Our Executive director Rita Paqvalén receives award on promoting equity
Svenska kulturfonden has given Rita Paqvalén the prize of Uusimaa Swedish Cultural Foundation (Nylands svenska kulturfonds pris). The prize is 20 000 euros.
Award criteria:
“Author and cultural worker Rita Paqvalén is a norm-critical, PhD-qualified miscellaneous worker in the cultural field. She is an author and literary scholar with queer cultural history as her speciality. As the Executive director of the Culture for All Service, she works passionately for diversity. With her long and strong experience, she is an appreciated consultant for diversity and accessibility issues in the arts and cultural sector.
Today, when culture is becoming increasingly hard-pressed, we need people like Rita Paqvalén, who work tirelessly for openness and for everyone to have access to culture. In her own words: “Culture should not be seen as a luxury product. Culture is a way of becoming a human being.”
Rita Paqvalén is delighted with the award:
“I am extremely happy and honored to be awarded this fine cultural award. Even though the award is directed at me personally, I feel that it is also an award for our work at Kultur för alla. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all my wise colleagues over the years who I am constantly inspired and learn from!
It feels especially important this year that Svenska kulturfonden wants to reward work that promotes accessibility and diversity. In today's polarized Finland, where the government's cuts have hit both the arts and culture sector and all those who are most vulnerable in our society extra hard, we must invest extra heavily in promoting and highlighting issues regarding accessibility, equity and diversity.”
More information on the prize and other award winners in Swedish: De här sex får Kulturfondens pris i maj (directs to kulturfonden.fi)
