cultural activities
12
finnish cultural foundation
annual report 2013–2014
cultural events many times each year).
About one third of Finns are active but
selective consumers of culture. They, too,
often visit events but make use of fewer
types of culture.
Lack of time or interest was often
given as the reason for more or less
passive consumption of culture. Moreover,
identifying as working class and living in
rural areas were also common features
of the most passive groups. The number
of the most active consumers of culture
was surprisingly similar in all population
groups. However, their numbers among
women, holders of academic degrees and
residents of the Helsinki regionwere above
average.
There was little correlation between
earnings and consumption of culture.
There were a fair number of both active
and passive consumers of culture in all
income categories.
How should the arts be funded?
A majority of all Finns were of the view
that the purpose of the arts is not to
generate economic added value. A clear
majority also fully or mostly agreed with
the statement that arts must be subsidised
through taxes so that people with low
incomes can also enjoy culture.
Judging from the survey results,
subsidising the diversity of arts is not
quite as widely supported as subsidising
the arts in general. More than half of
the respondents fully agree with the
FROM
the perspective of an institu-
tion providing funding, the results
show that there is broadly based support
for different forms of art. The Finnish
Cultural Foundation invests in top inter-
national performers and promotes culture
among the population at large. Both are
important and providing themwithmoney
should not be on an either-or basis even
though when funding decisions are made,
choices must also be made."
Timo Viherkenttä
, Chairman of the Board
of Trustees at the annual gala of the Finnish
Cultural Foundation on 27 February 2014
statement that the elite must pay for the
arts that they like. This attitude is closely
connectedwith the respondents’ own level
of enthusiasm: people making fewer visits
to cultural events are also more eager to
support the lowering of subsidies for the
elite. This view was also shared by many
of the elderly respondents and people
identifying as working class or lower
middle class.
Finnish classics are
the best-known works
In addition to examining attitudes and
consumption patterns concerning culture,
the survey also tried to find out how
knowledgeable Finns are about different
forms of art and how they are appreciated.
Instead of describing different genres,
the survey presented creative artists in the
field of music, visual arts and literature
during the past one hundred years. Only
one artist for each genre was given,
which means that instead of assessing a
comprehensive list of Finnish artists, the
respondents were provided with a broad
sample of personalities.
The respondents were asked to assess
how familiar they are with the works of
each of the artists and how impressed they
are by them.
When the respondents assessed how
impressed they are by the personalities
and their works, a large number of artists
PLAYERS
in the field of arts are
sometimes reluctant to discuss
the role and influence of art. In order to
ensure that arts and culture can also be
supported from public funds in the future,
those who are not “true believers” must
also be well disposed towards experi-
encing and making art. One wonders
whether we should start presenting argu-
ments in favour of the importance of the
arts and their concrete impact on people’s
quality of life in a more explicit and easily
understandable manner. There are also
studies on the subject. It could provide
the arts, and funding for the arts, with new
legitimacy."
Minna Sirnö
, Director of the Arts Promo-
tion Centre Finland in ‘Tammenlastuja’
4/2013
from the National Romantic period and
the golden age of Finnish art received the
highest marks. Literature, music and the
visual arts were fairly equally represented
in the top rankings. The painters Albert
Edelfelt and Helene Schjerfbeck, the poet
Eino Leino and the composer Jean Sibelius
were held in the highest regard. However,
the painter Tove Jansson (creator of the
Moomins) and the writers Väinö Linna and
MikaWaltari were also highly appreciated.
As a rule, elderly respondents and
those with academic degrees were
the most knowledgeable about the
different artists, though there were a few
exceptions. For example, respondents of
all ages were familiar with and impressed
by the works of Tove Jansson. Jean Sibelius,
Väinö Linna, the writer Sofi Oksanen and
the musician Ville Valo were also widely
known, irrespective of the age or education
of the respondent.
The survey was conducted by TNS Gallup Oy,
and a total of 8,059 people responded to the
questions in an online panel. The respondents
represented the Finnish population aged
between 15 and 74. The statistical margin
of error is at best about one percentage point
in each direction, but higher in the results of
the sub-groups.
THE
results indicate that many
people want to have artistic and
cultural experiences that mean something
to them. People feel that the experience
must be touching and that it is deemed
important. The experience may of course
be important in many ways: it may arouse
feelings or involve intellectual tuning or
enjoyment generated by an aesthetic
experience that is considered of high
quality."
Maaria Linko,
cultural and artistic
sociologist, ‘Tammenlastuja’ 4/2013,
the bulletin of the Finnish Cultural
Foundation
