Music: Adapted funding measures

Information
The pandemic has a massive impact on national and international production and touring activities in the field of music. This situation is to be taken into account through adjustments to the funding measures as well as with new calls for applications.
Calls for applications
Through its call for proposals «work-in-progress», the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia responds to the ongoing restrictions and uncertainties in the music business. It is unclear when normalisation will occur and what it will look like. In particular, the planning and implementation of international projects remains difficult, and cultural practitioners feel compelled to question and change their working methods as well as the formats of artistic productions. Pro Helvetia is therefore launching a call for proposals that focuses on artistic working and research processes and on the development of new formats and measures.
Adjustments to the funding measures
Digital productions established themselves not only as a substitute for live performances, but also as a supplement to previous festival formats. Pro Helvetia’s funding takes this development into account by explicitly supporting digital festival editions and event formats.
The following measures are adjusted:
For Music Professionals
International release tours
Pro Helvetia supports Swiss bands and musicians in developing and internationally premiering their own compositions (new repertoire). In the context of international release tours, contributions can be made towards travel and transport costs (excluding accommodation costs), the production of the new repertoire, as well as international distribution and promotion. Due to the limited possibility of international touring, release tours in Switzerland will also be considered until the end of 2021, provided that they take place in different language regions. This measure concerns tours in connection with the release of a new repertoire only. To be eligible for funding, the band or musician must be nationally established and be performing regularly at renowned venues abroad.
See guidelines for applicants chapter 2.1.2
For event organisers
Events in Switzerland
Pro Helvetia supports festivals and concert series with a national reach that place strong emphasis on exchange between the various language regions of Switzerland and/or that premiere compositions by Swiss composers. For events that take place exclusively digitally, costs for their technical implementation can also be taken into account.
See guidelines for applicants chapter 2.2.1
Events outside Switzerland
Pro Helvetia supports internationally renowned event organisers for the programming of Swiss bands and musicians with an own repertoire as well as for the performance of works by contemporary Swiss composers. For events that take place exclusively digitally, costs for their technical implementation can also be taken into account.
See guidelines for applicants chapter 2.2.2
Illustration © Lina Müller