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Annual report 2024

Preface

We have tried to align our future programme as best possible to the central requirements and needs of the cultural sector. Now we need to do our utmost to achieve the set targets in a challenging social environment.

Michael Brändle, President of the Board of Trustees

The role of cultural promotion is subject to constant change. For Pro Helvetia, this means continuously testing opportunities and varieties regarding national and international cultural support, remaining open for new topics and building new partnerships.

Philippe Bischof, Director
Two men are sitting at a table in daylight and looking at the camera.
Philippe Bischof, Director (left) and Michael Brändle, Chairman of the Board of Trustees (right) © Keystone/Gaëtan Bally

Focus Switzerland

Pro Helvetia’s domestic activities include promoting artistic creation in all its variety in Switzerland as well as contributing to its dissemination and to cultural exchange among the country’s various regions. The Swiss Arts Council supports cultural projects of national interest on an application basis and introduces new initiatives.

Pro Helvetia’s five areas of activity in Switzerland:

Supporting creation Providing financial support to enable artistic creation. Exchange and promotion Supporting artistic projects that promote exchange between the country’s regions and strengthen social cohesion. Supporting emerging artists Supporting emerging artists with the aim of facilitating the launch of their professional career in the arts. Impetus Supporting projects that provide new artistic or cultural impetus. Cultural outreach Funding exemplary projects that enable a critical approach to art and culture.

In 2024, Pro Helvetia supported over 2,000 arts and cultural projects across Switzerland. They reflect the enormous diversity of contemporary artistic and cultural creation in this country. In view of the increasing complexity due to social and digital change and the uncertain financial situation, Pro Helvetia strives to find the right balance between agility and stability in its measures with the aim of ensuring the best possible conditions and support for arts and cultural practitioners from Switzerland.


Each year, Pro Helvetia publishes information on its website under ‘contributions attributed’ on projects it supported or realised in the year under review. Discover some project examples:

Two women are laughing while riding a red double swing in a bright room with large windows and brick walls.

At the ‘Joy‘ exhibition, co-organised with Presence Switzerland for Milan Design Week, Pro Helvetia presented emerging Swiss designers around the theme of joy as a force for transformation. © House of Switzerland Milano 2024, Sébastien Crettaz

A performance outside at dusk. Four people are kneeling on one knee on a lawn in a circle. Above their heads hangs a circular light installation with light bulbs. In the background, several people are passing by and watching.

In 2024, the ‘Sélection Suisse en Avignon’ once again provided an important platform for Swiss theatre, dance and performance at the OFF Festival in Avignon. Pictured: ‘OUVERTURE’ by Géraldine Chollet – Cie Rahu LaMo. © Pascal Gely

A person is standing in dim, bluish light in front of a microphone. They have their eyes closed and their forearms bent. In the background, several people in spherical costumes made of light fur. Above, in glowing, curved letters, it says "woerdz".

The festival ‘woerdz‘ in Lucerne brings together the national and the international spoken-word scene, featuring multilingual performances in slam poetry, sound poetry, and lyrical poetry. Pictured: Daniela Dill and Les Reines Prochaines presenting a commissioned piece. © Franca Pedrazzetti

‘For its 15th edition, “Le livre sur les quais” celebrated the richness of Swiss literature. Alongside French-speaking authors, the town of Morges highlighted writers from Switzerland’s German-speaking, Ticino and Romansh regions. The festival also provided an opportunity to shine a light on translation – an essential bridge in a literary landscape shaped by linguistic and cultural diversity. With the support of Pro Helvetia, the festival invited leading Swiss writers from beyond the French-speaking region, covering their travel, accommodation and fees. In doing so, Pro Helvetia made a significant contribution to strengthening cultural and literary exchange across Switzerland’s four linguistic regions.’

Alix Billen
Director of the ‘Le livre sur les quais’ literary festival in Morges

Focus International

Pro Helvetia awards grants on an application basis to arts and cultural projects from Switzerland that are presented across the world. Through its offices abroad, Pro Helvetia promotes the development of professional, international networks in all the artistic disciplines it supports, and strengthens cultural exchange and collaboration on an international level.

Pro Helvetia’s five areas of activity across the world:

Dissemination Promoting the international presence of artists from Switzerland and the global dissemination of their works. Promotion Measures aimed at connecting arts practitioners and promoting artistic and cultural productions from Switzerland among international event organisers and professionals in the cultural scene. Swiss participation Supporting country appearances or Swiss focuses at events with an international reach. International cultural exchange Promoting knowledge exchange and cooperation between Swiss and international artists. New networks, regions and markets Tapping into networks, regions and markets with potential for artists and cultural practitioners from Switzerland.

In 2024, Pro Helvetia supported around 4,500 arts and cultural projects in 105 countries within the framework of its international activities. Promotional and networking measures on behalf of Swiss arts and cultural practitioners at international festivals and art fairs boosted the worldwide awareness and dissemination of contemporary art production from Switzerland. Numerous festivals ran special features spotlighting artists from Switzerland in 2024, including the Fierce Festival in Birmingham (UK), the November Music Festival in the Netherlands and ‘Shoot the Book!’, a programme for literary adaptations at the Cannes Film Festival.

Each year, Pro Helvetia publishes information on its website under ‘contributions attributed’ on projects it supported or realised in the year under review. Discover some project examples:

Four people are dancing in a room with dim, red shimmering spotlight and rising fog. They have their hands stretched out to the sides and their feet crossed in the air.

As part of its ‘On Tour‘ artistic programme, the Centre culturel suisse organised the Swiss Dance Week Paris in November 2024 in collaboration with several partner institutions. Pictured: dancer and choreographer Ruth Childs in her project ‘Fun Times’. © Marie Magnin

An art installation in a bright room with white walls and a beige woven screen. On the floor are narrow, long fabric elements with blue ends that resemble hooves.

As part of its promotion of emerging artists, Pro Helvetia supported ‘Plattform24’, an exhibition series that premiered in Appenzell in 2024.
Pictured: ‘Resurrection Ranch‘ by Virginie Sistek. © Claude Barrault

‘The “Fast Forward” programme is a huge advantage because it can be tailored to individual needs. In my case, it helped me create video content, which is essential for showcasing my work and securing concert bookings. Thanks to the mentoring and “Business Lab”, I was able to gain specialised knowledge in various areas – which also benefits me in the long run.’

Julian Sartorius
Musician and participant in the ‘Fast Forward’ development programme (pilot 2023–2025), which supports mid-career music professionals with artistic mentoring and strategic development.
Two people are standing in the dark in front of a light installation showing illuminated pedestrian signals in red and green. One person is seen from behind, the light shimmering through their hair, the other person is seen from the side, speaking towards the other.

With support from Pro Helvetia Johannesburg, artist Sophie Guyot presented ‘The Meaning of Meaning’ at the festival Spier Light Art in South Africa. The work combines illuminated pictograms to create new semantic connections. © Spier Light Art

Global network

Pro Helvetia’s global network enables artists and cultural practitioners from Switzerland to attend important cultural events abroad. It also promotes exchange and cooperation with local cultural institutions and artists.

Our global network includes six liaison offices and the Centre culturel suisse (CCS) in Paris. The Istituto Svizzero and the Swiss Institute in New York (SINY) also receive our support.

Liaison offices

With the intention of broadening its cultural reach beyond Western Europe, Pro Helvetia has been operating liaison offices for many years in the Arab region (Cairo, 1988), Southern Africa (Johannesburg, 1998), Southern Asia (New Delhi, 2007), China (Shanghai, 2010) and its first decentralised structure in South America (Bogotá, Buenos Aires, La Paz, Santiago, São Paulo, 2021).

In view of the ongoing war and the tense political situation, the Board of Trustees decided at its meeting on 28 February 2024 to terminate all activities of Pro Helvetia in Moscow by the end of 2024. From 2025, Pro Helvetia will no longer be present in Russia.

Operating in diverse cultural and political landscapes, Pro Helvetia’s liaison offices are staffed exclusively by local personnel. They support projects in collaboration with local partners across all areas covered by Pro Helvetia. Furthermore, they facilitate research trips and residencies for cultural practitioners from their regions to Switzerland and vice versa.

Centre culturel suisse in Paris (CCS)

The Centre culturel suisse (CCS) in Paris, managed by Pro Helvetia, showcases and supports contemporary Swiss art in Paris and throughout France. With a primary focus on the performing arts, music and visual arts, it aims to strengthen connections between the artistic and cultural scenes in Switzerland and France. The CCS is temporarily closed for renovations. During this time, it is hosting an ’On Tour’ programme in various regions across France.

Partner institutions

Based on performance agreements, Pro Helvetia contributes to the cultural programmes of two Swiss institutions abroad: the Istituto Svizzero and the Swiss Institute in New York (SINY).

Pro Helvetia Foundation headquarters in Bern and head office in Zurich, with staff from across Switzerland and abroad Pro Helvetia Moscow Activities terminated as of 31 December 2024 Pro Helvetia Cairo Works across the Arab region with staff in Cairo Pro Helvetia New Delhi Works across Southern Asia and Vietnam with staff in New Delhi Pro Helvetia Shanghai Works across China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macao with staff in Shanghai Pro Helvetia Johannesburg Works across West Africa, East Africa, Central Africa and Southern Africa with staff in Johannesburg, Kampala and Lagos Pro Helvetia South America Works across South America with staff in Bogotá, Buenos Aires, La Paz, Santiago and São Paulo Centre culturel suisse Paris Swiss Institute New York Istituto Svizzero

In 2024, Pro Helvetia’s global network again fostered professional cultural exchange and networking among arts and cultural practitioners from Switzerland and the regions covered by the liaison offices in a large variety of contexts. Although geopolitical conflicts and political uncertainty gave rise to a number of operational challenges, cooperation between the liaison offices, their numerous and long-term partners, and Pro Helvetia’s divisions continued to generate new exchange, networking, and support formats in order to provide arts and cultural practitioners with access to new cultural contexts and broaden their professional outlook. For example, the pilot programme ‘Co-creation’ was continued through 2024. It supports the further development of project and cooperation ideas that were formed during residencies and research trips. Another example can be found in the continuation of the internationally successful mentoring programme for female game designers ‘She Got Game’. Furthermore, delegations from the regions of Pro Helvetia South America and Pro Helvetia Shanghai were invited to Switzerland to take part in a networking programme on art and artificial intelligence in partnership with the Mesh Festival in Basel.

Each year, Pro Helvetia publishes information on its website under ‘contributions attributed’ on projects it supported or realised in the year under review. Discover some project examples:

A man in a suit and straw hat is standing in dim light between two large amplifiers and playing the trumpet. In front of him, two men with patterned hats, one holding a sitar.

Trumpeter Erik Truffaz performed at Jazzmandu, Nepal’s largest jazz festival, which celebrated its 20th edition in autumn 2024. The festival in Kathmandu was supported by Pro Helvetia New Delhi. © Jazzmandu

‘Participating in “Sélection Suisse en Avignon” offered me several advantages that contributed to the development of my work and career. The festival is known for attracting a diverse audience, including art professionals, critics, and theatre lovers from around the world. This setting allowed me to present my work on a highly visible platform, helping me gain recognition and broaden my audience. Being part of such an event connected me with artists, directors, producers, and curators. This network is invaluable for future collaborations, bookings, or co-productions. The exposure to other artists’ work and feedback from a global audience at Avignon provided a fresh perspective on my craft. Engaging in this type of environment offers insights into new styles and practices, which inspired and refined my approach for future work.’

Tiran Willemse
The dancer and choreographer took part in the ‘Sélection Suisse en Avignon’ in 2024,
a curated showcase of Swiss stage productions within the ‘OFF’ programme of the Festival d’Avignon.

‘For us, ecology is not just about caring for the environment — it also means exploring new ways of living and working in art and culture. Pro Helvetia’s support for our “Arpentage” project enabled us to develop a nomadic, experimental initiative in an alpine context shaped by rural challenges, particularly geographic isolation and outmigration. Building on local expertise and traditional knowledge, we created tools for co-creation with the community, using artistic approaches to address pressing issues such as biodiversity loss and climate change. Through this work, we developed new approaches that remain deeply rooted in the alpine reality.’

Véronique Ferrero Delacoste
Director of ‘least’ (Laboratory for Ecology and Art for a Society in Transition)
On a colorful patterned mat lies a black-and-white photo book with spiral binding. Only the hand of a person is visible, turning a page of the book.

At the international photography fair ‘Paris Photo‘, Pro Helvetia, in collaboration with Spectrum, presented a selection of Swiss photobooks that had received support in the area of photographic publishing. © Valentin Duciel

Facts and figures

Of the 45.7 million Swiss francs available to Pro Helvetia in 2024, 87.0 per cent were invested directly to support art and cultural activities. At 13.0 per cent, the share of administrative costs lay within the range defined by the Federal Council. In 2024, Pro Helvetia received a total of 7,046 applications. Compared to the previous year, the share of approved applications fell by about 3 percentage points to 35.8 per cent.

Culture as the highest priority

CHF 45.7 m 87.0% Culture 13.0% Administration

Of the 45.7 million Swiss francs spent by Pro Helvetia in 2024, 87.0 per cent went directly to cultural activities. At 13.0 per cent, the share of administrative costs, calculated based on the Zewo standard, remained within the range defined by the Federal Council.

In accordance with the Culture Promotion Act and the strategic objectives of the Federal Council, Pro Helvetia is actively engaged in fostering emerging talent, promoting art mediation, encouraging artistic creation, facilitating cultural exchange in Switzerland and abroad, and supporting projects that introduce new cultural impetus.

To achieve these goals, Pro Helvetia provides support for projects spanning the performing arts, design, literature, music, the visual arts and art+ on an application basis. The Swiss Arts Council also implements measures to enhance the international visibility and networking of Swiss artists and launches thematic initiatives. It offers guidance and assistance to Swiss artists, cultural authorities and event organisers worldwide, and is committed to diversity, equal opportunities and fair renumeration.

Federal funding in Swiss francs

As part of the Cultural Message, parliament approves a budget for Pro Helvetia every four years. For the four-year period 2021–2024, the foundation was allocated 180.4 million Swiss francs. The amounts paid out are slightly lower due to credit cuts. The amount effectively paid out for 2021–2024 will be 178.8 million Swiss francs.

Overview of applications received

In 2024, Pro Helvetia’s divisions and liaison offices received 7,046 applications from third parties.
In 2024, none of Pro Helvetia’s funding decisions were appealed.

Performing Arts 1115 Music 1434 Design 346 Innovation & Society 293 Literature 1095 Global Network & International Affairs 392. Swiss artist residencies, global research trips and co-creation projects. Visual Arts 1080 Liaison offices South America 332 Johannesburg 222 New Delhi 145 Cairo 151 Shanghai 322 Moscow 110. Including applications submitted in 2023 but only registered in 2024.

* Swiss artist residencies, global research trips and co-creation projects.

**

Including applications submitted in 2023 but only registered in 2024.

Development of the number of applications

The share of approved applications decreased by around 3 percentage points compared to the previous year. However, again significantly more applications were submitted in 2024 than in the previous year. The absolute number of approved applications therefore increased slightly in 2024.

For the 2021–2024 funding period, the Swiss Arts Council introduced a new key figure system. The approval rate is now calculated exclusively based on third-party applications. Own initiatives are no longer included.

Percentage of applications accepted 2021 45.5% 2022 42.2% 2023 38.9% 2024 35.8%

Supporting linguistic diversity

Each year, Pro Helvetia publishes a list of the contributions it has attributed. The online database provides information on the supported arts practitioners or cultural institutions, the type of project or format, and the amounts granted. The database covers funding made in the past five years and complements Pro Helvetia’s annual report.

Contributions attributed by Pro Helvetia take into account Switzerland’s linguistic and cultural diversity.

French-speaking Principal languages by region 24.5% Contributions attributed 24.2% German-speaking Principal languages by region 71.0% Contributions attributed 69.7% Italian-speaking Principal languages by region 4.2% Contributions attributed 5.4% Romansh-speaking Principal languages by region 0.3% Contributions attributed 0.8%

Principal languages by region. Source: Federal Statistical Office (as of 2021)

Contributions attributed

Contributions across Switzerland

A single contribution can support multiple arts and cultural projects (such as events, publications, research trips or studio residencies). In 2024, Pro Helvetia supported 2,076 arts and cultural projects in Switzerland. Projects were spread nationwide across 222 localities – from rural municipalities, such as Torre, Evolène or Stans, through towns, such as Aarau, Sion or Chur, to densely populated conurbations, such as Bern, Geneva, Basel and Zurich.

2076 cultural projects in 222 locations across Switzerland

Promoting Swiss culture around the world

Besides its domestic activities, in 2024, Pro Helvetia supported 4474 Swiss art and cultural projects in 105 countries.


Geographical distribution of contributions attributed:

Switzerland 48.6% Europe 37.6% Russia and Central Asia 0.3% Indian subcontinent 1.4% Oceania and Pacific 0.1% North Africa and Middle East 1.3% West Africa, Central Africa, East Africa and Southern Africa 2.0% South America 2.2% North America 3.4%
In a room with large windows and brick walls, a woman with red-dyed hair, a backward-facing cap, and a long white lace dress with puffed sleeves is balancing on a hoverboard.

The Fierce Festival in Birmingham, which brings together theatre, dance and performance art, featured a Swiss focus in 2024, including the duo ‘husbands’, formed by Yevheniya Kravets and Yann Slattery © Irina Mackie

An art installation outside in front of a brick wall. In the center, a cut tree stump on which the statue of a naked person holding a cloak in a proud pose stands. On the ground are several broken, antique-looking columns.

For the 60th International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia, Swiss-Brazilian artist Guerreiro do Divino Amor represented Switzerland in the Swiss Pavilion with his monumental installation ‘Super Superior Civilizations‘. © Samuele Cherubini

Photo of a woman in a cardigan and knee-length black skirt, standing in front of a factory building with the inscription "Antimatter Factory" and looking into the distance. On her shoulder, she holds a bird robot with realistic-looking wings and a long tail made of blue hair.

During a 2024 research residency at CERN in Geneva, Chilean artist Patricia Domínguez continued ‘Tres Lunas Más Abajo‘, which explores the intersection of mysticism and science. The project was developed as part of the Connect Chile residency programme.. © Marina Cavazza 2024 CERN

Art installation in a factory building in daylight. The installation with flexible light tubes shows a moving person. The light is reflected in the puddles on the floor.

The Pro Helvetia-supported project ‘TAFAA – SIGNAL (Ice Cream so good)’ by visual artist Chloé Delarue celebrated its premiere at the Klöntal Triennale. © Thalles Piaget

Evaluation

Pro Helvetia regularly carries out evaluations of important commitments and measures. In 2024, the Arts Council assessed its focus on ‘Art, Science and Technology’ (Cultural Message 2021–2024), which concluded at the end of the year, and commissioned a benchmark study on Switzerland’s game design industry.

Focus on ‘Art, Science and Technology’

The internal evaluation of Pro Helvetia’s focus on ‘Art, Science and Technology’ highlights the significant potential for new models of collaboration at the intersections of these fields. Between 2021 and 2024, Pro Helvetia developed and successfully launched a diverse range of funding measures and established several highly effective partnerships. Overall, the foundation achieved its objectives in networking, project funding, cross-sector collaboration and promotion.
A key insight from the evaluation is that institutional collaborations thrive when given sufficient time and supported by committed stakeholders. Thorough research and analysis in advance are also essential. Additionally, effective transversal collaboration within Pro Helvetia – particularly across disciplines and with international offices – has been crucial to success. The four-year programme provided the opportunity to consolidate the most effective formats while strengthening both external networks and internal expertise.

Supporting the Swiss game design industry: a benchmark study

In 2024, Pro Helvetia commissioned Nordicity and Jason della Rocca to assess the funding potential of the game design industry in Switzerland. This marked the first comprehensive evaluation of the field since the foundation’s establishment of its Design division in 2021. The study involved benchmarking the Swiss game design industry, conducting an industry survey, and analysing its impact. The findings highlight both the sector’s strong growth potential and the need to adapt existing funding measures. Based on this analysis, Pro Helvetia aims to develop a targeted funding strategy for game design that supports a sustainable ecosystem. The study also examines the foundation’s role in fostering and promoting Swiss game design. Its insights and recommendations will inform ongoing discussions on the future of the funding model.

Pro Helvetia’s commitment to improving its carbon footprint

Aiming to conduct a CO2 assessment every two years, the Swiss Arts Council has developed a system and criteria to track the energy consumption of its key activities. This enables the foundation to systematically measure and monitor its CO2 emissions while identifying and implementing measures to reduce resource consumption where possible. This initiative lays the groundwork for the action area ‘Culture as a Dimension of Sustainability’, defined in the Cultural Message 2021–2024. Pro Helvetia has also introduced comprehensive guidelines for its operations and staff mobility. In close collaboration with partner organisations such as Migros Culture Percentage and the Mercator Foundation Switzerland, the foundation initiated and successfully launched an emissions calculator for cultural organisations, as well as a training and networking programme for cultural practitioners (‘Creative Climate Leadership Programme’).

A performance in the dark under white spotlight. The performing person has short-cropped hair, is dressed in black, and is crouching close to the audience, their face not visible. The people in the audience are holding their smartphones up in their hands.

A Bunch of Noise, an experimental music festival in Shanghai, provided an international platform for six Swiss acts in 2024. With the support of Pro Helvetia Shanghai and the Music division, the musician Rudolf Eb.er, among others, performed. © A Bunch of Noise

‘This residency has profoundly influenced my artistic practice, prompting me to critically consider not only my own work but also the practices within the Global South. I am immensely grateful for the invaluable opportunities and newfound perspectives this residency has afforded me.’

Ishita Chakraborty
An artist working between Switzerland and India, she completed a three-month residency in the Brazilian Amazon in 2024 with the support of Pro Helvetia South America.
Side close-up of a woman with red-dyed hair and a glittering blazer. She is singing with closed eyes into a microphone while playing the double bass.

The jazz trio Knobil, led by double bassist and singer Louise Knobil, performed in Lausanne as part of Suisse Diagonales Jazz 2024. This concert series spans all Swiss cantons, showcasing emerging jazz acts from each of the country’s language regions. © Pascal Schmidt

A woman is holding an open book in her hand and showing it to the audience, which is blurred in the background. They are sitting on magenta-colored benches in a large hall.

In 2024, OFF Stage Switzerland returned for a second edition at the Frankfurt Book Fair. The multilingual programme on Swiss literature featured short readings, thematic highlights, workshops and networking events. Pictured: Lena Studer, ‘Das Dorf der Steine’ (The village of stones). © Leonhard Hamerski

Organisation

The Board of Trustees, chaired by Michael Brändle from January 2024, is responsible for the Swiss Arts Council’s strategy and governance. The head office, under Director Philippe Bischof, and its 118 staff in Switzerland and abroad ensure that the foundation’s activities and objectives are pursued and implemented efficiently and effectively. Pro Helvetia is able to rely on the advice of its committee of experts, as well as numerous juries and independent experts.

Board of Trustees

The nine members of the Board of Trustees represent the diversity of the cultural sector, the operational requirements of the foundation and the language regions of Switzerland. At its meeting on 20 November 2024, the Board of Trustees discussed the topic of conflicts of interest and external mandates held by its members and reviewed the relevant regulations. Under these regulations, members of the Board of Trustees must obtain approval from the president of the Board before accepting new mandates. Additionally, the nine-member body is expected to manage personal and business matters in a way that avoids conflicts of interest. Permanent conflicts of interest preclude membership on the Board of Trustees. By the end of 2024, all members updated their declarations of interest. This information is publicly accessible. The president of the Board of Trustees is responsible for monitoring compliance with these regulations.

Head office

The director manages the head office and chairs the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee is responsible for implementing Pro Helvetia’s strategies and funding activities. The sectors, as well as the divisions and offices abroad, process funding applications, develop support concepts and measures and are responsible for dissemination and promotion. They advise event organisers, artists and cultural practitioners and implement their own initiatives.

Committee of experts

The committee of experts consists of a maximum of 13 members, each possessing special knowledge in their fields of expertise. The committee assesses multi-year performance agreements and funding requests for amounts over 50,000 Swiss francs not assessed by a jury.

Juries

Pro Helvetia may appoint juries to assess funding requests and projects.

External experts

External experts advise the head office on specialised topics upon request.

organisational chart
Several people are wearing VR headsets and moving around outside in an open space.

In October, the Mesh Festival in Basel and Münchenstein brought together the public, artists and tech professionals for an interdisciplinary exchange. Pictured: ‘Spatial Affairs. Extended Reality Experiences‘. © Nicolas Gysin, Mesh Festival 2024

Close-up of a man's face with a blue knitted hood, wearing sunglasses with a wide white frame.

Through its design work grants, Pro Helvetia supported LARMA Studio in expanding internationally and refining its marketing strategy. The Geneva-based design studio specialises in distinctive sunglasses made from recycled materials. © Yan Miranda Mayer

‘Pro Helvetia’s support in developing prototypes for the “La Cordée” project and my participation in House of Switzerland in Milan played a pivotal role in my studio’s growth over the past year. It gave me the chance to connect with invaluable contacts, significantly broaden my audience, and build the confidence to present my work in an international arena. The support and encouragement of Pro Helvetia have strengthened my resolve to push the boundaries of materials and techniques, with the ambition of charting new directions in contemporary textiles.’

Estelle Bourdet
The designer presented her Pro Helvetia-supported project ‘La Cordée’ as part of House of Switzerland Milano during the Milan Design Week.
Several people are standing in the dark under warm spotlight on an open-air stage. They are standing in a row and holding each other by the shoulders. In the background, the audience is applauding, consisting of several hundred people.

The festival ‘Winterthurer Musikfestwochen‘ offered a glimpse into Switzerland’s diverse music scene, featuring acts like the indie-folk band Black Sea Dahu. © Paul Märki

Links and downloads

Preface by Michael Brändle, President of the Board of Trustees

For 85 years, the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia has played a crucial role in strengthening creation processes in the Swiss contemporary arts scene, promoting the international visibility of Swiss arts and fostering cultural exchange between Switzerland’s various regions. Operating at the interface of public funding and artistic creation, the Swiss Arts Council is committed to promoting the extraordinary creative diversity in Switzerland and to enhancing its international reach.

2024 was a year of closure. The key measures resulting from the Federal Government’s Cultural Message for 2021–2024 were brought to an end and evaluated. Many of them remain integrated in Pro Helvetia’s regular support structures for the coming year. This shows that the foundation stands for continuity as well as innovation.

2024 was also a year of beginnings. With the adoption of the Cultural Message 2025–2028 and the associated strategic goals, the Federal Council has laid down the guidelines for the country’s cultural policy at federal level and content-related cornerstones for Pro Helvetia’s activities in the coming four years. We have tried to align our future programme as best possible to the central requirements and needs of the cultural sector. Now we need to do our utmost to achieve the set targets in a challenging social environment.

2024 was, moreover, a year of challenges. Ongoing crises, global conflicts, and constraints on public finances have led to heightened uncertainty regarding the future outlook. The cuts in the 2025 Federal budget made at the end of 2024 have a direct impact on Pro Helvetia and will, unfortunately, have repercussions for Switzerland’s cultural practitioners and institutions.

Finally, 2024 was also my first year as Chairman of the Board of Trustees. It is a great honour for me to hold this position and, together with the other Board members, to guide and support Pro Helvetia in its outstanding work.

At this point, I would like to thank all those who, day in, day out, are engaged in enabling Pro Helvetia to accomplish its mission. This includes primarily the staff in Switzerland and at the offices abroad, but also the committee of experts, the juries, and the external experts, who, with their commitment and highly professional work, help assure the quality and impartiality of our activities.

Pro Helvetia will continue to pursue its national and international activities on behalf of Swiss culture with great determination. After all, cultural exchange and dissemination, as well as the promotion of cultural diversity in Switzerland and abroad remain indispensable from a democratic point of view.

Preface by Philippe Bischof, Director

It is often said that art gives people a glimpse or sense of things to come, a kind of preview or premonition of what is awaiting them. Creating art is therefore always associated with a risk of failure, and a high level of personal effort. The impact of a work of art and its success are often only recognisable a long time after its creation. In this context, it is essential, especially in times of polarisation, geopolitical turbulences, and economic uncertainty, that cultural promotion be based on trust, openness and curiosity. Faced with this, for Pro Helvetia, it is crucial to uphold the conviction that culture can contribute to a better future.

But, as we all know, planning for the future is difficult. We are obliged to prepare as best possible for future eventualities and at the same time pursue our set targets, which means we need to be clear in our focus and agile in our methods. In this context, last year’s conclusion of the discussions leading to the government’s Cultural Message 2025–2028 represents an important milestone for cultural promotion in Switzerland in the coming years. In terms of content, we are satisfied with the Cultural Message 2025–2028, to which we were able to make a significant contribution. We are convinced that it identifies key issues in our society and that these can be addressed through various forms of collaboration. Pro Helvetia has developed measures that we believe are appropriate for providing artists and cultural institutions with relevant support. In view of parliament’s reduction of the 2025 budget by 1.5 million Swiss francs, however, it will be unavoidable for us to abandon certain support measures and to prioritise even more strictly.

The Cultural Message 2025–2028 defines the main cultural policy goals, which include improving the income of cultural practitioners and creating more secure working conditions. It paves the way for better support in all phases of artistic production, defines the cornerstones of environment-friendly cultural practice and promotes decentralised structures.

All the approaches and measures we have developed are based on our determination to fulfil our mandate as responsibly as possible in view of the high rate of transformation and the prevalent social uncertainty. In such circumstances, the role of cultural promotion is subject to constant change. For Pro Helvetia, this means continuously testing opportunities and varieties regarding national and international cultural support, remaining open for new topics and building new partnerships.

In this preface, I would also like to express my deep gratitude to the foundation, in particular its staff, and to the numerous other colleagues in the national and international world of cultural promotion with whom I have had the pleasure of working since the end of 2017. As Director of Pro Helvetia – until the end of June 2025 – it has been a great honour and a very enriching experience for me to contribute to the national and international promotion of independent artistic creation and cultural exchange across state borders and across borders between various artistic disciplines. I am taking leave confident that the unique concept of a publicly funded, autonomous cultural promotion institution that enables artistic interaction between Switzerland and the world will, in the spirit of democratic freedom, diversity and independence, continue to prove successful.

With its support for creation, Pro Helvetia makes an important contribution to the diversity and high quality of artistic productions in the fields of performing arts, design, literature, music, visual arts and art+.

In the field of literature, 25 creation grants for literary projects were awarded in 2024. Among the recipients was Alice Bottarelli from the canton of Vaud for her postapocalyptic novel ‘Donutopia’, which presents a counterintuitively positive vision of the future.

Screenshot of a website
Find out more about the creation grants

Within the context of the newly launched music promotion programme ‘Feat.‘, Zurich-based musician Xavier Stone, in collaboration with British producer Lorraine James, spent a week in a London studio creating a new EP.

screenshot of a website
Find out more about 'Feat.'

In the visual arts, Davide-Christelle Sanvee received a grant for her performative installation ‘Die Reste’, which explores the past and the future of industrial history. It was first presented at the Klöntal Triennale.

screenshot of a website
Find out more about 'Die Reste'

Pro Helvetia promotes artistic and cultural exchange between the different regions of Switzerland. The exhibitions, theatre and dance performances, festivals, concerts, translations, and folk culture events supported by the Arts Council generate connections between various cultural and social groups.

The programme of the international and contemporary scene festival ‘FIT Festival Internazionale del Teatro e della scena contemporanea‘ in Lugano featured a broad range of performance productions from all linguistic regions of Switzerland as well as opportunities for exchange at public events and discussion panels with artists.

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Find out more about the 'FIT Festival Internazionale del Teatro e della scena contemporanea'

At the Design Days in Lausanne, designers from Switzerland presented their work, built networks within the scene and forged contacts with Swiss companies in a matchmaking event.

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Find out more about the Design Days

Support also went to the group exhibition ‘La scia del monte ou les utopistes magnétiques‘ at the Museum of Fine Arts Le Locle (MBAL), which offered an artistic take on the historic movement centred at Monte Verità in Ascona and brought together arts practitioners from Switzerland and Italy.

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Find out more about 'La scia del monte ou les utopistes magnétiques'

At the folk culture festival ‘Volkskulturfest OBWALD‘, musicians from Switzerland and guest country Finland thrilled audiences with the results of their productive collaboration. Further folk culture projects received support through Pro Helvetia’s folk culture fund.

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Find out more about the 'Volkskulturfest OBWALD'

Pro Helvetia supports emerging artists in their efforts to gain a foothold in the professional national and international arts scenes, in collaboration with matching partner institutions. The Arts Council offers residency and coaching programmes, support for promotional measures, and contributions towards public presentations.

In 2024, the ‘Sofalesungen‘ (sofa readings) supported by Pro Helvetia comprised over 60 events in the German and French speaking parts of Switzerland, offering a stage for emerging authors in the genres of fiction, comics, spoken word and drama.

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Fidn out more about the 'Sofalesungen'

Pro Helvetia also initiated ‘Push It‘, a support format for music labels and management structures that assist aspiring young musicians from Switzerland in their artistic development and their promotional activities. Grant recipients included musician Sami Galbi and the Geneva-based music label ‘Les Disques Bongo Joe’.

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Find out more about 'Push It'

In the visual arts, a partnership with the WIELS residency in Brussels was launched to give emerging artists from Switzerland an opportunity to partake in the vibrant artistic and cultural life of the Belgian capital and to forge valuable contacts.

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Find out more about WIELS

Pro Helvetia is attuned to important developments in the contemporary arts and culture scene and supports projects that provide fresh impetus to culture in Switzerland.

The programme ‘Creative Climate Leadership‘, initiated together with the Mercator Foundation Switzerland and conducted with Julie’s Bicycle in partnership with Vert le Futur, attracted arts and cultural practitioners from all over Switzerland. They jointly explored the question of what role culture and the arts can play in the field of climate protection.

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Find out more about 'Creative Climate Leadership'

In the pilot edition of the support format ‘Fast Forward‘ (2023–2025), five mid-career musicians from Switzerland were chosen to be supported with regards to their artistic and strategic development and the improvement of their promotion, marketing and management skillset.

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Find out more about 'Fast Forward'

The new format ‘Perform!‘ supports visual artists in professionalising their practice specifically regarding the production and distribution of performative art. The collective ‘nSchuppel’ led by Vanessà Heer, for example, received a grant for the development and production of a stage piece that casts new light on Swiss customs and traditions.

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Find out more about 'Perform!'

Pro Helvetia supports art outreach projects that are exemplary and encourage the public to engage critically with the arts and culture.

The programme ‘Embedded Perspectives‘ provided support for eleven projects that seek new and creative ways of facilitating access to arts and culture and promoting exchange between audiences and the arts world.

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Find out more about 'Embedded Perspectives'

The project ‘u n ~ t e a c h a b l e’, for instance, takes a critical look at how knowledge is transmitted and transformed in our society. The collective Wages For Wages Against received a grant for its publication project ‘Accessibilité dans le domaine des arts visuels’, which provides specific recommendations for non-institutional art spaces and art productions regarding accessibility.

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Find out more about Wages For Wages Against

Pro Helvetia promotes the dissemination of works by arts and cultural practitioners from Switzerland who are invited by important institutions, event organisers or festivals abroad. Grants for this purpose are awarded for theatre and dance productions, concert and reading tours, exhibitions and translations.

For example, support went to the online platform ‘New Books in German‘, which introduces selected new publications in German to English-speaking specialist audiences, and promotes the distribution and translation of these books into English.

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Find out more about 'New Books in German'

Five performing arts productions from Switzerland received a grant in connection with their participation at the international Fierce Festival in Birmingham, which featured a special focus on Switzerland.

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Find out more about the Swiss Focus at the Fierce Festival

Pro Helvetia also provided funding for ‘Monte di Pietà‘, an exhibition by Christoph Büchel at the Fondazione Prada, a former pawn shop in Venice that is now used by a private art foundation. The installation explores the concept of indebtedness through numerous historic, cultural and economic references.

Find out more about 'Monte di Pietà'

With a broad range of promotional measures, Pro Helvetia contributes to keeping arts and culture from Switzerland on the radar of international event organisers.

Stagings by performing artists from Switzerland were supported in connection with the Swiss focus at Les SUBS in Lyon. Together with the Centre culturel suisse (CCS), Pro Helvetia also organised a networking event with the aim of connecting contemporary Swiss circus, dance and theatre practitioners with international event managers.

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Find out more about the Swiss focus at Les SUBS

Within the framework of the well-established ‘Goldschmidt’ programme for emerging translators, Pro Helvetia co-organised the pilot edition of ‘Goldschmidt+‘ in 2024, which offers young translators opportunities to improve their self-presentation skills and to build a professional network.

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Find out more about 'Goldschmidt+'

Support on behalf of Pro Helvetia enabled five musicians from Switzerland to take part in the Month of Contemporary Music festival in Berlin. Through the festival’s networking programme, participants were also able to forge important contacts with music organisations and event managers.

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Find out more about the Month of Contemporary Music

Pro Helvetia supports swiss participation or programmes with a special focus on Switzerland at numerous internationally renowned art fairs, biennials and events.

For example, Pro Helvetia has supported seven performing arts groups from the German- and French-speaking parts of Switzerland in presenting their work at the festival ‘Cratère Surfaces‘ in Alès (France), a significant platform for street theatre. In its 2024 edition, the festival placed a special spotlight on contemporary productions from Switzerland.

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Find out more about the festival 'Cratère Surfaces'

In collaboration with Pro Helvetia, nine publishers from three different Swiss linguistic regions travelled to Southern France for the ‘Shoot the Book!‘ pitching at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, where Switzerland was the country of honour at the ‘Marché du Film’. The aim was to pitch for film adaptations of Swiss books and to strengthen ties between the Swiss literary scene and the international film industry.

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Find out more about 'Shoot the Book!'

Several Swiss musicians and composers received grants to take part at the November Music Festival in the Netherlands, which ran a special focus on Switzerland. Three formations, Julie Campiche Quartett, Lucia Cadotsch, and Oxeon, performed their works in the field of jazz, while Cathy van Eck and Oscar Bianchi presented their compositions in the contemporary music genre.

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Find out more about the November Music Festival

Pro Helvetia promotes international cultural exchange through residencies, knowledge exchange and cooperation projects, which enable arts and cultural practitioners from Switzerland to expand their networks, become acquainted with new cultural contexts, and broaden their professional experience.

For the 2024 Swiss Dance Days, Pro Helvetia invited a delegation of event organisers from the regions covered by its offices abroad. Other than joint visits to a series of events, the two-day programme in Geneva and Lausanne enabled the participants to familiarise themselves with the local dance scene and to exchange knowledge and experiences with its representatives.

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Find out more about the Swiss Dance Days

Pro Helvetia’s Literature division and Pro Helvetia New Delhi launched a support format called ‘Illustration masterclass‘. It allows children’s book illustrators from Switzerland to repeatedly engage in exchange with young illustrators from around the world and to build ties with international experts in India.

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Find out more about 'Illustration masterclass'

Pro Helvetia also keeps an eye open for new networks, regions and markets that offer potential for more intensive exchange or greater presence of arts and culture from Switzerland. The main focus is on building and cultivating partnerships with regional event organisers.

The networking programme ‘Next Level’ enabled selected performing artists and event organisers to forge international ties and initiate new collaboration projects. The programme was launched by Pro Helvetia and German-language partner institutions in 2022 and supports the creation and promotion of theatre and dance productions aimed at young audiences.

In collaboration with Pro Helvetia Shanghai, a Swiss delegation of game designers was invited to take part in the gaming industry’s WePlay Expo in China. Three studios from Switzerland — Kipwak Studio, Memento Games, Altab – and the Chinese Nerve Singer Studio were introduced to other Chinese and Swiss studios as well as publishers and investors and were provided the opportunity to get to know the local gaming sector.

Support from Pro Helvetia also allowed architectures from Switzerland to participate in the Tallinn Architecture Biennale 2024 in Estonia, where they presented their work that explores architecture of the future and the resources at its disposal.

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Find out more about the Tallinn Architecture Biennale 2024

With the support of Pro Helvetia Johannesburg, fashion designer Rafael Kouto undertook a residency in Ghana and Nigeria in 2024. His stay enabled him to deepen his research and practice regarding sustainability, upcycling and decolonisation in the field of fashion.

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Find out more about Rafael Kouto's residecy

Six comics artists and members of the Swiss collective ‘La Bûche’ travelled to Brazzaville in the Republic of Congo for a residency at the Ateliers SAHM, where they worked on a project on sorority together with five African artists. The outcome of the project will be presented in Switzerland in 2025.

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Find out more about the Ateliers SAHM

Pro Helvetia Cairo facilitated the participation of Swiss artists at several festivals in the Arab region in 2024. Jazz musician Lorenzo de Finti and his band, for example, were invited to the Cairo Jazz Festival, an important platform for contemporary jazz.

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Find out more about the participation of Swiss artists at festivals in the Arab region

Swiss author Elisa Shua Dusapin undertook a research trip to Jordan, also with the support of Pro Helvetia Cairo. The stay gave her access to a new cultural context and paved the way for her work on a new novel.

Pro Helvetia New Delhi enabled artists Paloma Ayala from Zurich and Monika Emmanuelle Kazi from Geneva to participate in the 2024 Karachi Biennale, a major festival for contemporary art in Pakistan. The thematic focus was on access to resources and on food production and distribution.

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Find out more about the Karachi Biennale

Also, with the support of Pro Helvetia New Delhi, Swiss game studios took part in a masterclass programme entitled ‘Cultural Identity and Play’ in New Delhi conducted by Swiss game designer Chris Solarski, where they exchanged ideas and experiences with game designers from around the world and expanded their professional network.

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Find out mroe about 'Cultural Identity and Play'

With the support of Pro Helvetia Shanghai, the first edition of the long-term research project ‘Post Carbon‘, which deals with the challenges of climate change, was realised in 2024. It brought arts and design practitioners and scientists from Switzerland and China together for lectures, workshops, and expeditions to various Chinese cities.

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Find out more about 'Post Carbon'

Pro Helvetia Shanghai was also instrumental in enabling six Swiss music groups to take part in A Bunch of Noise, a festival for experimental music in Shanghai. Live performances meant direct interaction with audiences, while workshops encouraged knowledge exchange among participants. After the festival, the four music groups from Switzerland went on a performance tour through China.

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Find out more about A Bunch of Noise

With the support of PRO HELVETIA SOUTH AMERICA, the Swiss duo Richon-Bender took part in ‘Sonandes’, a platform for contemporary music in Bolivia, with a contribution to the ‘Esculturas Sonoras de los Alpes a los Andes’ programme focusing on sound sculptures. The collaboratively created pieces were performed at the 10th edition of Sonandes.

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Find out more about Richon-Bender

Pro Helvetia South America also supported a research trip through several South American countries by Swiss biohacker and digital art expert Marc Dusseiller.

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Find out more about Marc Dusseiller's research trip

The Centre culturel suisse (CCS) in Paris was closed in 2024 due to construction work. Since September 2022, it has been active in various French cities with its multidisciplinary programme ‘CCS on Tour‘, presenting art productions from Switzerland in collaboration with partner institutions.

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Find out more about 'CCS on Tour'

In May 2024, the CCS was present in Metz, where it participated in the Passages Transfestival and developed joint programmes with Perspectives, a Franco-German performing arts festival from Saarbrücken, and the international digital art festival Constellations.

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Find out more about the CCS in Metz

In June, the CCS took part in the 20th edition of the literature festival ‘Le Marathon des mots in Toulouse’, which featured a special programme on the present and future of literary creation in Switzerland.

In autumn 2024, the CCS returned to a number of stages in Paris, inviting, for example, artists from Switzerland to present their work at ‘Performissima‘, a new festival for performance art.

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Find out more about 'Performissima'