News

Brief · Policy & funding

Pro Helvetia backs five music projects with partners in the Global South and East in 2026

Pro Helvetia supports 17 co-creation projects from 118 applications, five of them in music. Each project gets at most 25'000 francs.

Mara Zwahlen · Editorial profile Sources: 2

Wed, 21 October

• Brief · Policy & funding

  Swiss cities want to tie culture funding to fair fees

  The SSV and SKK propose that project applications must include fees and social contributions. Lausanne already requires a minimum wage for subsidies of 100,000 francs or more.

  Mara Zwahlen Sources: 3

Thu, 15 October

• Brief · Policy & funding · German-speaking Switzerland · French-speaking Switzerland

  The Canton of Bern awards Lo & Leduc and three other musicians 15,000 francs each

  Bern's 2026 music prizes go to Ludmilla Mercier, Lo & Leduc, Rebecca Solari and Droujelub Yanakiew. The 'Coup de cœur' for emerging talent goes to the rap collective ETO.

  Mara Zwahlen Sources: 3

Tue, 13 October

• People · Policy & funding · German-speaking Switzerland

  Severin Barmettler will head culture funding in the Canton of Lucerne from 2027

  The Canton of Lucerne has appointed a new head of culture funding and outreach. Severin Barmettler starts in January 2027.

  Mara Zwahlen Sources: 1

Fri, 9 October

• Brief · Policy & funding · Italian-speaking Switzerland

  Ticino awards three creation grants of CHF 20,000 each to musicians

  The canton of Ticino is offering up to three creation grants, or “borse di creazione”, for new musical repertoire, open to all genres. The deadline is 9 November 2026.

  Mara Zwahlen Sources: 3

Tue, 29 September

• Brief · Policy & funding

  Six Swiss cities spend 76 to 95 per cent of their music funding on classical music

  A comparison by the Musikvielfalt-Initiative shows that Basel, Bern, Geneva, Lausanne, Lugano and Zurich mainly fund classical music. Per head, the amounts range from CHF 99 to CHF 375.

  Mara Zwahlen Sources: 2

Fri, 18 September

• Brief · Policy & funding · German-speaking Switzerland

  Thurgau raises its culture spending by around four million francs a year from 2027

  The Thurgau cantonal government has approved its culture strategy for 2027–2030. Contributions from the lottery fund rise from around CHF 13.2 million to around CHF 17.2 million a year.

  Mara Zwahlen Sources: 2

Fri, 4 September

• Brief · Policy & funding · Italian-speaking Switzerland

  Ticino pays municipalities up to CHF 30,000 a year for independent-scene spaces

  The canton of Ticino covers up to half the costs for four years when municipalities provide spaces for the independent cultural scene. Applications are open until 1 December 2026.

  Mara Zwahlen Sources: 2

Thu, 3 September

• Brief · Policy & funding · French-speaking Switzerland · German-speaking Switzerland

  Valais gives around 4,000 young people a free culture pass

  The canton of Valais is giving every young person born in 2010 and living in the canton an AG culturel culture pass. The vouchers must be activated by 31 December 2026.

  Mara Zwahlen Sources: 2

Tue, 1 September

• Brief · Policy & funding · French-speaking Switzerland

  Vaud and Geneva continue funding labels and publishers in French-speaking Switzerland in 2027

  The cantons of Vaud and Geneva and the cities of Lausanne and Geneva are opening their joint funding programme for labels and music publishers for the second time. The deadline is 25 October 2026.

  Mara Zwahlen Sources: 2