The Swedish Database for Theatre, Dance and Opera!!

History
Scendatabasen, The Swedish Database for Theatre, Dance and Opera began its documentation of the professional performing arts in Sweden in the autumn of 2006. Since 1966 Teaterunionen/Swedish ITI had compiled and published Månadens premiärer, a monthly publication of upcoming premieres that has served as a major source of information on contemporary Swedish theatre. This is now part of the Database. The Database began as a project funded by The National Council for Cultural Access and continues with support from The Swedish Arts Council.

Searchable information
Records of almost every stage performance produced in Sweden since 2007 are contained in the Database, which also serves as a monthly calendar of upcoming premieres. Theatres, producers and independent companies submit information each month. Here one may seek information about productions, playwrights, composers, performers, theatre companies, dance companies, mime troupes, new circus and performance art. One may also for example search a particular opening night. We have also made it possible to research the number of women and men in any profession documented by the Database.

Women and men in the performing arts
Our documentation provides a basis for all sorts of statistics. We regularly produce statistics on the ratio of men to women in the performing arts sector in order chart the progress of gender equality reforms. Based on information provided by the Database we have extracted statistical data for two publications about Women and Men in the Performing Arts in Sweden, 2007 and 2008. Statistics for 2009, 2010 and 2011 are available now.

Collaboration around statistics for the performing arts
The National Arts Council supports The Swedish Database for Theatre, Dance and Opera, through the project Collaboration on Statistics in the Performing Arts Sector. This is a pilot project in which the Stockholm City Theatre is a primary partner with several regional theatres acting as associated partners. Teaterunionen/Swedish ITI is responsible for the project’s implementation. Our goal is to develop new parameters for data collection and interpretation in cooperation with The Swedish Arts Council.

For questions, please contact Scensverige /Swedish ITI, isabel@scensverige.se