Welcome to Swedish Performing Arts Association
Swedish Performing Arts Association, an employers and industry association, represents over 250 cultural organisations across Sweden within the fields of theatre, music, and dance. Swedish Performing Arts Association aims to give their member organisations the best conditions so as to carry out and develop their professional artistic activities and to assist them in meeting the expectations and demands placed upon them as responsible employers.
We are responsible for negotiating collective agreements with unions, through which we coordinate and develop employer policies across the performing arts industry. Our team of legal advisors counsel our members regarding work-related issues, and they assist our member organisations in disputes and negotiations. Members of Swedish Performing Arts Association can also receive legal representation in court-adjudicated labour disputes or in cases before an arbitration board. In addition, we offer expert support in areas such as labour law, copyright law, negotiation techniques, questions concerning discrimination and gender equality, and occupational safety and health (OSH).
Swedish Performing Arts Association organises on average ten training courses on leadership development and other relevant topics for employers every year, and also coordinates twelve networks for different leadership groups in the industry.
Through activities such as our annual industry days with over 200 performing arts leaders present and our participation in Almedalen, an annual political convention held on the island of Gotland, we provide opportunities to exchange ideas and strengthen leadership. We also host an annual National Dance Conference, and regularly collaborate and co-organise thematic conferences and larger projects, on topics such as diversity and leadership.
Swedish Performing Arts Association is a founding member of Pearle*, the European trade federation of Performing Arts organisations. Swedish Performing Arts Association is also a member of ISPA, the International Society for Performing Arts, and has developed a partnership with them for advancing international leadership, a fellowship programme. On a Nordic level we are involved with the Nordic Orchestra Conference, which takes place annually in one of the Nordic countries.