The Swedish Artists’ Association represents over 3,400 professional visual artists, craftspeople, and designers in Sweden. The task of the Swedish Artists' Association is to represent Swedish visual artists in political issues concerning art and artists' financial and social situation. The Swedish Artists' Association is active locally and regionally, nationally and internationally. We are engaged in negotiations and/or collaborations with institutions such as the Swedish Parliament and Government, institutions, universities and colleges, local authorities, the business community, and national and international cultural organizations. The organization publishes the magazine KONSTNÄREN.
In addition to gaining access to several membership benefits — read below — 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 Swedish Artists' Association, 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.
Swedish as well as foreign citizens who work in Sweden in a professional capacity as artists (visual artist, crafts artist, designer, or part of an equivalent professional group) are eligible to become members of The Swedish Artists’ Association, given that they fulfill at least one of the following criteria:
a) have a degree from art college or art university
b) have a documented professional track record in the field of visual and/or design/craft
c) is a student at a Swedish art college or an equivalent art college abroad
d) holds a membership in a corresponding artist organization outside Sweden
A. Artistic university degree
A person can be granted membership if holding an artistic university degree in art, design or craft from:
Beckmans designhögskola
HDK Göteborg
HDK Steneby
Högskolan för fotografi och film i Göteborg
Konstfack
Konsthögskolan Umeå
Konsthögskolan Valand
Kungliga Konsthögskolan
Malmö Konsthögskola
Malmö Högskola, Konst, Kultur, Kommunikation
Textilhögskolan Borås
Carl Malmsten
Designhögskolan Umeå
Linnéuniversitetet design och konst
Industridesign, Lunds tekniska högskola
or comparable foreign university education with a focus on art or crafts/design.
B. Students at a Swedish Academy of Arts
A person can be granted student membership if studying at any of the art colleges mentioned under A.
The Swedish Artists’ Association also receives students from foreign programs with at least three years of college who give a bachelor's degree in art, design or crafts.
C. Membership in an equivalent artist organization outside Sweden
A professional artist who holds membership in an equivalent foreign organization can be granted membership.
D. Documented professional activity (juried admission)
An applicant who does not meet criteria A, B, or C but works as a professional artist, craftsperson, or designer could apply for a juried admission process taking place twice a year in April and October.
In the case of applying for juried admission, the applicant's professional artistic activities should be described in terms of educational, professional, artistic, and technical qualities.
Educational merits include preparatory art education, for example, at junior college, etc. Continuous apprenticeship training, foreign education, and other education with a focus on art and design or craft can also be counted as merit. A study certificate is required.
Professional merits include for example, documented exhibition activities, public assignments, art projects, scholarships, time in the profession, products in production, reviews, and other artistic activities such as consulting assignments, educational assignments, etc.
Artistic and technical qualities are best displayed through pictures and/or other work documentation.
In the assessment, a judgment of the applicant's merits is made in its entirety.
Applicants must submit a complete and correct application form, a curriculum vitae, and documents proving their professional activity as described above, such as exhibition activities, public assignments, art projects, scholarships, and more. It is also good to refer to a current and updated website.
The application may be accompanied by a maximum of 10 images that reinforce the applicant's artistic and technical competence. The pictures must be accompanied by information on materials, technology, format, and year, as a separate attached list. Applications and attachments are submitted electronically via the online application form.
Application fee
In order for the jury to process your application, an application fee of 350 SEK must be paid.
Attach a receipt of payment.
Postgiro number: 152411-5
Welcome with your application!
Regular fee: 2,150 SEK / year
Newly graduated or reduced fee: 1,075 SEK per year
Full-time students at a higher art education: 340 SEK / year
A reduced fee is granted in the following cases:
The membership fee is divided into a service fee that is deductible for small business owners (SEK 1,259 / year + VAT 266 SEK / year) and an association fee (SEK 625 / year). The fee can be divided per quarter or paid annually. For students, the entire sum must be paid on one occasion.
Read through the criteria that apply before you begin your online application.
In order for us to handle your application, you must attach certain documents. Upload your documents using the online application form.
Don't forget to enter your name and social security number (or passport number) when sending attachments via email or regular mail.
When the Secretariat has processed and approved your application, you will receive a confirmation letter and a first invoice.
When the first invoice is paid, the registry sends out your membership card, which gives access to all member benefits.
Välkommen att prenumerera på Konstnärernas Riksorganisations konstnärspolitiska nyhetsbrev. Nyhetsbrevet skickas ut cirka 4 gånger per år och ger dig en snabb översikt över aktuella politiska frågor som är viktiga för konstnärskåren. Det riktar sig i första hand till politiker eller tjänstepersoner med ansvar för kulturpolitiken på statlig, regional eller kommunal nivå.