Grande hits the brakes after grant dispute

sculpture art Grande Artist Grant CultureSculpture. Photo: Pixabay.com

Grande hits the brakes after grant dispute to artists

Minister of Culture, Trine Skei Grande (Liberals), has put the controversial reorganization in the state grants to artists on hold. Grande, who is the Leader of the Liberals (Venstre), was recently appointed after the Liberals joined the Government of Norway.

 

Despite criticism from several artist groups, the Government and then Minister of Culture, Linda Hofstad Helleland (Conservatives), decided to implement the controversial changes to the grant scheme for artists in December, 2017.

One of the proposed changes is that the various artist associations is to propose who will be part of the committees who annually grant NOK 300 million to artists, while a committee appointed by the Government consisting of five people will have the final say-so.

This, and several of the other proposed amendments, is met with strong criticism from several groups of artists. Hundreds of artists demonstrated against the reorganization just after the proposals first became known in connection with the presentation of the state budget last autumn.

Current Minister of Culture, Trine Skei Grande (Liberals), confirms to Dagbladet that the controversial proposals are put on hold.

– My starting point is that I agree with Linda regarding some of the challenges associated with the present system, but I need more time to conclude what is the best solution for the future, Grande tells the newspaper.

Although it is now uncertain when a solution is in place and what that will imply, Gilde Tørdal, Leader of the Union of Norwegian Paint Artists, is pleased that the reorganization is put on hold.

– What a relief! That was the best we could hope for in the short term, says Tørdal, who has been among the critics of the proposed alterations, to Dagbladet.

 

© NTB Scanpix / Norway Today