"Close distance instead of cultural distancing"

The Covid-19 pandemic is an extraordinary and existential situation for many people and calls for new, creative solutions, writes Pro Helvetia. Artists and cultural practitioners should be able to continue working together despite mobility restrictions and find an audience willing to pay for their work despite assembly bans. "Cultural distancing" is not an option and culture is therefore called upon to deal with distance in an innovative way.

With the "Close Distance" call, Pro Helvetia wants to "encourage artists and cultural institutions to initiate forms of collaboration that are independent of mobility as well as new forms of publicity or to intensify existing formats - both within Switzerland and together with international partners. Of particular interest are experimental artistic collaborations, new formats for reflection, international networks and partnerships as well as platforms." We are looking for new formats "that will endure beyond the coronavirus crisis and no longer make physical mobility a mandatory prerequisite for cultural production and reception," says Seraina Rohrer, Head of Innovation & Society at Pro Helvetia. Both digital and analog projects are supported in all artistic fields/disciplines supported by Pro Helvetia.
 

The project must have a connection to Switzerland, be of interest to the whole of Switzerland and pursue and implement a clear impact. It must convince through high cultural and technical originality and quality, be implemented according to professional standards and have the capacity to transcend artistic and social distances.

A maximum of CHF 50,000 can be allocated to a project. Applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis and a decision is made within three weeks. Further details on how to apply can be found at: