– We are very underfunded. And that is problematic for us, says festival director Andreas Risanger Meland. He thinks history plays a role. The festival started as a commercial traditional jazz festival in the 1980s. – Sildajazzen was at times more of a folk festival in the 1980s and 90s. It also did incredibly well, commercially. It has probably lingered. But I think people see that we have artistic ambitions now, says Meland. He is happy with 1.1 million from the Norwegian Cultural Council. At the same time, he believes it would have given the festival a completely different scope if it had received more. Sildajazz manager Andreas Risanger Meland wants more support for the festival. Photo: Rosa Irén Villalobos / news – This year we have seven commissioned works. It is very expensive and very demanding, We try to be an ambitious jazz festival. And that requires more financial muscle, says the festival manager. Maijazz in Stavanger will receive NOK 2 million in support this year. So does the Trondhjem Jazz Festival. Oslo Jazz Festival gets NOK 2.4 million, Night Jazz in Bergen gets NOK 2.8 million. Kongsberg Jazz Festival receives a total of NOK 3.8 million. Moldejazz is in a special position and has previously been financed directly from the state budget. It receives almost 6.7 million in support. Must show development The Culture Council has distributed NOK 170 million to 165 different festivals in 2022. This year, the scheme received an additional grant of NOK 10 million. Nevertheless, there were 29 festivals that did not receive a penny in support. – Many festivals have had gradual increases as they have developed. The framework for the scheme has not been significantly increased for many years. It must therefore be strictly prioritized within this to a large number of festivals, says the subject responsible for music, Preben Von der Lippe in the Norwegian Cultural Council. – Does that mean that Sildajazzen can get more if it develops even more? Subject responsible for music, Preben Von der Lippe, in the Norwegian Cultural Council. Photo: Ilja C. Hendel / © Ilja C. Hendel – Yes, that’s right. Sildajazz has had a significant development of grants in recent years, like other festivals. They just have to keep searching for the budget needs they have and the developments they have. Rejects reputation The Cultural Council rejects that it is Sildajazzen’s history as a traditional jazz festival from the 1980s that causes them to lag behind when it comes to grants, – I would say it does not. All expressions and genres are equated in the festival support genre, says Preben von der Lippe, He nevertheless understands that festival manager Andreas Risanger Meland reacts to the fact that the support for Sildajazzen is less than for other similar festivals. The Sildajazz opening at Indre kai in Haugesund on 10 August 2022 attracted a lot of people. Photo: Thomas Halleland / news – There is a greater need for funds for the festivals than what is in the pot. Therefore, there are no funds for large lifts in certain years. He believes there is no reason why Sildajazzen should not get more money when they have a good development. – In any case, we want to rise to the level of the other jazz festivals, says Andreas Risanger Meland. Sildajazzen has received increased support from 2019 until today. In 2019, the festival received 600,000. Blame the previous government When asked why the pot of money that is distributed between the festivals has not increased in line with what the festivals are asking for, State Secretary in the Ministry of Culture Gry Haugsbakken (Ap) points to Erna and co. – Because the Conservative government, which has managed the budgets in recent years, did not prioritize it. But when we took over in October, one of the first things we did was increase the pot for festivals by NOK 10 million, says Haugsbakken. Gry Haugsbakken believes that much of the lack of money is due to the previous government. Photo: Ole Martin Sponberg – Is this something the government will prioritize in the years to come – as more major festivals are emerging? – That is absolutely our goal, says the minister. Hollow criticism – It is a bit hollow that Ap, which has now presented both its adjustment to our state budget and a revised state budget this May, still blames the previous government. They themselves have not added a new penny to the cultural field after almost a year in government. They have to take that responsibility themselves, says Tage Pettersen. Tage Pettersen believes that the current government itself must take responsibility for the money that goes to culture when they are in power. Photo: Ole Berg-Rusten He is cultural policy spokesperson for the Conservative Party and is deputy chairman of the culture committee in the Storting. – If you look at the eight years Erna Solberg led the government, the culture budget increased by 57 per cent, or 5.3 billion, excluding allocations to news, equality and the pandemic. In comparison, the Engerutvalget said that eight years of a red-green government gave an increase of 5 billion. So the claim from Haugsbakken has to be at her expense, he writes in an e-mail. He believes that the Cultural Council itself must answer for the professional assessments about which priorities they make for the distribution of money between festivals.
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The Culture Council makes a big difference to Norway’s jazz festivals – news Rogaland – Local news, TV and radio
