Thurgau Cantonal Councillor Monika Knill has appointed Martha Monstein as the new head of the canton's cultural office. On January 1, 2014, she will succeed René Munz, who will take on a new role at the Canton of Zurich's Department of Culture in mid-September.
Martha Monstein has been head of the theater department at the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia in Zurich since 2001 and has many years of experience in promoting culture at national and international level as well as in-depth knowledge of Swiss art and cultural life. She is 56 years old, married and the mother of two children.
Martha Monstein completed teacher training in Chur and then studied English, German and literary criticism at the University of Zurich, where she graduated in 1986. She began her career in the field of culture as an editorial assistant in the cultural magazine of a local radio station, followed by engagements as programme manager of Zurich cultural centers and in production management and organization for theater and dance groups.
From 1993 to 2001, Martha Monstein was co-head of the Canton of Aargau's Department of Culture and launched various projects in the area of schools and culture. In doing so, she gained in-depth experience in the field of cantonal cultural promotion and cultural mediation. While working, she completed a postgraduate course in cultural management and was a member of the board of trustees of the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia.
