The SWAMP team collects materials from artists and organizations, exhibition venues and other individuals, and stores them in the material bank. The pick up area is limited to the capital region — Helsinki, Vantaa, Espoo.

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The material bank offers free access to materials for artists and organizations.

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Institutions, artists, and other creative professionals use materials in their work. They are welcome to donate them back to the material bank if they are no longer needed.

At the initial stage, all services, including the removal of recyclable materials from organizations and distribution to artists, are free of charge.

1. Come in and feel welcome! SWAMP is a walk-in space with regular hours: Tuesday 12-18, Thursday 12-18, Friday 11-17.

2. Pick out the stuff you need

3. Check out the items with a SWAMP staff member

4. Wrap the stuff with free packaging materials if needed

5. Profit!

1. If you know what you need, feel free to inquire about its availability by sending us a message on Instagram or WhatsApp before visiting in person.

2. An item can be reserved for one week. However, if you do not collect it within that time frame, the item will be freed and might be offered to someone else. If you repeatedly fail to pick up reserved items, you may face restrictions on future reservations.

3. We have additional storage space for larger materials located two blocks away. You can view the list of items stored there, by contacting SWAMP’s staff, using the provided link, or arranging a preview with the staff by appointment. If you need to retrieve any of these items, please coordinate the pick up at least one day in advance. Pick ups are only possible during open hours.

4. You can borrow one of three carts (small or big) from the staff.

5. We have gloves available, as well as eye and ear protection.

6. We cannot assume responsibility for the safety of children, so please make sure to supervise them yourself.

7. Accessibility: unfortunately, at the moment the space is not wheelchair accessible. We are working on enhancing our accessibility and will try to accommodate specific requests from artists during this process.

8. Parking is possible in front of the both entrances and in the yard of the additional space.

1. Take only what you need.

2. Take only as much as you need.

3. Leave the materials, shelves and boxes in the same order and condition as you found them. Pay close attention to ensure there are no items that are loose or sticking  out. 

4. Consider donating what you don’t need or returning used items back to SWAMP.

5. Donate only what can be reused. When in doubt, don’t hesitate to ask for our advice.

6. Need help with transportation for your donation? Let us know!

7. If you’d like to share your findings online or mention us on Instagram, please use our hashtags: #swamp_helsinki or #swamp_swap and/or tag us @swamp_swap

8. If you wish, you can mention us in the acknowledgements accompanying your artwork description.

We are currently operating in test mode, so if you have any suggestions or feedback, please feel free to share!