Sweden: Clarion Hotel Stockholm offers artists free ‘room for art’

A hotel in Sweden is offering artists free accommodation in exchange for one of their signed artworks.

The four-star Clarion Hotel Stockholm in the country's capital began the “Room for Art” promotion earlier this month. 

“We love art so much that from the 8th of June 2012, artists can pay for their hotel stay with art. It’s all really very simple: An artwork – a room – one night,” according to the hotel’s website.

A standard room at the Clarion costs upwards of $125 a night, so for a struggling artist in need of a soft pillow this is a good deal. 

The hotel restricts the offer to a maximum of two people in a double room and artists can only take advantage of the offer twice a year.

The hotel drew its inspiration from the Chelsea Hotel in New York, which used to allow well-known artists free accommodation in exchange for their work.

“It all started with the fact that our general manager’s grandfather was an artist,” Clarion Hotel’s marketing manager Tess Mattisson was quoted by Sweden’s English-language news website, The Local, as saying.

“He actually had some of his work hanging in the Chelsea Hotel and now that their hotel has closed down, the manager was so inspired that our hotel will continue the tradition.”