CrowdCulture in Sweden is a matching platform with an ambition to modernize cultural funding. The reward-based platform operates with public partners co-financing the funds raised by the crowd. It cooperates on the basis of renewable annual contracts with local and regional authorities. These make available public funds for the match funding. The matching process relies on the number of backers and not on the amount raised by the crowd.

CrowdCulture is fully operational since 2011 and is specializing in cultural projects. The platform initiators expect generating synergies for the project owners of crowdfunding campaigns by their focus on the cultural sector.

Public partners cooperating with CrowdCulture report that this engagement with a crowdfunding platform enhanced their image as modern and innovative regions. Furthermore, the distribution of their public funds gained transparency.

CrowdCulture has a strong cultural policy dimension as it implies changing the mechanisms of distributing public funds available for culture. In this model financing of culture depends on the awareness raised in the public (crowd) which will determine the amount received from public budget. Such a shift of paradigms requires a broad discussion on cultural financing, and the inherent roles of the public and the private sector.