The Cultural Message 2025-2028 comes into effect in January 2025. In order to provide artists with the best possible support and to achieve the goals set out in the Cultural Message, Pro Helvetia regularly reviews and further develops its funding formats as needed. This article provides an overview of the most important changes as of 3 January 2025.
Formats for specific disciplines
Design
New funding format: international fashion platform
The programme ‘Emerging Talents: international fashion platform’ will provide support to help professional fashion and accessory designers participate in international trade fairs, showrooms and specialist events. The aim is to give visibility to their work and support sustainable careers in the international market.
Literature
Literary creation grant: anonymous applications will continue
In 2021, Pro Helvetia began anonymising applications for the ‘Literary creation grant’, a procedure that is also recognised by the Swiss authors’ association ‘A*dS – Autorinnen und Autoren der Schweiz’ as an effective tool to promote equal opportunities. Following a positive evaluation, this process will be continued in 2025. This means that the jury will base its judgement solely on the project descriptions and text excerpts submitted, without any biographical or personal information about the applicants.
Music
Two new formats to support creation:
- ‘Creation and production: pop, jazz, global’ is aimed at nationally established musicians working in the following genres: pop, rock, jazz, electronic, experimental, global sounds, hip-hop, etc.
More information
- ‘Creation and production: contemporary music’ is aimed at nationally established musicians
who work in contemporary music, music theatre, sound art or contemporary folk music.
More information
Applications for these formats can be submitted twice a year: from 1 January to 1 March and from 1 July to 1 September.
New support for ensembles: seasonal programme
Established ensembles from Switzerland can apply for support for their seasonal programmes. The seasonal programme must include at least three new productions or world premieres by contemporary Swiss composers.
This funding format is open throughout the year.
Five new partner calls
New collaborations support emerging musicians (‘Emerging artists: Liveurope’, ‘Finta Music Exchange’) and promote Swiss music abroad (‘Classical:NEXT’, ‘INM guest programme in Berlin’). ‘TransHelvetiQ’ promotes links between the music scenes in French and German-speaking Switzerland.
Changes to the funding format ‘Push It’
Music labels or management structures that support emerging Swiss musicians in their artistic development and promotion at the national and international level can continue to apply for support.
This funding format is launched once a year. Applications can be submitted between 1 January and 1 June 2025.
Changes to the funding format ‘Event in Switzerland’
Festivals and events in Switzerland that are of cross-regional or international importance can apply for funding if their programme presents music (contemporary, pop, rock, jazz, electronic, experimental, global sounds, hip-hop, etc.) from the other language regions of Switzerland.
This funding format is open throughout the year.
Performing arts
Changes to the funding formats ‘Development grant’ and ‘COMPASS’
The ‘Development grant’ will be discontinued as of 1 January 2025. In its place, the format ‘COMPASS’, previously aimed at emerging artists, will be available to artists and cultural practitioners at all stages of their careers. COMPASS provides two years of support for independent companies and artists to develop their international careers together with specially selected partners (theatres, festivals, agencies, promotion offices).
Next deadline: 1 March 2025.
Visual arts
New partner call for emerging architects
In partnership with the bermuda association in Sergy, France, a new call for applications is being launched for a residency for emerging architects from Switzerland. This four- to six-week residency will take place between 1 September and 10 October 2025.
Application deadline: 1 March 2025.
Residencies at Swiss Institute in New York
From 2025 onwards, the application process for residencies in New York will be handled directly by Swiss Institute.
The call for the 2026 residencies will open on 5 March and will close on 13 April 2025. It will be published on both Swiss Institute’s and Pro Helvetia’s websites.
Formats for all disciplines
Diversity and equality
Diversity: process support
Following the ‘Diversity: process support’ workshop, a cultural institution or organisation in Switzerland can apply for support for a diversity process. The grant enables advice and support from external diversity experts. This is the last call for applications.
Application deadline: 1 March 2025.
Art+
End of the focus on ‘Arts, Science and Technology’
The focus on ‘Arts, Science and Technology’ in the Cultural Message 2021-2024 will cease at the end of 2024.
Changes to the funding format ‘Arts, Science and Technology: event’
- Institutions in Switzerland
This funding measure ended on 31 December 2024. Institutions in Switzerland can now submit applications for ‘Art+: thematic event’ throughout the year.
More information
- Institutions outside Switzerland
Funding measures for institutions outside Switzerland ended on 31 December 2024. It will no longer be possible to submit applications from January 2025.
Art+: transdisciplinary collaborative creation
The support measure ‘Art+: transdisciplinary collaborative creation’ replaces ‘Art+: production grant’. This new measure enables artists and experts from social or scientific sectors to work together on a new artistic project or an experimental creation, linked to a public presentation, which evolves at the interface of an artistic and a non-artistic field. The first collaboration must have taken place no more than five years ago.Application deadline: 1 March 2025
Ecology and climate
Environmental sustainability: event and/or work tool
The funding instrument ‘Ecology and Climate: Event and/or Work Tool’ will go by the name ‘Environmental sustainability: event and/or work tool’ from 2025. Cultural institutions and organisations in Switzerland can apply for events (in-person, digital or hybrid) such as workshops and discussion series that aim to make their cultural activities more environmentally sustainable. Institutions can also continue to apply for practical work tools such as guidelines and checklists for cultural institutions and organisations to promote environmental sustainability.
Applications can be submitted throughout the year.
Find support
You will find all the funding formats valid as of 3 January on our ‘Find support’ page. Please select the parameters that match your search (practitioner or institution).
Childcare contribution
From 2025, recipients of certain funding measures 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. Applicants must present a budget of all expenses in advance. Details can be found under the relevant funding measures.
