Michael Kinzer will be the new director of Pro Helvetia 

The foundation is delighted to announce the name of its new Director, Michael Kinzer, who will take up his position on 1 July 2025.

Commenting on the appointment, Michael Brändle, President of the Board of Trustees, says:

‘Michael Kinzer is ideally qualified for this demanding role. His extensive experience in the fields of cultural promotion and politics will enable him to fulfil the foundation’s mission of promoting artistic and cultural creation from Switzerland, both nationally and internationally. I take this opportunity to thank the departing Director, Philippe Bischof, for his great commitment and work at the service of the cultural scene.’ 

Michael Kinzer comments on his appointment:

‘Culture is at the heart of our society. It must be supported, promoted and disseminated. Pro Helvetia plays a unique and essential role in this respect. It will be a pleasure to be able to continue to put my energy and convictions at the service of the vitality and diversity of our country’s cultural scene.’

The selection process consisted of several rounds and an assessment by an external recruitment agency. A five-person committee, delegated by the Board of Trustees, accompanied the process. The foundation’s Board of Trustees unanimously chose Michael Kinzer at its meeting on 19 November 2024. He will take office on 1 July 2025.

About the person

Michael Kinzer (*1972) has been head of the Department of Culture of the City of Lausanne since 2017 and co-chair of the Conference of Cities on Culture. His career reflects a diversity of roles in the cultural field, both in artistic direction and in managerial responsibilities. He began his career as a programmer at the Fri-Son concert hall in Fribourg, then as general event coordinator for Expo.02 and co-director of the Cargo project at the Arteplage in Neuchâtel. He then took over the administrative and later the general management of a foundation comprising the Théâtre Populaire Romand and the L’heure bleue music hall and theatre in La Chaux-de-Fonds. From 2009 to 2015, he directed the Festival de la Cité in Lausanne. He has served on numerous juries and cultural commissions at regional and national level, including as chairman of the Federal Jury for Music.