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Target group
Institution outside Switzerland
Submission deadline
1 October, 23:59 (CEST)

What

Support for projects at the intersection of art and digital technologies with a focus on knowledge exchange and fostering long-term partnerships

For Whom

  • At least one Swiss cultural organisation (such as an art venue, cultural space, festival or association) and one or more international partner(s) with a convincing track record, the necessary competence to work with international partners and a sensibility for transdisciplinary processes
  • Support for broad definitions of ‘art’ and ‘digital technology’ according to different geographical contexts and the plurality of knowledge systems
  • To assist applicants in finding a partner organisation as well as inspiration, the online ‘Art, Science and Technology Directory’ (initiated by Pro Helvetia) is available for consultation, allowing users to browse global organisations. The link can be found under ‘additional information’.

Selection Criteria

  • Knowledge-exchange and matchmaking in a meaningful and sustainable way
  • Projects at the intersection of art and digital technologies
  • Clear impact on the artistic and cultural scene in Switzerland and abroad
  • Projects involving artists eligible for support from Pro Helvetia
  • Significant part of the project open to the public and addressing a wide audience (e.g. public events, hackathons, online presence, series of participatory workshops, an open access tool kit, GitHub repository, etc.)
  • Duration of the projects up to 18 months
  • Equity within the collaboration and mutual impact

In addition to these specific criteria, the apply.

Financial Contribution

  • The grant ranges from CHF 30,000 to CHF 100,000.
  • The grant from Pro Helvetia should not exceed 50% of the total budget.
  • The grant may cover the following: conceptualisation, creation and implementation of the project. This may include appropriate fees for artists and facilitators, travel and material costs, etc.
  • Infrastructural costs (building, renting, etc.) and operational costs (salaries, insurances, etc.) of the organisations will not be supported.
  • All organisations invest and contribute in accordance with their size, abilities and regional contexts (contributions can include overhead costs, infrastructure, accommodation, network, visibility, advice, etc.).
  • Corresponding costs for ecologically responsible use of resources and protection of the environment (e.g. expert advice for emission reduction, environmentally compatible alternatives, CO2 compensation) can be included in the project budget.

Content Of Application

  • Concept outlining the goals, format, content, and implementation of the programme specifying the milestones and the intended impact
  • Information about all participating organisations and involved artists: role in the programme, investment in the programme, responsible persons, etc. The organisations and the implicated artists must be eligible according to Pro Helvetia.
  • A letter of intent signed by all participating organisations
  • Budget and financing plan (with detailed information about the financial contributions of the partners and from third parties) incl. specification of the amount requested from Pro Helvetia
  • In the case of online events: a compelling dissemination strategy
  • Additional relevant documents (e.g. documentation of past projects, media reports, etc.)

Format-specific Exclusion Criteria

  • Projects already funded by Pro Helvetia
  • Project that are do not involve a Swiss cultural institution
  • Projects involving and initiated by only one organisation
  • Projects including open calls

Application Deadlines and Decision Timelines

Applications can be submitted from1 March
Submission deadline1 October, 23:59 (CEST)
Notification of decisionJanuary 2026
Earliest start date for the projectFebruary 2026

Decision-making processes

The applications will be assessed by a jury.

Additional Information

All applications must be submitted in English.

Downloads and resources

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Image by Jean-Vincent Simonet

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