when different groups and communities are able to use it and participate in it easily and without obstacles.

Accessibility of culture may be improved through removing obstacles for participation. These obstacles may have to do with sensory difficulties, communication, difficulties in understanding, attitudes, physical or economic factors, or shortcomings in the decision-making.

Lack of means may also constitute an obstacle. The project Kulttuuripassi and its follow-up project Kaikukortti, both supported by the Ministry of Education and Culture, aim to improve the possibilities for financially hard-pressed young people, adults and families to participate in the cultural life and to do art as a hobby.

These activities are coordinated by the service Culture for all.

• Culture for all

Promotion of languages and cultures of cultural minorities

There are strong minorities with long traditions in Finland, such as the Swedish-speaking Finns and the Saami people. Other linguistic and cultural minorities include sign language users, the Roma, Old Russians, Tatars, and various immigrant groups. Immigration continues to increase multiculturalism in Finland.

The various groups of persons with disabilities, members of different religious communities, sexual minorities, and different age groups also have their own cultural special features.

Of the national cultural minorities, the Saami, as an indigenous people, as well as the Roma and certain other groups have a statutory right to maintain and develop their own language and culture. The Saami have a cultural autonomy, which the Saami Parliament is responsible for.

An action programme to revive the use of Skolt Saami, Inari Saami and Northern Saami was adopted by government resolution in 2014. The programme aims to reinforce early childhood education and care and language nest activities in Saami as well as to develop the instruction of the Saami language.  Language planning, recording and research as well as the Saami culture are being promoted within the programme. The objective of the programme is to increase the number of Saami speakers, to promote the provision of services in Saami, and to enhance the respect for the use of the Saami languages.

Subsidies granted by the Ministry are also used to support the publication of newspapers and online publications in Swedish, Saami, Karelian, Romani and the sign language, and to support the production and publication of other materials in Saami and Karelian.