Frida Röhl: Our 'socialist theater' has become a political punching bag

Frida Röhl, the artistic director of Folkteatern in Gothenburg, has voiced strong criticism against the Moderate and Sweden Democrats parties. She accuses them of attempting to withdraw funding for the theater based on a predetermined political stance, without ever visiting the venue or engaging with its actual operations. Röhl asserts that the parties' perception of Folkteatern is already fixed within a political battle, disregarding the theater's artistic achievements and audience engagement.

Recounting her experience since taking the role in 2014, Röhl described an incident where a Moderate politician refused to shake her hand upon learning she led Folkteatern, labeling it a "red rag" to the party. She finds this persistent, politically motivated opposition baffling, especially considering the theater's efforts to navigate financial crises, pandemics, and uncertain futures during her tenure.

Röhl argues that the attacks on Folkteatern are not solely about the institution itself but represent a larger ideological conflict. She emphasizes that the labor movement's historical contributions to building modern Sweden, including institutions like public libraries, adult education centers, and accessible culture, are factual, not partisan opinions. Folkteatern, she states, is an integral part of this historical narrative.

The artistic director believes that the calls to shut down Folkteatern, alongside questioning other public services like folk high schools, reveal a political agenda. This agenda, she suggests, seeks to dismantle the infrastructure and cultural institutions that originated from the principle of equal value and opportunity for all citizens. Röhl finds it difficult not to see this as a deliberate effort to undermine the legacy of the labor movement's contributions to Swedish society.

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It's just the way it is. Folkteatern has always been a red rag.