Our aim & mission
We are run as a non-profit solidarity-based cooperative and aim to improve the general working conditions for freelancers, creatives and artists.
We invest all profits in the expansion of our services and in fair pricing; at the same time, our mission is to improve the financial and social security of freelancers in the long term.
Our roots
Our initiative comes from Belgium, where Smart (which stands for “Société mutuelle pour artistes”) was launched in 1998 as an economic solidarity project. The founding members come from the independent art and culture sector and with Smart they created a new kind of solution for freelancers, some of whom work in precarious conditions.
The initiative quickly became a success and soon reached a larger target group. In 2022, Smart Belgium already had around 35,000 members – and the trend is still rising.
With the support of Smart Belgium, seven independent organisations have been founded in different European countries. Smart Coop Austria was initiated in 2011 and started its activities as a cooperative on 4 May 2015. Since then, we have been working with the European Smart partners on a transnational knowledge and solidarity network for new forms of work.
Membership with Smart Coop Austria
As a solidarity-based project, we are always working to expand our network of members so that our community continues to grow and we can offer our services to many freelancers.
Become a member of Smart Coop Austria
Freelancers cooperating with us, can become a members of Smart Coop Austria. As a member, you become a co-owner of our cooperative and have an optional right to vote in the annual or extraordinary general assembly. Your share in the cooperative is a one-time fee of 50 euros.