Pro Helvetia has been at the forefront of Swiss cultural policy since 1939. Established by the Federal Council on the eve of World War II, it was initially a working group “to defend Switzerland’s independent cultural identity” against Nazi Germany and fascist Italy. In 1940, it set up its first two office rooms at Hirschengraben in Zurich.
Pro Helvetia was converted into a public-law foundation in 1949. Its mandate was to preserve Swiss culture, promote it at home and disseminate it abroad. Mandate and organisational form were laid down by law for the first time in 1965.
Over the years, international activities became increasingly important. In 1985 Pro Helvetia opened its first office abroad, the Centre Culturel Suisse in Paris. This was followed by a liaison office in Cairo (1988). Pro Helvetia subsequently established a whole row of liaison offices and partnerships with other institutions around the world.
Since its foundation, Pro Helvetia’s tasks and organisational form have regularly been adjusted to shifts in social and cultural requirements. As historian Jakob Tanner wrote on the occasion of its 70th anniversary [LINK zur Publikation Pro Helvetia 1939 bis 2009], “criticism was often the engine of change, inducing Pro Helvetia to adapt its organisation as well as its means of communication and funding to altered circumstances.”
The Promotion of Arts and Culture Act of 2012 brought about some fundamental reforms. The Board of Trustees was trimmed from 25 to 9 members. Strategic and operational authority were clearly separated for the first time, with the Board of Trustees responsible for strategy and the Secretariat for operations. The financial means available to Pro Helvetia have since been laid down by the Federal Council’s statement on the funding of cultural promotion by the Confederation (Kulturbotschaft) issued once every several years.
More on the history of Pro Helvetia can be found in our timeline.
瑞士文化基金会致力于在国内外推广瑞士当代文化艺术。基金会于1939年由瑞士政府成立，全部资金源于公共资金。
瑞士文化基金会致力于为瑞士艺术家的艺术创造和作品传播提供最佳条件，扩大其在国内外的影响力，协助其建立与其他国家艺术家之间的交流。
瑞士文化基金会将60%基金用于支持瑞士艺术家的国际项目，促进瑞士艺术家和其他国家艺术家之间的合作，特别是与瑞士文化基金会已设立的海外联络办公室所在国艺术家的合作。
瑞士文化基金会上海办公室于2010年10月成立，是瑞士文化基金会驻外联络办公室中最年轻的成员。它旨在支持中瑞两国艺术家与机构间的合作与交流，通过开展项目促进两国在文化领域内知识与经验的分享。目前，瑞士文化基金会上海办公室开展的项目主要集中在瑞士当代艺术，其中包括视觉艺术、设计、建筑、音乐与舞蹈等众多领域。
瑞士文化基金会上海办公室：http://www.prohelvetia.cn
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