About us

The Swiss artists-in-labs Program is a collaboration between the Zurich University of the Arts ZHdK, Institute for Cultural Studies in the Arts ICS and the Federal Office for Culture (FOC).

Many artists currently explore the scientific, technological and cultural developments of the 21st century and they are engaged in critical and ethical debates. The intention of the ail program is to share common goals, to broaden the dialogue, generate ideas and raise awareness of the contributions both artists and scientists can make to the larger challenges of our time. Providing a research environment where these experiments can take place makes all the difference. The ail co-operation with Swiss Science laboratories is a conscious attempt to encourage the development of the primary creative forces shared by both disciplines: the quest for interpretations of nature, matter and human desire as well as the interest to comprehend, explore, reveal, sustain, create and build.

International Projects

Sino/Swiss Residency Exchange

For the first time since its inception, a non-Western country has been added to the programme for the new period of 2009/2010. Four artists (two Chinese and two Swiss) have been engaged in an immersive five-month creative dialogue with environmental scientists both in China and in Switzerland. The focus was on research fields such as environment, water, permafrost and biology. This project is part of the exchange and cooperation programme «Swiss Chinese Explorations» of Pro Helvetia, the Swiss Arts Council.

From December 2009 to April 2010 two Swiss artists worked in scientific labs in China, while two Chinese artists stood in two labs in Switzerland. Discover the Portfolio. The exhibition (山水 ShanShui – Both Ways) will shown the results of their residencies during the festival Culturescapes between October and December 2010 in Switzerland (Vevey and Berne) and China (Shanghai).

International Network

The Swiss artists-in-labs team also co-operates on international projects, with selected funding from various sources. We are for example, very interested in international funding opportunities for the encouragement of true collaborations between international artists and Swiss-based scientists, and encourage trans-disciplinary groups with solid project ideas to contact us.