

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

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:
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:

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

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

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:
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:

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

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.

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).
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:

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)

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

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.
* 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.
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.
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.
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:

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

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

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

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 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.

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

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.

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

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.

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