SOK stiftelsen

You can apply for support by completing the application form. Don’t forget to mark which profession you belong to. You can complete the application form digitally and then save it and email it to the foundation. You can also send the form by post. The address is printed on the form.

When can I apply for support?

You can apply for support if you are in the applicable age range for your profession.

  • Dancers: You can apply for support from the month you turn 35 up to and including the month before you turn 43.
  • Chorus singers, soloist singers, musical theatre artists: You can apply for support from the month you turn 45 up to and including the month before you turn 56.
  • Musicians: You can apply for support from the month you turn 55 up to and including the month before you turn 64.

In order to receive active support, you must have worked for at least 18 months at one or more performing arts institutions over the past five years. Different professions have different qualifying periods for financial support. Find out what qualifying period applies for your profession here

What is a qualifying period?

A qualifying period is all the periods of employment you have had at a performing arts institution that is covered by the SOK agreement. This means that you can only count your periods of employment at employers on the list below (as only they pay in premiums for career adjustment and transition). It is important that in your application you include all the periods of employment you have had at the listed performing arts institutions. Both temporary and permanent employment should be included. Periods of employment at other employers should not be included. If you have worked on a self-employed basis (by invoicing the institution) this time cannot be included in the qualifying period.

You must also state if you have taken a leave of absence from particular employment at an employer that is covered by the agreement, for example to work elsewhere. You must also state if you have taken parental leave from your employment at a performing arts institution or if you were on continuous sick leave. Nine months per child and 12 months per sick leave can be counted for in your qualifying time.

Once we receive your application, we will send you confirmation of receipt.

Temporary conditions due to the pandemic

In order to receive financial support from SOKstiftelsen, it is required that you have worked for at least 18 months during a certain period of time (time frame) - different for each professional group. For dancers, vocal soloists, and musical artists, the time frame is five years, for choristers four years, and for musicians three years.

However, the consequences of the pandemic have led SOKstiftelsens board to decide on temporary conditions, which means that the time frame is extended by 24 months to cover the period between April 1, 2020 and March 31, 2022.

For example, a dancer applies for support in March 2023. Before the temporary rules came into effect, the dancer would have needed at least 18 months of work within the time frame of five years, in this case between March 2018 and March 2023. This dancer has not worked a total of 18 months during this period. With the temporary rules, the worked months between March 2016 and March 2018 can also be counted as qualifying time.

This is a temporary exception that expires at different times for the different professional groups, as they have different time frames. For dancers, vocal soloists, and musical artists, the exception rules apply until September 30, 2026, for choristers until September 30, 2025, and for musicians until September 30, 2024. After this date, the possibility of extending the time frame due to the pandemic will no longer be available.

 

You can find information about the applicable rules for different professions here

The application form is available here (PDF format)

Application form - musicians (PDF format, in swedish)