Church of Sweden cultural grants 2010

Every year the Church of Sweden awards 500,000 SEK to innovative art projects about
existential issues. Coming to terms with a father’s actions and the vulnerability of the young are recurrent themes among this year’s six recipients. The grants will be awarded during the second session of the General Synod in Uppsala, at 6 pm on 28 October.

Several of the projects are about fathers who have let their children down in different ways. The
puppet theatre Dockteatern Tittut intends to put on a show about what it is like to live with a violent
and mentally unstable father. This is aimed at children aged 9-16 years and the grant of 120,000 SEK
is the largest that has been awarded to date. Director Erik Bäfving will make an animated film about
his father’s suicide, based on his experiences as a teenager. Filmmaker Susanna Edwards uses the
Swedish video artwork ’Det är jag!’ to get to grips with masculinity and explores how our
preconceptions about men are influenced by believing in God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Mankind’s vulnerability may also be collective and political. The vocal ensemble Tetra will present a
performance of music and dance, with lullabies from what George W Bush called ‘The axis of evil’.
The purpose of the project is to demonstrate the human side of ‘them’ and that the 'enemy’ also sings
lullabies to their children at bedtime.

The author Magnus Utvik will write a novel about what it is like to be a teenager in a communist
sect and submit to the views and ideologies of strong leaders. Finally, the photographer Åke Ericson
will depict the treatment of the Roma in Europe, a topical and controversial issue within the EU this
autumn.

Recipients of the 2010 grants
1. Rasismen mot Europas Romer (Racisim against Europe’s Roma), Åke Ericson, Stockholm
Grant awarded: 100,000 SEK
Contact: Åke Ericson. Tel.: +46(0)8-651 40 70, E-mail: photo@akeericson.com

2. Den arge (The angry one), Dockteatern Tittut, Stockholm
Grant awarded: 120,000 SEK
Contact: Sven Wagelin-Challis Tel.: +46(0)8-720 75 88, E-mail: sven@dockteaterntittut.se

3. Bakom Stjärnorna (Behind the stars), Erik Bäfving, Malmö
Grant awarded: 80,000 SEK
Contact: Erik Bäfving. Tel.: +46(0)702-58 58 46, E-mail: info@ebfilm.se

4. Det är jag! (It’s me!) Susanna Edwards, Stockholm
Grant awarded: 100,000 SEK
Contact: Susanna Edwards. Tel.: +46(0)70-768 08 85, E-mail: trapio@bostream.nu

5. Med Stalin som Gud (With Stalin as God), Magnus Utvik, Stockholm
Grant awarded: 50,000 SEK
Contact: Magnus Utvik. Tel. +46(0)70-621 13 38, E-mail: magnus.utvik@bredband.net

6. Sånger till tröst (Songs that comfort), Vocal ensemble Tetra, Gothenburg
Grant awarded: 50,000 SEK
Contact: Sanna Källman. Tel.: +46(0)70-598 92 03, E-mail: alla@tetramusik.se

Karzan Mahmoud, the composer of the music for one of last year’s grant-funded projects ‘Världens
mässa – världens bön’ (The world’s worship – the world’s prayer), will participate in the awarding of
this year’s cultural grants. Priest Eva Maria Blom and Eductional Officer Marie Cassel from the
Spånga-Kista parish are the inspirational forces behind the service of worship. The ‘premiere’ of the
service was yesterday, Tuesday 26 October, in Kista Church.