Swamp Swap expands in Haaga

We are very happy to announce that SWAMP has officially expanded to Haaga, opening a new storage point in Majavan tila osk spaces at Kauppalantie 22. SWAMP: Art Material Swap and Waste Management Point is a material bank for second-hand art supplies and stuff.

Information for SWAMP Haaga users

As announced by SWAMP elsewhere:

SWAMP is expanding: more materials at Kauppalantie 22

We are happy to announce the opening of the new SWAMP’s storage space in Etelä-Haaga, Kauppalantie 22. Many of you might be familiar with the spot as it is the address of Helsingin Pyöräpaja, a free space where you can fix your bike.

In this storage space, we currently have: shipping crates, MDF boards, showcases, and more. You can find a link to the full list on our website or on Instagram bio. Important: SWAMP Haaga is only open on Thursdays 14-17 via reservation. Make yourself familiar with the rules and welcome to browse for materials!

The primary space at Pasilan Puistotie 10 B is open as usual: Tuesdays 12-18, Fridays 11-17.

RULES

1. The space is open by request only.
2. Available time slots are only Thursdays from 14:00 to 17:00. No exceptions can be made.
3. The list of materials available in Haaga storage can be found via the link in our bio.
4. Reserve a time slot and your items via the link in our bio. The item reservation field will appear on the confirmation page.
5. Requests must be submitted by Tuesday at 17:00 for the same week.
6. Your request will be considered valid only after confirmation from our team.
7. If your desired time slot is already taken, we may still accommodate a visit at that time if we determine that it does not disrupt existing bookings. In this case, email us: haaga.reservations@gmail.com.
8. It is possible to visit the storage to view the materials, but the same rules apply.
9. The cancellation deadline for visits is Tuesday at 17:00 for the same week.

Please check the SWAMP website for up to date instructions.

Cooperation between SWAMP and Majavan tila osk

As Majavan tila osk, we are very happy to have Swamp Swap ry as new tenant in our Kauppalantie 22 space. (More space is still available for rent, including a storage area of about 30 m² and the 42 m² former “office” area.)

SWAMP’s activities are obviously well aligned with us and our primary tenant, Helsingin Pyöräpaja, of which most of our cooperative members are also members. Whether you call it DIY, reuse, circular economy, upcycling, creative reuse or something else, both projects help individuals reduce their environmental impact and take control of their supplies, without reliance on financial exchanges.

As I see it, SWAMP is a form of mutual aid and helps artists and creatives by reducing their costs. It was very smart of the KONE foundation to give SWAMP a grant, and I hope they will continue to do so. In such times of mindless budget cuts, we need to get more creative in finding ways to support the arts, without relying solely on some central decisionmaker who picks winners and losers. Similarly, Majavan tila osk is a structure and a community for projects and people to come together and help each other cover the costs of having a physical space in Helsinki for their activities.

What SWAMP believes

Now I’ll let SWAMP’s co-founders, Vera Kavaleuskaya and Adel Kim, explain more.

Why is SWAMP important?

«A large quantity of reusable material ends up in waste sites after exhibitions and events. Art institution staff members make efforts to donate leftover materials to artists; however, this requires extra time, work and effort, which is often difficult to organize due to schedule limitations. As a result, a large amount of materials from exhibition venues end up being discarded. At the same time, art workers need material support due to high production costs and precarious financial situations. Moreover, artists and art workers often have surplus materials that they wish to give away but without easy access to a convenient infrastructure it is difficult to do that. Despite Helsinki’s abundance of recycling centers and promotion of “reuse culture”, up until now, there were no centralized hubs specifically serving artists’ material needs.»

What does SWAMP do concretely?

«SWAMP: Art Material Swap and Waste Management Point provides a solution to these problems. It facilitates the process of balancing between surplus and need, collecting used materials from exhibition venues and individuals and donating it to the art workers who need it. By doing this, we increase the level of reused material in the arts and contribute to circular economy principles in the arts, in this time of ecological crisis.»

How does SWAMP help the environment?

«SWAMP makes it easier for institutions and independent practitioners to shift towards art production through recycling by ensuring that recycling is easy, accessible, free, simple, and integrated into regular practices. Our goal is to make it easier to use second-hand art materials than buying something new.»

How does SWAMP help the art field?

«SWAMP’s operations are based on the shared value of sustainable art production as the only viable way to cope with the climate crisis within the art field. We are committed to supporting the welfare of artists, with a focus on providing material assistance, in light of current cultural policies and the limited availability of arts funding. As we provide materials to all artists regardless of background and stage in artistic career, we are also promoting diversity and inclusion. SWAMP is not an institution, nor are we trying to become one. As art workers who have experienced burnouts, fun and joy are key conditions for our work. Moreover, we are convinced that institutionalizing our activities would demand a high work and production speed which ultimately causes ecological harm. Therefore, we approach the workload from the position of undoing and taking it slow.»