All disciplines

Research trip to Switzerland

Target group
Practitioner without connection to Switzerland
Submission deadline
Open year-round

What

Two- to four-week research trip to one or more regions in Switzerland

For Whom

Cultural practitioners from the regions of the liaison offices (Arab region, East Asia, South America, South Asia and Vietnam, West Africa, Central Africa, East Africa and Southern Africa – see below for a full list of countries) who are active in any of the disciplines supported by Pro Helvetia. You can find a full list of countries below. Applications from both individuals and artist duos are accepted.

Selection Criteria

  • Permanent residence in one of the regions of the liaison offices and active participation in the respective cultural scene
  • Comprehensive portfolio and proven track record of professional activity in the applicant’s field
  • Strong professional interest in the selected destination, connected to the applicant’s artistic practice, and in networking with the local cultural field
  • A concrete research topic that can deepen the exchange between the cultural scenes of Switzerland and the applicant’s country of residence
  • Knowledge of English or one of the Swiss languages to ensure smooth and effective communication
  • For environmental reasons, applicants are requested to consider a travel duration of at least two weeks.

Financial Contribution

  • Accommodation
  • Travel costs
  • Daily allowances
  • Coach: a cultural professional from the local artistic field, facilitating networking and exchange
  • In addition, artists and cultural practitioners with childcare responsibilities can apply for financial support of up to CHF 1,000 per month as a contribution to childcare or for the travel expenses of their children and, if necessary, a carer. This also applies if the child/children stay at home and are cared for. Applicants must present a budget of all expenses in advance.

Content Of Application

  • Title and brief description of the proposal
  • Motivation explaining the professional interest and artistic research in the selected destination
  • Desired length of stay and destination
  • CV and portfolio

All applications must be submitted in English.

Format-specific Exclusion Criteria

  • Artists and cultural practitioners from countries outside the Pro Helvetia liaison offices’ area of responsibility may not apply.
  • Pro Helvetia is unable to consider funding requests if the applicant is enrolled in a school, university curriculum, basic training, or education programme.

Application Deadlines and Decision Timelines

Submission deadlineOpen year-round
Notification of decisionEight weeks after submitting the application
Earliest start date for the projectThree months after application

Additional Information

Pro Helvetia assumes no responsibility for the approval of visa applications from artists, accompanying children, partners, family members or caregivers.

Arab region

  • Algeria
  • Egypt
  • Jordan
  • Lebanon
  • Morocco
  • Palestine
  • Tunisia
  • United Arab Emirates

East Asia

  • Mainland China
  • Hong Kong
  • Macau
  • Taiwan

South America

  • Argentina
  • Bolivia
  • Brazil
  • Chile
  • Colombia
  • Ecuador
  • Paraguay
  • Peru
  • Uruguay
  • Venezuela

South Asia and Vietnam

  • Bangladesh
  • Bhutan
  • India
  • Nepal
  • Pakistan
  • Sri Lanka
  • Vietnam

West, Central, East and Southern Africa

  • Angola
  • Benin
  • Botswana
  • Burkina Faso
  • Burundi
  • Cabo Verde
  • Cameroon
  • Central African Republic
  • Chad
  • Comoros
  • Côte d’Ivoire
  • Djibouti
  • DR Congo
  • Equatorial Guinea
  • Eritrea
  • Eswatini
  • Ethiopia
  • Gabon
  • Gambia
  • Ghana
  • Guinea
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • Kenya
  • Lesotho
  • Liberia
  • Madagascar
  • Malawi
  • Mali
  • Mauritius
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • Niger
  • Nigeria
  • Republic of the Congo
  • Rwanda
  • São Tomé and Príncipe
  • Senegal
  • Seychelles
  • Sierra Leone
  • Somalia
  • South Africa
  • South Sudan
  • Tanzania
  • Togo
  • Uganda
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe
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