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Promotion of emerging artists Visual Arts

Information

Imara Paternò Castello

Contact

Our support for emerging artists is aimed at outstanding artists who are in the first five years of their artistic career, having completed their professional training or presented their first work to the public. Various measures of promotion are on offer in the visual arts domain:

  • Contributions to art spaces in Switzerland, enabling the artists concerned to gain initial experience in the professional exhibition scene;
  • Support for presence at art fairs to enhance the artists’ international visibility;
  • Artist-in-Residence programmes offering a solid infrastructure, guidance by specialists and support in the forging of new ties.

We thus offer emerging young artists opportunities to undertake further steps in creative production, in developing their artistic career and in enhancing their national and international presence.

Application deadline: 1 September 2023

Submissions possible via

myprohelvetia.ch

We support curatorial initiatives by self-organised art spaces and small and medium-sized art institutions (in the following referred to as art spaces) on behalf of emerging artists. The aim is to facilitate the artists’ entry into the art scene and help them gain initial exhibition experience. The art spaces concerned may apply for support from Pro Helvetia either for an annual programme or for individual projects.

Criteria for Support

This promotional tool has been created for art spaces in support of projects with emerging artists. emerging artists are understood to mean those who are in the first five years of their professional artistic career (either after they have obtained their artistic degree or following the first public presentation of their work).

Eligible for support are art spaces in Switzerland that fulfill the following criteria:

  • Innovative and original curatorial approach and art outreach programme
  • High-quality programme
  • Continuous exhibition activities and regular opening hours
  • Cross-regional appeal
  • To be eligible for support, projects must ensure artists receive commensurate fees

Deadlines

Pro Helvetia accepts applications from art spaces exclusively via myprohelvetia.ch.

The deadlines for applications are 1 March and 1 September. First event not earlier than eight weeks after the submission deadline.

Dossier contents for annual programme

  • Detailed description of the curatorial concept and the planned programme including financing plan
  • List of participating emerging artists from Switzerland known at the time of submission (including year of birth, biographies, information on university degrees and visual documentation)
  • Details on the art space: history, focus (general concept, goals, positioning in Switzerland and possibly internationally)

Dossier contents for individual projects

  • Project documentation
  • Information on the participating emerging artists from Switzerland (including year of birth, biographies, information on university degrees and visual documentation)
  • Details on the art space: history, focus (general concept, goals, positioning in Switzerland and possibly internationally)
  • Programme for the current and the previous year

Funding

The maximum amount of support granted by Pro Helvetia is CHF 5,000 for individual projects and CHF 15,000 (arranged by means of specific agreement) for an annual programme.

Funding is available for:

  • Production costs
  • Transport and insurance costs
  • Equipment rental
  • Travel expenses for artists
  • Fees for artists, photographers, architects
  • Fees for curators

No funding is available for infrastructure and operating costs.

Previous supported art spaces

2022

Autumn 2022

Annual programme:

Project contributions:

Spring 2022

Annual programme:

Project contributions:

2021

Autumn 2021

Annual programme:

Spring 2021

Annual programme:

Project contributions:

2020

Autumn 2020

Annual programme:

Project contributions:

Spring 2020

Annual programme:

Project contributions:

2019

Autumn 2019

In autumn 2019, contributions were awarded to nine art spaces, including eight for their annual programme and one for a specific exhibition project.

Annual programme:

Project contributions:

Spring 2019

In spring 2019, contributions were awarded to fifteen art spaces, including forteen for their annual programme and one for a specific exhibition project.

Annual programme:

Project contributions:

  • Kunsthaus Langenthal, Langenthal: Anja Braun, Leo Hoffmann, Daniel V. Keller, Lynne Kouassi, Rebecca Kunz, «Unbehaust»

2018

Autumn 2018

In autumn 2018, contributions were awarded to twelve art spaces, including ten for their annual programme and two for a specific exhibition project.

Annual programme:

Project contributions:

Spring 2018

In spring 2018, contributions were awarded to thirteen art spaces, including eleven for their annual programme and two for a specific exhibition project.

Annual programme:

Project contributions:

  • Taylor Macklin, Zurich: group exhibition «STRIKE», with Carissa Mitchel, Raphaëlle Müller, Anaïs Wenger
  • SALTS, Birsfelden: group exhibition «Semantics of the Future» with Marie Matusz, Alan Schmalz

Application deadline:

ongoing, up to eight weeks prior to the event

myprohelvetia.ch

We support presentations by up-and-coming artists at renowned art fairs in order to boost the artists’ international visibility, enable them to take initial steps into the market and become financially independent.

Here, you will find all information concerning support for presentations at art fairs.

Criteria for Support

This promotional tool has been created for art galleries that are planning to exhibit works by an emerging artist at an art fair. Support is provided for solo exhibitions and presentations that take up at least 50% of a booth’s volume at the fair. Emerging artists are understood to mean those who are in the first five years of their professional artistic career (either after they have obtained their artistic degree or following the first public presentation of their work).

Eligible for support are galleries that fulfill the following criteria:

  • Main activity as a gallery, with past experience of participation at international art fairs
  • Regular exhibition activity with regular opening hours in own business premises
  • Mediation of and dealing with contemporary art
  • Active for at least two years prior to application
  • High-quality programme
  • Size of exhibition booth: max. 35m2

Deadlines

Application deadline: ongoing, up to eight weeks prior to the event.

Pro Helvetia accepts applications from galleries for the support of presentations by emerging artists at art fairs exclusively via myprohelvetia.ch.

Galleries can apply for support from Pro Helvetia before applying for participation at the art fair. If Pro Helvetia grants the requested support, it does so under the condition that the gallery provides definitive confirmation of participation at the fair.

Dossier Contents

  • Project description including booth design
  • Copy of art fair application form
  • Details of the gallery and the art fair including event dates
  • Details of participating emerging Swiss artists (including years of birth, biographies including years of graduation and visual documentation)
  • Budget and financing plan including details of the funding requested from Pro Helvetia

Funding

The maximum amount of support granted by Pro Helvetia is CHF 8,000.

Funding is available for

  • Booth rental
  • Transport and insurance costs
  • Equipment rental
  • Travel expenses for artists

In collaboration with various partners, we support specialized artist-in-residence programmes, offering young artists mentoring schemes, excellent networks and initial opportunities to show their work.

Currently, residencies are available at the following partners:

Calls for residencies are displayed on our website.

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