Pro Helvetia supports and promotes...

 Additional information, application deadlines, documentation

 Consideration of applications

Discipline areas

• Visual Arts
• Film
• Music
• Literature and the humanities
• Theatre
• Dance
• Culture & Society
• International
• Inter- and Multidisciplinary Projects

Forms and information sheets

Guide for Applicants 2003 (PDF file 188K)

Dance

Objectives

In the Dance sector, Pro Helvetia promotes the quality and impact of professional Swiss dance work. It supports proposals serving the networking and promotion of Swiss dance ensembles at home and abroad, exchange among the various linguistic regions, intercultural dialogue, contemporary discourse on present-day dance, and Swiss dance promotion.

Activities

Pro Helvetia can award deficit guarantees or grants for:

At home

• productions by independent dance ensembles whose work is closely linked with Switzerland;
  
• guest performances in other linguistic regions of Switzerland;
  
• recurrent dance festivals with a strong Swiss presence;
  
• events regularly showcasing the Swiss dance scene and promoting exchange among the linguistic regions and with foreign countries.

Abroad

• co-productions between Swiss and foreign dance ensembles, with performances in Switzerland;
  
• guest performances of independent Swiss dance ensembles of supraregional standing;
  
• guest performances of institutional Swiss ensembles of international standing.

As a rule only travelling and transport expenses can be defrayed.

Exchanges

• active participation by Swiss dance professionals at symposia abroad;
  
• the running of workshops by Swiss dance professionals in conjunction with a foreign tour.

Intercultural dialogue

• co-productions promoting dialogue and reciprocal artistic exploration between Swiss dance ensembles and ensembles from the southern hemisphere and other cultural regions;
  
• guest performances by dance ensembles from the southern hemisphere and other cultural regions if organised by Swiss promoters committed to continuity.

Criteria

The general Pro Helvetia criteria apply. Moreover, in the Dance sector, the following restrictions pertain:

• Pro Helvetia awards support only to productions by professional dance ensembles whose work is closely linked with Switzerland.
  
• As a rule, grant applications for guest performances outside Switzerland can be considered only if at least 3 appearances at major institutions and festivals are planned.
  
• At the time of application, ensembles must be able to provide evidence of at least 8 performances in Switzerland of their previous production and a definitive venue for the premiere of the new production, with at least 3 scheduled performances.
  
• Pro Helvetia can support rehearsals for the revival of exceptional productions if at least 10 further performances are definitively scheduled; applications may be submitted no earlier than four years after the last performance of the same production.

Restrictions

The general exclusionary criteria apply. Moreover, in the Theatre sector, grants cannot be awarded for

• individual artists;
  
• first choreographies;
  
• folklore;
  
• weekend workshops, participation in workshops;
  
• academic lectures or study trips by dance scholars;
  
• research trips;
  
• publications on dance;
  
• video productions, apart from by way of exception.

Procedural rules

In addition to the general documentation, applications must be accompanied by a choreographic concept paper.

When submitting an application, please use the appropriate application form (“Produktionen von professionellen schweizerischen Ensembles”, “Aufführungen in andern Sprachregionen der Schweiz” or “Teilnahme an Festivals und Gastspielen im Ausland”, available in G/F) under category «Forms and information sheets»