Shaping the Possibilities of Tomorrow
An interview with Ulricha Johnson of The Swedish Performing Arts Coalition
interviewed by Alex Fleming
Originally formed in 1951, The Swedish Performing Arts Coalition (SPAC; Scensverige in Swedish) is the largest member organisation dedicated to the Swedish performing arts. As a base for over 200 member organisations – from larger institutions to independent producers – it is uniquely placed to offer insight into the Swedish performing arts today, and the key issues affecting its members.
In this interview, Ulricha Johnson, Managing Director at SPAC, discusses Sweden’s performing arts ecosystem, and some of SPAC’s many initiatives to help foster its development.
SBR: Could you tell us a little bit about the Swedish Performing Arts Coalition, and what you do to support and promote the performing arts in Sweden and internationally?
Ulricha Johnson: Our primary focus is on promoting professional performing arts both nationally and internationally, through collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and ideas exchanges. We aim to deepen the understanding of the art form and shape the possibilities of tomorrow. In doing so, we seek to establish new partnerships and facilitate international exchanges.
Since 1951, SPAC has also served as the Swedish Centre for the International Theatre Institute (ITI).
As part of your remit you are responsible for two major performing arts festivals: the Swedish Biennial for Performing Arts, and the Swedstage festival. How do these events help to amplify new voices and developments in the arts, and how do they complement one another?
The Biennial is a major festival week, held in a new city each time and hosted by one of our member theatres. Aside from the 12 chosen Swedish productions, we arrange around 200 seminars, workshops, panel talks and meetings, running from morning to night for 6 days. Our next edition will be in Östersund, which is a thriving Sámi area, and we will have an extra focus on indigenous and first nation artists. In Sweden we have a colonial history that we haven’t been very aware of. At the Biennial we encourage new voices; we always have a playwright slam, where both established playwrights and students from the Universities in Stockholm and Malmö can bring along excerpts from their latest work or work in progress. We also encourage affinity spaces for marginalized and/or challenged groups to gather and develop their recommendations for the sector and move things forward. For instance, we arrange roundtables and informal gatherings with people of colour, first nation peoples and queer and trans artists.
Swedstage is an export festival exclusively aimed at international presenters, for which we choose only the most qualified, tour-ready productions.
Many playwrights and directors switch between adult and youth productions, but you can really tell that the youth productions are pushing boundaries.
How would you describe the current landscape for the performing arts in Sweden? What do practitioners feel are the greatest challenges now facing the arts, and what areas are thriving?
Cultural policies are the greatest challenge, as they are in many other European countries right now. Our robust social systems mean that we are still in a privileged position here in Sweden, but everyone is on the alert. Rents for venue spaces, for instance, are based on models that leave a lot to be desired. This affects both larger institutions and independent theatres, disturbing our rich ecosystem of avant-garde versus conventional art.
One of your recent initiatives has been the ‘Take Care of Yourself’ report, on mental health and self-leadership in the performing arts. Why is this cause so important for workers in the performing arts, and what do you hope stakeholders will take from the report?
The #MeToo movement showed that grassroots initiatives can really make an impact. With this we wanted to shed some light on wellbeing, and how to manage and take care of yourself for a sustainable work life in the arts. There is an English version available on our website that's free for everyone to read, discuss and use as a jumping-off point, whether in a workplace or as an independent artist.
As you know, this issue of Swedish Book Review is dedicated to contemporary Swedish drama in particular. Have you observed any recent trends in drama – for example in themes, or how these are explored on the stage?
As much as I would love to say that experimental theatre is moving forward, I get the sense that the larger institutions need to reach a very broad audience with their bigger stage productions. Ticket sales often become more important than the art itself, and since our institutions are state, city and regionally funded, it’s disheartening to see the desperation for a hit show sometimes. We have many progressive choreographers, playwrights, directors and visionaries in Sweden, but they work mainly in very small venues. The one piece of the pie that is consistently very impressive is our theatre for children and young people. Since their ticket sales are often already taken care of through school bookings, they are the true avant-garde. Many playwrights and directors switch between adult and youth productions, but you can really tell that the youth productions are pushing boundaries.
SPAC is committed to being a voice for artistic freedom and promoting diversity in the arts. We aim to safeguard freedom of expression and be a partner in the global dialogue of the arts.
How closely do you collaborate with other international institutions? What kind of questions do you explore on an international level?
SPAC is committed to being a voice for artistic freedom and promoting diversity in the arts. We aim to safeguard freedom of expression and be a partner in the global dialogue of the arts, by taking part in committees and arranging meetings. We run a global network called Proud Performing Arts, which promotes and elevates theatre and artists with queer perspectives. In some countries we work more underground on these issues, while in others we can be out and loud. In this area we are currently in an EU application process, working alongside theatres in Serbia, Slovakia, Croatia and Austria. We love all connections and suggestions for collaborations and networks on these matters; there is so much wonderful queer art being created, and anyone can choose to be active in this network.
We are also part of an EU project called Triangle for Ukrainian Artists, which provides residencies for Ukrainian artists and promotes new Ukrainian plays. Also, we do fun things like translating Swedish contemporary plays into different languages and arranging readings with international partners.
What does a ‘typical’ working day look like for you?
I have the most rewarding job. No one day is like the other, which goes well with my ADHD. There is so much to do, and there is never any shortage of ideas or chores. The thing I enjoy most is envisioning projects and introducing people to each other. When I arrange mingles I drag people around to introduce them – kind of a matchmaking of artistic vibes. And if I can also get some funders involved then that matchmaking is just the start.
We have active plans for collaborations in Great Britain, or the ‘Four nations’ as I picked up on my last visit to Scotland. We have always looked up to British playwriting, and have several Scottish plays that come up now and then at theatres. I think we have a lot in common, regarding sparsely populated areas, rugged terrain in the north and a strong working-class heritage. It would be amazing to launch exchanges and introduce our artists and creators to each other more than we already do.
The Swedish Performing Arts Coalition
The Swedish Performing Arts Coalition is the country’s largest member organization for the Swedish performing art sector, as well as the Swedish Centre for the International Theatre Institute, ITI. It represents the art form nationally and internationally, and also serves as a voice for its members in cultural policy. It is responsible for producing Sweden’s largest performing arts festival, The Swedish Biennial for Performing Arts, as well as Swedstage, a showcase of the very best of Swedish performances, ready to tour internationally.