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Design

Game Design Emerging Talents: post-production

Applications can be submitted from: 1 January

Target group
Practitioner with connection to Switzerland
Submission deadline
1 March and 1 September

What

Dissemination of a project in its advanced stages with marketing measures or transfer of the project to other platforms

For Whom

Emerging talents are professional game designers whose game design relevant education or company foundation (as a legal entity) dates back less than 7 years.

Selection Criteria

  • Originality, feasibility, high degree of innovation and marketability
  • Independent concept – further refinement of own, already realised projects are also permitted
  • Digital content for devices such as computers, game consoles, mobile devices or for mixed reality, the use of which requires a high degree of interaction and has a major impact on the content
  • Copyright and rights of use are held by the project sponsor
  • Project application submitted by a legal entity (GmbH, AG, etc.). If the education dates back less than 7 years, sole proprietorships are also authorised if there is a willingness to convert them into a legal entity.
  • At least 50% of the participants are Swiss citizens or permanent residents whose place of work is in Switzerland

In addition to these specific criteria, the apply.

Financial Contribution

  • Up to CHF 20’000
  • Additional, individual coaching measures are possible

Content Of Application

  • Playable prototype
  • Trailer (no longer than two minutes)
  • Dissemination strategy (max. 15 A4 pages) incl. current sales/download figures, price expectations, reviews
  • CVs of the participants
  • Detailed budget and financial plan, incl. information on financial assistance from third parties

  • All written documents must be submitted in English

Format-specific Exclusion Criteria

The following are excluded

  • Commissioned work and projects that are part of an advertising campaign or for promotional purposes
  • Purely technological projects without an obvious narrative and/or aesthetic content

Application Deadlines and Decision Timelines

Applications can be submitted from1 January and 1 July
Submission deadline1 March and 1 September
Notification of decisionJune and November
Earliest start date for the project1 July and 1 January

Decision-making processes

The applications will be assessed by a jury.

Additional Information

Milestones guidance

For all supported projects, Pro Helvetia will develop an individual document to keep track of project milestones and time planning.

Online information session

Information sessions on the funding measures are held online in Winter and Summer.

Registration: https://forms.office.com/e/BBhUeCeQtn

Applications can be submitted from: 1 January

Image by Data Orbit and Lucas Manser

General Requirements

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Introduction

Pro Helvetia promotes the professional contemporary Swiss art and cultural production (without film) with a view to diversity as well as national and international reach. It supports the creation of new artistic works and productions, the exchange between Switzerland’s various linguistic regions, the dissemination of Swiss art and culture outside Switzerland and international cultural exchange. As a national foundation, Pro Helvetia supplements the promotional activities of Swiss cantons and municipalities and only supports projects that are cross-regionally or internationally recognised.

Pro Helvetia will only consider funding applications if they are complete and have been submitted on time.

To be eligible for support, projects must

  • have a clear connection to Switzerland
  • be of nationwide importance
  • be adequately co-funded by other public or private means
  • respects/guarantee fair working conditions

Connection to Switzerland

A connection to Switzerland is given, if one of the following conditions is met:

  • The production or project in question is developed or implemented by artists and cultural practitioners, who verifiably hold Swiss citizenship or are permanent residents of Switzerland and who are regularly artistically involved in relevant events in Switzerland.
  • The project is created, developed, or implemented by an independent group or cultural institution whose place of production is in Switzerland and who is regularly and publicly active in Switzerland.

Nationwide relevance

Nationwide relevance is given, if one of the following conditions is met:

  • The art and cultural practitioners participating in the project are regularly involved in programmes of nationally recognised art and cultural institutions in Swiss regions other than their own or abroad, and the project in question has a transregional appeal.
  • The artistic potential of an emerging art practitioner involved is exceptional in terms of a national or international career.
  • The project makes a significant contribution to the development of Swiss artistic and cultural production and its dissemination.
  • The project is of significant importance for the exchange between Switzerland’s various linguistic regions.

Assessment of content and quality

Within the framework of the available funds, Pro Helvetia prioritises projects that most comprehensively meet the funding criteria. The Foundation assesses whether

  • the project demonstrates high degree of independence and professional competence as well as social and thematic relevance
  • the project is implemented according to professional standards
  • the costs are commensurate with the expected impact
  • a lasting impact can be expected

Furthermore, the Foundation attaches great importance to the following aspects:

  • The project has an appropriate commitment to diversity.
  • Resources are used in an ecologically responsible manner and work and production are planned sustainably.

Restrictions

Pro Helvetia is unable to consider funding requests if

  • the same part of the submitted project is already received funding from other federal bodies (e.g. Federal Office of Culture, Presence Switzerland, Swiss National Science Foundation, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation)
  • the project is part of a school or university curriculum/basic training or continuing education programme (including dissertations, diploma projects, university scholarships, etc.)
  • funding is intended to cover infrastructure and equipment costs, as well as the costs of operating cultural facilities, archives and collections
  • the project does not depend on funding from Pro Helvetia

Status: January 2024