Cities of Refuge 1
REMEMBER: All information submitted to the Swedis
h Tax Agency is publicly available. To protect an artist in residence from having their address published on websites that list contact details, it is recommended to apply for a confidentiality marking at the same time as submitting the national registration number application. The artist needs to show in this application why he or she needs a confidentiality marking. PEN’s validation can help with this. For more information about confidentiality markings, see the chapter on safety and confidentiality. Social security and healthcare In Sweden, social security gives families and individuals with disabilities financial protection for dental care, child allowance, childcare allowance etc. Social security is administered by the Swedish Social Insurance Agency. An artist in residence is covered by what is termed a residence-based insurance. The basic requirement is that the person must reside in Sweden for more than a year. The insurance expires when a person is no longer considered as living in Sweden. Note that an artist will not be automatically registered with the Swedish Social Insurance Agency when they receive their Swedish personal identity number. The Swedish Social Insurance Agency receives the details from the Swedish Tax Agency, but the artist must personally register with them. Registering for residence-based insurance is done through the Swedish Social Insurance Agency’s website. If an artist becomes seriously ill and has not yet received a Swedish personal identity number, they may seek emergency medical care. If the artist is not a resident of the EU/EEA or a signatory State, they must pay the full healthcare cost unless they have a Swedish personal identity number. Costs for healthcare and dental treatment varies between the Cities of Refuge in Sweden. In some cities, the region covers the cost of healthcare and dental treatment until the artist has received a Swedish personal identity number. In others, the City of Refuge pays the expenses up to a certain amount, or not at all. Mental health It is common for artists in residence to experience mental health issues at some point during their stay in a City of Refuge. These issues come 27/49