In 1995, we received some money from the Swedish Film Institute. This was a significant milestone for our dance company as we had been working for six long years without any financial support. We were quite lucky. We were touring the whole country with 50 performances in a year, working with hundreds of kids of all ages in workshops and performances. Also we were just about to premiere our second dance film, following the success of our first one, in the 35 mm Cinemascope format. 

But then, we received the news that the Culture Council was cutting our funds. The funding cut came just as we were heading towards a big performance and premiere. I was so angry and couldn’t understand why they were taking away our money when we were doing so well. But they did. The funding cut meant that we had to cancel all our projects for children and slash budgets for supporting artists. That was the moment when I realized that I have to write to our Cultural Council and ask them to explain themselves. I knew I had to take action, so I wrote a four-page letter to the Cultural Council, explaining how the funding cut would hurt the children and the local arts. But it was all in vain. It felt like I was hitting my head against a brick wall as I didn’t receive a single reply. 

I never received an answer as to why our funding was cut, yet decisions seemed to be made behind closed doors. At the time I felt the process was not democratic. I hope that nowadays younger colleagues are not being treated unfairly by those in power like we were in the 90s, but I am not sure if the situation has changed or not. I believe that those in power have a lot of influence over the arts, and that they use that power in a very private way.

The performance was still well-received, but it wasn’t without its challenges. Our set was fantastic, but some of the choreography I had created didn’t quite land with the audience. They didn’t find it funny, and it was disappointing. But we carried on, and I learned to take the good with the bad.

Looking back on that time now, I still can’t understand why the funding was cut. But I learned to take the good with the bad and make it through even in a tough time.