Klicken Sie hier, um zur deutschen Version zu gelangen.

Call for Projects – Thalwil Cultural Days 2027

The next Thalwil Cultural Days will take place from June 11 to 27, 2027 under the motto “StattStadt”. Artistic projects can be submitted from now until July 10, 2026.

About the motto “StattStadt”

(“StattStadt” is a play on words that combines statt – “instead of” and Stadt – “city”.)

Thalwil is shaped by several, sometimes contradictory, social developments: statistically it is a city, politically a municipality, and in the minds of many, a village. Although Thalwil has become more urban, traces of village life remain visible. The municipality is growing and densifying, while at the same time the population is aging. Thalwil is long since part of the Zurich agglomeration, has become a suburb, yet still preserves its character.

Fact is: Zurich is very close. The train ride through the tunnel to the “City” takes nine minutes—whether for work, restaurants, shopping, theatre, museums, or concerts. Zurich’s cultural radiance casts both light and shadow across the region. Its diverse range of activities attracts artists and audiences alike, and many young people prefer spending leisure time on Langstrasse rather than Landstrasse. Yet there is also a counter-movement, even displacement, from the world’s most expensive city to the suburbs and countryside. Despite greater social diversity, mutual perceptions remain ambivalent: many city dwellers, consider the “Agglo” as culturally of little relevance; conversely, the urban cultural scene is sometimes perceived as aloof.

“StattStadt” invites to reflect on urban–rural questions and develop artistic projects: on the relationship between urbanization and proximity to nature, “density stress” and commuter towns, attribution and self-perception, identities and opportunities for identification. What led us to where we live? What significance and influence does a place of residence have on our art—and vice versa? This includes reflections on the interplay between traditional and progressive art forms, as well as between professional and amateur culture.

“StattStadt” shifts the focus from the real political and perceived cultural urban-rural divide between to an in-between, an instead of, perhaps a neither-nor. “Stadt” as a common point of reference, “Statt” as a space of possibility.

Project submissions

To ensure the connections between Thalwil and Zurich are not merely theoretical, the following conditions apply to project submissions:

• Projects must be co-creatively developed by artistic professionals, groups, institutions, associations etc. from both Thalwil and Zurich. I.e., each project must be conceived and realised by at least one artist from Thalwil and one from Zurich.
• Project submissions must be made by cultural professionals, groups, institutions, associations etc. based in Thalwil.

Co-creative development means that participants jointly develop a project related to the Cultural Days’ motto. It is not sufficient to invite artists to Thalwil within the framework of usual activities, e.g., to perform or exhibit.

A possible third project partner and/or realisation venue is Thalwil’s twin-municipality in the canton of Grisons, Albula/Alvra.

Locations and spaces

The Cultural Days are to take place throughout the entire municipality, especially in public spaces. In summer, the lakeside is bustling with activity, the Seeanlage Farb and the Blaues Haus have been redesigned and renovated. The Centralplatz, the area around the train station, and the Gotthardstrasse attract large numbers of visitors and have a high frequency of commuters. The historic Pfisterareal as the festival centre offers a charming square and rose garden with views of the lake and Zurich. The Chilbiplatz offers open space, the industrial-commercial zone Böni is underestimated as a public location, and across the hill lies the idyllic village district Gattikon.
In the partner municipality of Albula/Alvra, the ACACA – Associaziun Center d'Art e Cultura Alvra – is a wonderful venue for cultural events.
These are just a few of many possible venues.

Submission details

Deadline: Friday, July 10, 2026, midnight (form closes automatically)

Submissions can only be made online via the form: → form
Required project description including:

• realisation plan (technical, spatial, temporal, and personnel requirements)
• short biographies of participants
• budget and financing plan (including information on third-party funding/fundraising)

Decision

A task force of the Gesellschaftskommission will decide on project approval and the amount of cultural funding offered by the municipality of Thalwil. Decisions will be communicated to project leads in early September 2026.

Information

The director of the Cultural Days and Cultural Officer of the municipality of Thalwil, Urs Küenzi, is available by phone or email for information and, where possible, support in preparing submissions: fachstellekultur@thalwil.ch or +41 44 723 23 44

Consultation hours at Kulturcafé in Pfistertreff

On the following evenings, Urs Küenzi is available without appointment at Kulturcafé, Pfistertreff, Alte Landstrasse 100. Tip: Project teams may also use these dates as project workshops.
Wednesdays, 5–7 p.m.: March 18, April 22, May 20, June 24.

May 9, 2026: Cultural Days Project Workshop

The “Cultural Network Meeting” on Saturday, May 9, 2026 will be organised as a project workshop. Potential and/or already contacted project partners may be invited.

_____

Be sure to check out our “Cultural Days Archive”!