Navigate to myswitzerland.com Quick navigation Menu Open navigation The Swiss Art and Culture Scene Basel, Theater Basel HINT FROM CREATING ART TO THE ART MARKET ARCHITECTURE, DESIGN AND FASHION FILMS AND PHOTOGRAPHY LITERATURE AND THEATRE MUSIC AND DANCE Intro As a country where diverse traditions and cultures meet and interact, Switzerland has been a melting-pot in the heart of Europe since time immemorial. This is why cultural life in cosmopolitan Switzerland displays such enormous variety. Discovering the Arts in Switzerland Watch video From Creating Art to the Art Market Especially considering Switzerland's size and population, this country is a leading nation in terms of the arts. There is no such thing as "typically Swiss art". There is a clear and repeated focus on the Alps as a living environment. The tendency to be modest is also a recurrent theme. But by and large, the arts in Switzerland are just as diverse as the country itself. On the other hand, the abundance of places where art can be admired or bought is a typically Swiss feature. There is virtually no other country on earth with as many museums per head of the population as Switzerland. There are also numerous galleries and auctions as well as international and regional fairs to delight the hearts of art enthusiasts from all over the world. Art fairs and galleries The New York Times calls it the "Art Olympics", the Paris daily Le Monde describes it as "The best in the world" and the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung's headline is "Art at its best"; Vogue dubs it "The world's most beautiful temporary museum": Its name: Art Basel. Learn more Common.Of Art fairs and galleries Art museums and collections Switzerland is a country of collectors. A major part in the art market has long been played by the great industrial families, some of whom assembled important collections. Examples include the collections of Oskar Reinhart in Winterthur and Emmanuel Hoffmann in Basel. Learn more Common.Of Art museums and collections The arts scene - yesterday and today What is typically Swiss about Swiss art? Not very much, in actual fact. But a closer look does reveal certain special features. Time and again, typically Swiss modesty is conspicuous. Learn more Common.Of The arts scene - yesterday and today Architecture, design and fashion Whether you are interested in creative works or more down-to-earth products, in architecture, graphic art or product design, Switzerland has plenty to offer. Few countries of this size can boast an arts scene that has attracted international attention, admiration and imitation over such a long period. In fact, the world has Switzerland to thank for more than a few icons: the Olympic Stadium in Beijing, the Museum of Modern Art in San Francisco, the Che Guevara by René Burri, the 'Boy Playing his Flute" by Werner Bischof, Le Corbusier's chaise longue and Max Bill's clock – the list goes on. Fonts such as Frutiger, Helvetica and Univers, and all the everyday products that have made their way into the Museum of Modern Art: USM Haller modular furniture, Freitag bags, the first Swatch, the Swiss Army knife. Contemporary Swiss architecture As befits Switzerland with its tradition of discretion, the country's most admired buildings do not include any of the world's tallest or most expensive structures. What is surprising is the breadth and variety of quality that extends from the mountains to the plains and from the peripheral regions to the cities. Learn more Common.Of Contemporary Swiss architecture Swiss design The Hermes Baby typewriter, the Swiss potato peeler and the Swiss station clock – Swiss design has a long tradition, and good design is part of the Swiss lifestyle. This explains why our country repeatedly produces excellent designers who cater to a public that likes to be surrounded by good design. Learn more Common.Of Swiss design Swiss fashion Swiss fashion design is largely unknown at international level. It may well harbour some potential but as yet, it mostly occupies a niche on the regional (or occasionally national) market. Learn more Common.Of Swiss fashion Films and photography The Swiss film scene is flourishing as never before: measured by market share and cinema tickets bought, 2013 was the most successful year for the Swiss cinema since 2006, the year when "Late Bloomers" was such a hit. Although the quality and artistic standard of Swiss films are consistently high, this country's feature films in particular are not especially renowned. The picture is very different for documentaries: according to figures from Swiss Films, the number of documentary films made in Switzerland over the last five years was twice the number of feature films. Among these varied productions, it is not unusual to find gems that have become regular guests at major festivals from Berlin to Cannes. Swiss cinematography Switzerland does not have a film industry along the lines of Hollywood. For this reason, filmmakers are dependent on government support. Film is promoted in the knowledge that it has the potential to play a part in defining the country's cultural identity. Learn more Common.Of Swiss cinematography Photography in Switzerland When it comes to photography, Switzerland is somewhat of a late bloomer compared to other countries. In the absence of photographic institutions of its own, Switzerland turned to neighbouring countries in the first instance. Tourism was one of the factors that initially triggered the emergence of a photography scene, together with the rise of illustrated magazines and the growth of the advertising industry – developments that were repeated almost everywhere in the world. Learn more Common.Of Photography in Switzerland Literature and theatre For a long time, literature from Switzerland was mainly literature about Switzerland. Paul Nizon, Niklaus Meienberg, Franz Hohler, Thomas Hürlimann and Hugo Loetscher – for writers such as these, the tempestuous love-hate relationship with their homeland was often a major driving force. However, the literary hearts of the new generation beat to a different rhythm – ¬with themes such as autobiography, love, sex and partnership stress coming to the fore. As a result, readers outside of Switzerland are taking more interest in Swiss authors – who are, in turn, becoming more renowned. The lively and varied theatre scene in Switzerland is also chalking up plenty of successes – with well-known names such as Barbara Frey in established theatres, daring performances on the independent scene and productions staged by amateur groups who have become especially popular with Swiss audiences. Swiss literature scene From classic to contemporary works: Swiss people love to read. This country has created a literary tradition that has evolved in all four national languages. However, there is no such thing as "one" Swiss literature, because the authors in the various cultural areas each work in their own languages. Learn more Common.Of Swiss literature scene Theatre in Switzerland The most unusual feature of Swiss theatre is that it has three "pillars" – municipal theatre, the independent scene and popular/amateur theatre – which attract audiences in almost equal proportions. Learn more Common.Of Theatre in Switzerland Music and dance Switzerland is brimming over with music, with the largest number of music festivals by area of any European country – and the dance scene is equally impressive. Polyphony is the keynote of music in today's Switzerland – hardly surprising for a federalist, multi-cultural country such as this one. Jazz, opera, hip-hop, brass band music, punk, dialect rock, Swiss folk music and the melodies of emigrants from the Balkans – nowadays, these are all natural facets of Switzerland as a musical centre. Many cities also boast professional ballet ensembles, including Heinz Spoerli's Zurich Ballet and the Béjart Ballet in Lausanne which have earned international renown. The French-speaking region of Switzerland is also host to the Prix de Lausanne, an international competition for young dancers. Contemporary music Switzerland has a very colourful music scene, so it comes as no surprise that this country plays host to a series of well-attended open air events each year. Performers include internationally renowned greats from the world of music as well as Swiss bands. Learn more Common.Of Contemporary music Dance in Switzerland Swiss dance is a new art form. Inspired by the alternative artistes on Monte Verità, it has developed in a variety of ways over the last hundred years. Modern-day Swiss dance is as colourful as its homeland. 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