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Work grants for literature 2018: diversity in style and content

Twenty authors from the German, French and Italian speaking parts of Switzerland have been awarded a work grant this year by the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia. The support gives them financial leeway to concentrate on a literary project.

A total of 93 Swiss authors from all linguistic regions of the country applied for a work grant in connection with a new literary project in 2018. Based on recommendations by a jury, Pro Helvetia selected the most convincing projects in terms of concept, style and content. Eleven of them are in German, seven in French and two in Italian, and each is to be supported with a grant amounting to CHF 25,000.

«The chosen projects are highly diverse with regard to both style and content and in some cases distinguish themselves through their innovative concept», said Angelika Salvisberg, Head of Literature and Society at Pro Helvetia. She also emphasized the broad bandwidth of genres represented, ranging from historical novel and autobiographically based literary reportage to play in monologue form and poetry collection.

As every year, the jury selection includes some young and hitherto largely unknown literary voices, such as Anna Bischofberger, Feijoo Fariña Begoña and Marina Skalova. Other grant recipients, for example Massimo Daviddi, David Collin, Gertrud Leutenegger, Monique Schwitter and Joseph Incardona, have already made a name for themselves both in Switzerland and abroad.

Swiss authors are eligible for a work grant if they have already had a work of literature published by a recognised publisher. Once a text created with the support of a work grant has been published, Pro Helvetia contributes a further CHF 4,000 for promotional measures by the publisher or the author, for instance a reading tour.

For 2018, the following authors have been awarded a work grant and a contribution towards the subsequent promotion of their book:

German:

  • Anna Bischofberger, Zurich
  • Christoph Höhtker, Conches
  • Michael Hugentobler, Küttigen
  • Christoph Keller, St. Gallen
  • Judith Keller, Zurich
  • Gertrud Leutenegger, Zurich
  • Linus Reichlin, Zurich
  • Monique Schwitter, Hamburg
  • Ulrike Ulrich, Zurich
  • Levin Westermann, Biel
  • Felix Zbinden, Basel

French:

  • David Collin, Villars-sur-Glâne
  • Elodie Glerum, Amsterdam
  • Rinny Gremaud, Lausanne
  • Joseph Incardona, Geneva
  • Isabelle Sbrissa, Geneva
  • Marina Skalova, Les Acacias (F)
  • Jean-François Sonnay, Paris

Italian:

  • Feijoo Fariña Begoña, Brusio
  • Massimo Daviddi, Mendrisio

Media information:
Lisa Stadler, Communications
Tel. +41 44 267 71 51, lstadler@prohelvetia.ch

Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia
Media Release
7 June 2018