A short introduction to KKV GBG
In the area of Klippan, Gothenburg, KKV GBG is housed in the top two floors of a former sugar refinery. KKV GBG is a non-profit association which was founded 1974 by a group of artists with the support of the city, and at the start of 2019 we have around 550 members, all professionals from the art, design and architecture field.
Our membership represents diverse practices and it’s easy to find others to collaborate with either artistically or for technical purposes. Our members use the workshops to create artistic works, design prototypes or commissions. Many of the public artworks in the city and region have been manufactured at KKV GBG.
We have members who have been with the association since the start and who generously share their experiences and knowledge with others, and collaborations are common. If you need help with a particular technique you usually can hire one of your colleagues for the task and do everything inhouse. Since you need to be approved for each workshop you want to work in, it’s sometimes faster to employ someone else to do the work rather than signing up for courses which would give you access.
Shops available at KKV GBG
We have 18 different shops at KKV GBG, and each shop has 1-3 admins who are the first contact for any questions you have regarding the techniques, tools or requirements for working there. In addition to the workshops which our members can use 24/7, we have studio spaces which you can rent for larger projects.
All the links below are in Swedish, but you’ll find the admins there and the pages can be run reasonably well through a translator.
Casting (bronze, aluminium)
Electronics
Enamel
Glass (fusing, slumping, finishing)
Copper etching graphics
Lasercutter
Metal
Textile patina
Textile printing (screen, block)
Woodshop
Vinyl cutter
Tufting
Screenprinting on paper
Lithographic printing
Printshop (in progress)
Photographic studio (no admins)
KKV GBG is a non-profit and relies completely on the volunteer work of our members. Without the great amount of work the shop admins and others put in the shops wouldn’t function, and there’s always something which needs doing. This also means that as a member you have a great influence over what techniques and machines are represented in the shop – all decisions regarding expansions are bottom-up, and we don’t spend money on things for which there’s no demand.
Our annual turnover is 40 members, and our membership has grown by 30 per year the past five years – new members being both recent graduates and seasoned professionals who’ve moved to town. Thanks to this influx, there are always new exciting ideas and suggestions for improvements.
We’re the largest educator for visual artists in the region, and offer 30 or so courses each year. Most courses are run by our members, and they are usually open for anyone – member or not. They vary from introductory courses to advanced, and we also put together courses on demand for groups or organisations. Some courses serve as introductions which usually merit approval for that particular shop.
KKV GBG is open to the public twice a year, during Majornas Konstrunda in spring and Kulturnatta in the fall. We get upwards of 3000 visitors and it’s a great occasion to showcase both member art and present techiques through workshops – it’s a good opportunity to demonstrate the process behind the creations and increases the public awareness of the amount of work required for production.
KKV GBG has a board which meets once a month and it’s the highest decision making body in the association. They’re voted on once a year at an all-members meeting in spring, and have the position for one or two years.
Applying for membership
You can apply for membership at KKV GBG if you are a professional artist, designer, craftsman or from another profession related to the visual arts.
The application process works like this:
You fill out the application form: PDF link
You attach references, diplomas, etc relevant for the application.
You send the application either by post or email.
The board reviews you application for membership at KKV GBG
The admins for each shop you’ve applied to review your application
Assuming that you were approved by the board and admins you get an invoice and some welcome material
Once the membership invoice is paid you’re welcome to pick up keys (300kr fee – 200kr of which is a deposit) and get an intro to the shop, rules, fire safety, etc.
You book an introduction with an admin in each shop you are approved for – this is mandatory before you start working in the shop.
Usually, if you have a BA or higher within the visual arts field you are automatically approved for membership at KKV GBG. If you don’t have the academic merits you can still be approved based on your practice – stipends, exhibitions, residencies, etc – so make sure to include information about those.
In order to work in any of the shops, you need to be approved for it by that particular shop admin. You need to have documented proficiency in the tools and techniques relevant for that workshop, so make sure to include descriptions of courses, projects, etc which you think might help the admins to make an informed decision.
Membership fees and costs
Membership fees – and all other periodical fees – follow the calendar year. Regardless when you become a member you always pay the full price for the current year. The only exception is if you’re approved in November-December, in which case your invoice counts towards the following year.
The only recurring fees for members are the membership fee and the service charge. We have three different tiers of service charge, the difference being that they allow different amount of working hours in the shop. The service level can be changed at any time, and the alotted hours have to be used in the period Jan-Dec as they don’t carry over into the next year. There’s also a one-time fee when becoming a member.
The fees for 2018:
One-time entrance fee – 650kr, no VAT
Membership fee – 500kr, no VAT
Service fee – one of the below
Service fee mini – 900kr + VAT. 75 hours in the shop
Service fee midi – 2000kr + VAT. 200 hours in the shop
Service fee maxi – 5000kr + VAT. Unlimited hours in the shop
In addition to the costs above some shops charge for electricity or gas when using kilns, welding, etc – this is charged at cost. Storage space is also paid on an annual basis.
Membership conditions
Once your application has been approved and you have paid the fees your membership becomes active. The membership period is a calendar–year (Jan-Dec) and is paid at the start of the current year. During your membership you are a partial owner of the organisation. You can pick up keys to the workshop at the office, after which you have access to the shop at all times. There’s a deposit of 200kr for the keys.
You can only work in those workshops to which you’ve been approved. Under no conditions are you allowed to work in a shop where you’re not a member. If you want something done in a shop where you’re not approved, get in touch with the shop admin or another member of that shop and ask for help.
During some events at KKV GBG the workshops are in use and might not be available for regular work. Make sure to plan your work well ahead in time in order to avoid scheduling collisions. In some shops you have to book the machines or resources like ovens, presses, etc. Those are booked at bokning.kkvgbg.se and you get access to that site through the office. Whoever has made a booking has priority to a resource, so if you want to be certain of access then make sure to book it.
After you finished working for the day you have to fill out a time sheet with your name, data, number of worked hours and any other resources which cost extra that you’ve used. Each member is required to put in 10 hours of volonteer work for the shop per year. Check with the office or shop admin if you need ideas for what needs doing, or talk to other members.
Storage and cleanup
Materials are to be stored in designated areas. There are shelves and pallet spaces to rent for longer periods. All materials—including cupboards, pallets, etc—should be marked with your first and last name. Unmarked materials risk becoming communal and available for anyone to use. If you haven’t been active at KKV for 5 years and a new member needs a storage space, you can lose the right to your storage if we can’t find another solution.
As a member you are responsible to keep the workshop tidy. Make sure to clean up after yourself once you’re done working. A failure to do so results in a fee of 200kr.
Carry out full garbage bags to the elevator to help out the janitorial staff. It’s absolutely forbidden to take KKV tools and property from the shop without prior arrangement. Children too young to help out in the shop shouldn’t be here unless strictrly supervised, and you are personally responsible for any assistants you have working for you. Please refrain from bringing pets to the shop—party out of consideration for the animals and the noise & pollution here, but also with allergic members in mind.
If a machine malfunctions, get in touch with the shop admin or the office staff. You can call, leave a note or send an email. Don’t forget to leave your name and number in case we need to get additional information.
responsibility and insurance
KKV GBG carries an insurance which covers personal injury, damage to ongoing works or materials which are temporarily stored here. You are personally responsible for damage and injury to other people or other peoples property. You should always use the required safety equipment, as well as arrange for an insurance which covers accidents and damages to third party in connection with your professional work. Please note that a regular home insurance usually only covers damages not related to professional work.
Immediately let the shop admins know when something breaks. If this isn’t possible, get in touch with the office. If you through neglicence or ignorance cause damage to machines, tools or the shop, you are personally liable.
It is every members responsibility to keep the office updated with their contact information. Invoices which have not been received because of your failure to update your information might result in late fees.
ending your membership
In order to end your membership at KKV you need to give notice—your membership is not cancelled automatically if you don’t pay your fees. If you wish to end your membership, you should get in touch with the office, return your keys, and empty out and clean any storage you might have had. Any positive balance from membership or other fees is not reimbursed upon exiting, and any existing credits are forfeit.