Support act: Smilla Diener – The World Within the Mountain

As part of the ‘Vorband’ series, we will be introducing young writers from Switzerland on 11 evenings during the 2026/27 season, each time ahead of a regular reading.

In June 2026, they took part in the second masterclass for young writers aged between 18 and 28 living in Switzerland, led by Verena Rossbacher, under the theme ‘Plot, Twist and Timing: How do I sharpen the dramatic structure of a text?”.

Smilla Diener (born 2000) studied industrial design and cultural journalism; she writes texts, produces audio and video content, creates installations and moderates discussions. Smilla’s work is always interested in encounters within physical space and explores themes such as human–technology relationships, the significance of the commons, and our capacity for effective action in the face of the climate crisis.

Smilla is currently working on a longer piece about a tunnel-boring contractor and the legacy of the ‘century of acceleration’.