As part of its Diversity & Equality programme, the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia issued two calls for applications for a format called ‘Diversity: Process support’ in 2024 (application deadlines 1 April and 1 October). The support measure enables cultural institutions to assess their own structures and to adopt a more diversity-oriented approach.
The selected cultural organisations are advised and mentored by external diversity experts. The organisations thereby build the necessary resources, raise their competence level, and develop methods enabling them to enhance diversity and equality within their operational structures.
Pro Helvetia has awarded seven such grants for the year 2024.
The supported cultural organisations are:
- Theater Orchester Biel Solothurn TOBS (CHF 20,000)
- DOCK Kunstraum (CHF 23,000)
- Kunst(Zeug)Haus (CHF 41,500)
- Musée d’ethnographie de Genève (CHF 40,000)
- Musikfestival Bern (CHF 20,000)
- International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum (CHF 50,000)
- Le Grütli-Centre de production et de diffusion des Arts Vivants (CHF 30,200)
The prerequisite for support was participation in the ‘Diversity: Process support’ workshop in 2023 or 2024. In these workshops, cultural organisations dealt with the basics of diversity-oriented organisational development and were introduced to methods and tools that allow them to develop their own strategies in this field.
The following organisations participated in the two-day workshop at the ‘Heitere Fahne’ in Berne in June 2024:
- MEG Musée Ethnographique de Genève
- Kunst(Zeug)Haus
- Le Grütli-Centre de production et de diffusion des Arts Vivants
- Kunstmuseum Thurgau and Ittinger Museum
- Fundaziun Nairs
- International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum
- Teatro Danzabile
The ‘Diversity: Process support’ workshop was conducted for the last time in 2024. Cultural organisations that have participated in the workshop in past years can apply for financial support under Diversity: Process support. This format is available for the last time. Applications are welcome from 1 January; the deadline is 1 March 2025.
Pro Helvetia will inform on the new support focus and instruments from mid-2025.
Diversity: Process support
Submission deadline: 1 March 2025
This call for applications opens in January 2025 for the last time. Participation in one of the past ‘Diversity: Process support’ workshops, which will no longer be held, is a precondition for application.
