The Artists' Association of Sweden
The Artists' Association of Sweden (Konstnärernas Riksorganisation), founded in 1937, is an organization for professional visual artists, crafts artists and designers. The task of the Artists' Association of Sweden is to represent Swedish visual artists in political issues concerning art and artists' financial and social situation.
The Artists' Association of Sweden is a member of the International Association of Art (IAA / AIAP) and currently holds the position of vice president of IAA Europe as well as a position in the executive committee of IAA World.
We also hold a position on the executive committee of NNCA - Nordic Network of Crafts Associations.
How is the situation in Ukraine for people and artists facing such a long time of war and uncertainty?
2 september 2024
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Artistic Freedom Watch is a platform where visual artists or others engaged in the visual arts scene, such as an exhibition organizer or state, regional or municipal official, can report if you have experienced restrictions in artistic freedom/freedom of expression in Sweden. This means that you have experienced stated or unstated demands to change or remove content and expressions in a work, an exhibition, a project or in another context, without an objective reason (saklig grund).
Konstnärernas Riksorganisation
Artists' Association of Sweden
Address Hornsgatan 103
SE-11728 Stockholm
Phone +46 (0) 8 54 54 20 80
E-mail kro(at)kro.se
Opening hours: Monday-Friday 9–15
Telephone hours: Monday-Friday 9–12
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About us
The Artists' Association of Sweden represents more than 3,500 professional visual artists, crafts artists and designers in Sweden. The Artists' Association of Sweden is active locally and regionally, as well as nationally and internationally. We are engaged in negotiations and/or collaborations with institutions such as the Swedish Parliament and Government, authorities, institutions, universities and colleges, local authorities, the business community, and national and international cultural organisations. The organization publishes the magazine KONSTNÄREN.
Our mission is to
- increase the number of job opportunities in the sector
- strengthen the protection of artists' authors' rights
- strengthen the position of artists in society
- reach agreements on fees and working conditions
- increase artists' influence on the art scene
Recommended fees for visual artists, visual artists, crafts artists and designers
These recommendations outline minimum fees for consultancy and expert work, panel participation, educational engagements, and school assignments (e.g., Skapande skola). The fee recommendations represent a minimum level, and it’s essential to consider the visual artist’s experience, education, scope of the assignment, and level of responsibility when deciding the fees.
The revised fees are valid from January 1, 2024, and will remain in force until further notice. All fees are listed excluding VAT, unless specified otherwise. Remember to agree on reimbursement for travel expenses and, if applicable, accommodation costs.
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A message about artistic freedom for World Art Day 2023
13 april 2023
Become a member
Do you want to join us?
In addition to gaining access to a number of membership benefits you become part of the artists' professional organization and get a platform for your artistic work. You can also get involved in our local associations. As a member of the Artists' Association of Sweden, you contribute to ameliorating the conditions of art practice and artists. With an organized profession, we can advance our positions and strengthen the social and economic conditions of all artists working in Sweden.
The MU agreement
Agreement of Payment of Artists for Participation and Exhibition
In 2009, the Swedish government adopted a new agreement for remuneration to artists to display their artworks. The MU agreement – a ‘participation and exhibition remuneration agreement’ – covers payment to artists to display artworks as a kind of ‘rent’. This is additional to other kinds of financial compensation for an exhibition, such as transport, installation, publication, etc. The agreement clarifies that all work the artist undertakes at exhibitions – before, during and after the show – is to be governed by a written contract and remunerated outside the framework of the exhibition fee.
The agreement was signed by the Swedish Arts Council, as the representative of the Swedish state, and the Artists' Association of Sweden (KRO/KIF), the Association of Swedish Illustrators and the Swedish Photographers Association. It is binding on all public institutions with an exhibiting role and provides guidance for all professional exhibition organisers in receipt of public funding.
The agreement was last updated in January 2018, and the tariffs were updated in January 2021.
Read more about the agreement in
A template for a Standard Agreement will soon be available in English.
Membership benefits
Legal advice
by our lawyer Katarina Renman Claesson via phone/email.
The magazine KONSTNÄREN
a trimestral magazine about art.
Access to templates relating to contract law, tax declaration counselling etc
Subsidised artist insurance
Beneficial artist and studio insurances with low deductibles such as 1,000 SEK.
Subsidised insurance for art students
Beneficial art student insurances with low deductibles such as 1,000 SEK.
Subsidised guest apartment in Stockholm
Members may rent guest rooms at Mosebacke torg for the price of 418 SEK/night.
Free entrance to a number of museums worldwide
Through the IAA-card. As a member, you will find a list of museums with free or subsidised entrance fees on the members’ section on our website
The Carina Ari-atelier in Paris
Every year members can apply for a subsidised stay in the studio in Paris.
Discounts on computers/printers etc
Discounts are available from well-known brands such as Olivetti, OCÉ, Canon, HP, Lexmark, Brother, ASUS.
Discounts on consumables
Toners, paper, etc
Discounts on artist material and art supplies
As a member you are entitled to discounts in several stores all throughout Sweden; this accounts for cheaper colour, frames, canvases etc
A monthly digital newsletter
Courses and seminars
Further training and continued education are available for all of our members. The field of expertise covered through courses and seminars are vocational topics in the artistic field, issues surrounding contractual agreements and other provisions of the trade—as well as cultural policies and political state of affairs.
On the members’ section at the website, you will find a list of stores offering a discount to our members. If you don’t remember your login, please contact the support at kro@kro.se
James Taylor-Foster: What will exhibitions look like in 20 years?
Interview | 16 augusti 2021
James Taylor-Foster, curator for contemporary architecture and design at ArkDes in Stockholm and former European editor-in-chief at ArchDaily, talks about the future of exhibitions in this interview for Konstnärernas Riksorganisation (the Artists' Association of Sweden).
Visual Arts Organizations
The Artists' Association of Sweden is a member of:
Bildupphovsrätt i Sverige, The Visual Copyright Society in Sweden, is an economic association, which fosters the common copyright issues of visual and design artists, illustrators, photographers, designers and other creators of images and design. Bildupphovsrätt draws up arguments and distributes royalties to those whose works are used.
The International Association of Art (IAA/AIAP), http://www.aiap-iaa.org/front3.htm, is a non-governmental organization in partnership with Unesco. The objectives are to stimulate international cooperation among artists of all countries. IAA Europe, http://www.iaa-europe.eu, is a network of about 40 national member organisations within Europe, representing professional visual artists.
NNCA - Nordic Network of Crafts Associations
NNCA was founded in 2010. The network promotes cooperation and dialogue between its members and strengthens the field of contemporary crafts in the Nordic region and beyond. Within the NNCA regular meetings are held to discuss political, social and economic issues relating to craft artists and contemporary crafts in the Nordic countries.
World Craft Council Europe (WCCE)
WCCE is a transnational network representing nearly 40 craft organisations from over 20 European countries whose main statutory mission is the promotion and valorisation of crafts. Through a spectrum of events, projects and programmes, WCCE foster networking and knowledge exchange among stakeholders in the field of craft.
Useful links
The Swedish Arts Grants Committee
Making a Living Making a Life
CONVERSATIONS | 27 maj 2021
What is revealed in moments of crisis about the resilience or fragility of the ways in which artists currently make a living? Where do we find examples of artistic lives sustained by unexpected forms of social and economic relationship?
In April 2021, Konstnärernas Riksorganisation brought together six artists from Sweden and the UK for a digital roundtable in order to “think aloud and together” about the strategies by which people make a life around the work of art. This was a search for clues, for inspiration and stimulation, for hidden moves and sobering reflections.
To lead into this conversation, we invited the social thinker and writer Dougald Hine to share some thoughts and questions about artistic livelihoods and their long-term sustainability, drawing on his experiences as co-founder of the Dark Mountain Project and a school called HOME, as well as his work as leader of artistic development at Riksteatern.
The Artists’ Guide
The Artists’ Guide, published by The Swedish Arts Grants Committe is a web portal for artists based in other countries who would like to learn more about visiting, working and living in Sweden. The Artists’ Guide is divided into sections with information directed to citizens of the EU/EEA countries, with a special part for Nordic citizens, and a section with information for citizens outside EU/EAA.
The Artists’ Guide describes the premises for a temporary visit, a longer visit or a permanent stay. There is also information about how the Swedish tax and social security systems work and links to other agencies’ websites for more detailed information.
International perspectives on artists' reimbursements for exhibitions
Case study | 10 november 2021
Our federation lawyer Katarina Renman Claesson has written about how the Swedish MU agreement regulating remuneration to artists at exhibitions relates to general contractual principles, something that was tested in the so-called "Strandverket case" where a Swedish artist sued a municipality for breach of contract and won.
National Governments, the European Commission and World Leaders Must Support European Cultural Organisations to Continue Collaboration with Ukraine at All Costs
15 mars 2022
Report from the General Assembly of International Association of Art, Istanbul 23 - 25 February 2023
7 mars 2023
