More European Collaboration in Support of Performing Arts

The Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia is, for the first time, supporting the set-up of long-term partnerships between Swiss and European institutions, organisations and festivals in the realm of performing arts. Such cooperation agreements provide Swiss performing artists with greater geographic scope for their activities beyond the confines of linguistic and political borders, and boosts cultural exchange.

With its call for projects under the heading «Performing arts collaboration in Europe», the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia aims to facilitate the creation or continuation of long-term cooperation agreements and networks between partner institutions, organisations and festivals in Switzerland and Europe. Out of 29 applications from the disciplines of dance, theatre and performance, the five-strong jury has now selected 12 projects from all parts of Switzerland. All 12 have at least two European partner institutions and a minimum project term of three years. The overall sum for grants in this one-off call for projects amounts to CHF 850,000. «The projects supported are not connected with any specific co-productions, but with long-term models of collaboration», explains Andreas Moos, Head of Funding and Cultural Promotion and member of Pro Helvetia’s Management Board. «They can involve either the development of new networks or the exchange of knowledge and resources.» Such cooperation agreements enhance the reach of Swiss artists in Europe and strengthen international cultural exchange.

Examples of projects selected for support include that of the spoken word collective «Bern ist überall», which is building a «Balkan Hub Spoken Word» together with partners from Serbia and Kosovo. Or of «cirqu’Aarau» from the canton of Aargau, which gives Swiss circus artists access to the European support programme of CircusNext. The project by Théâtre Sévelin from Lausanne for its part is aimed at young choreographers, enabling them to collaborate with partner stages in Denmark, Italy and Belgium, and supporting them in particular in their dramaturgical work.

All 12 supported projects can be found here [Link]

Media information:
Sabina Schwarzenbach, 044 267 71 39
sschwarzenbach@prohelvetia.ch

Media Release
Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia
8 December 2018