Interactive media supported in the long run

Two disciplines have been officially established within Pro Helvetia, namely design and interactive media, which will form a fully-fledged division offering long-term support to Swiss creatives in these two branches as of 2021.

Since the initial programmes «GameCulture» (2010-2012) and «Mobile» (2013-2015), then with «Culture and  Business», Pro Helvetia has accompanied the growing video game industry in Switzerland. The Foundation has encouraged over 80 projects through calls for projects, supported game events in Switzerland, and organized  SwissGames delegations at major industry events such as the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, Gamescom in Cologne and the Nordic Game Conference in Malmö. 

The positive results of the above measures as well as the feedbacks obtained from supported studios and compiled in a study conducted by Olivier Glassey (Professor IDHEAP, University of Lausanne) were taken into account when defining the future funding axes for Interactive Media. In this sense, the support strategy that takes effect from 2021 focuses on the access to the market and international platforms, and is concretely implemented with the following instruments: the encouragement through annual calls for projects is continued and expanded, the existing offering of formats for coaching, matchmaking and mentoring programmes is broadened, and priority is given to international delegations at major international gatherings.

The creation of this new department within Pro Helvetia has been welcomed by Philippe Bischof, Director of Pro Helvetia: «This inclusion crowns years of work and dialogue in the two domains. The great cultural potential of design and interactive media in Switzerland is widely recognised, and it is essential that their promotion be part of Pro Helvetia’s support strategy».