A scathing look at the dream factory, independent Tibetan cinema, three decades of LunchKino and a pioneering work of animated film.

A Playlist interview with the filmmaker and winner of the Zurich Film Prize on the power of music in evoking memories, after farewells and in a trance.

Concert stages, particularly in the rock and metal genres, are still predominantly occupied by men. Three cultural figures from Winterthur are changing that.

The nights are getting longer and the concert calendar is filling up: in October, we’ll be touring Zurich’s music clubs, from hidden gems to established favourites.

Four performances that show how bodies use movement to find ways of engaging with their environment, with themselves and with the past.

Film score composer Mirjam Skal on intuition, unusual instruments, AI and the art of not losing one’s sense of joy despite all the work.

We invited the artist Ilona Ruegg to ask herself five questions: about the visible, disappearance and the meaning of her work.

Gustavo, who will soon be 8, is taking part in a family tour of the Zurich Opera House. And he is following in the footsteps of a great footballer.

The ZFF is more than just a green carpet and big names. Four programme highlights that invite you to discover something new away from the glamour of the premieres.

What does 15 years of fighting Putin do to a person? A profound video call with Maria ‘Masha’ Alyokhina and members of the Riot Days ensemble.

The Musikfestwochen are worried about your first crush; they don’t want to compromise their principles, but instead aim to establish passion as their currency and face our questioning.

Slow fashion meets a Swedish giant, iconic design from the Far East meets up-and-coming talent from ZHdK, and the Swiss circular economy meets an installation from Kyiv.

Global conflicts are now also played out on digital platforms through the use of disinformation. ‘The End of the West’ at the Winkelwiese Theatre tells the story.

Thomas Meyer on holidays, TikTok, anti-Semitism and the art of not getting used to the wrong things.

Freestyle rap meets a live band: over the past 10 years, Style Bakery has evolved from a jam session into a major show. It’s celebrating its birthday at Moods!

This month’s programme features events ranging from traditional dance to the body as an archive and communal rituals.

A scathing look at the dream factory, independent Tibetan cinema, three decades of LunchKino and a pioneering work of animated film.

From free thought and the origins of capitalism to women’s housing histories and literary abysses: a September seen from an unusual perspective.

From gluttony to women’s suffrage, from body parts to hybrid creatures, from dreams to karaoke: my journey through Zurich’s Long Night of Museums.

The Gessnerallee invites us to reflect on our feelings of uncertainty. With dance, performance, an experimental discussion format and karaoke.

Following more than a year of renovation work, the Oskar Reinhart Collection ‘Am Römerholz’ in Winterthur has reopened its doors.

The holidays are long gone, the days are slowly getting shorter and the concert nights longer. In September, things are set to get danceable, wistful and punk.

Zurich is gearing up for the Street Parade, whilst clubs are closing down. People are dancing in places where they would normally watch aeroplanes, wear hiking boots or reflect on life.

My recommendations for this year’s Zürcher Theater Spektakel. From funny to political, from poetic to personal.

What makes art art? And what defines Zurich art? At the Helmhaus, I’m trying to find out both at the art scholarship exhibition.

Off to the concert in walking boots: at the Bündner Rigi mountain inn, music and cuisine are being reimagined.

A playlist interview series about good taste in music in unusual situations. Today’s guest is Zurich-based theatre maker Denise Wintsch.

Between the lake, the forest cabin and the terrace, the nightlife takes on a more laid-back vibe: day raves, pop-ups and summer hotspots for anyone who prefers to dance under the open sky.

From now on, musical life will take place outdoors. The open-air classics feature big names, whilst there’s plenty to discover on the smaller stages.

An exploded bullet, digital glitches and an old mirror: the exhibition ‘*.sculptr’ shows just how surprisingly vibrant sculpture can be conceived today.

The Musikfestwochen are worried about your first crush; they don’t want to compromise their principles, but instead aim to establish passion as their currency and face our questioning.

Rosa Barba is the winner of the Zurich Art Prize and her work is currently on display at Haus Konstruktiv. Through her art, she reminds us to remain open-minded.

The Sogar Theatre brings Zurich’s housing crisis to a place where, for once, you can face it with a laugh – on stage.

At the Ritterhaus Bubikon, Gustavo immerses himself in the world of knights. In the end, however, it is a centuries-old craft that fascinates him most.

These days, farewells linger, memories are unravelled, and at the same time, people seek a sense of connection in these fragmented times.

This month features a cult Swiss film, an ode to the film musical, a look back at Dogma 95, and Hitchcock in 3D.

Rebekka has only recently started using the term ‘circular economy’, but she has understood the concept behind it for years. For Sebastian, it’s the other way round.

Whoosh, it’s 30 degrees again. But even in the heat, music is a must. June has it all, from hope to darkness.

Places of encounter, resistance and longing – these dance performances open up spaces for surprising perspectives and intense experiences.

The self-portraits by Zurich-based artist Dara Maillard convey both beauty and transience – in a direct, physical manner, without irony, yet with an awareness of economic realities.

Rudi Gehring has been active both on and off the stages of Winterthur for over 20 years. He is now in charge of the Short Film Festival.

Marah Rikli is the artistic director of the feminist art festival KIN. Around the date of the feminist strike, the spirit of togetherness is celebrated in a wide variety of venues.

Stefanie Gubser sets up businesses, makes music and explores the future. Her guiding principle: creating spaces where people can discover and share their potential.

The Literaturhaus takes a critical view of AI-generated novels, doesn’t count followers when it comes to emerging writers, isn’t interested in your unpolished work, and is ready to ...

Switzerland likes to portray itself as neutral. The exhibition “Us and the War” at the Swiss National Museum shows just how deeply war is nevertheless embedded in our history.

Power and architecture have always been inextricably linked. The exhibition at the Le Corbusier Pavilion focuses on buildings that are both awe-inspiring and terrifying.

Swallows dart through the twilight, historical accounts shine a spotlight on women’s lives, and the future dreams of daring energy.

A blend of queer film history, political documentary and experimental visual worlds.

Filippo Armati is the new director of Afro-Pfingsten. He aims to further develop the festival with new formats and greater engagement.

May brings joy, especially to Zurich’s music venues. From jazz to noise and indie to dance, there’s plenty on offer.

ZÜRICH TANZT brings the diversity of the city’s dance scene to life: five events you shouldn’t miss at the festival.

The rock duo Angine de Poitrine play microtonal music in dangerously good costumes, break through the Instagram bubble and draw on Dada. Three questions for an expert.

Zurich-based curator Patrick Huber has been shaping spaces for art outside the mainstream for decades. He keeps his vision alive at the Walcheturm Art Space.

The Tanzhaus channels ideas through the body, does not strive for beauty, is celebrating a milestone birthday this year, and is facing our interrogation.

Why everyone turns towards the speakers at their events: A profile of Subsanity Soundsystem and their passion for bass.

What appears to be a forgotten object forms the starting point for an exhibition project. An old telephone box in District 3 is being transformed into an art space.

The video artist thinks in terms of forests, rivers and ice. And asks how we can shape our environment together.

Between childlike curiosity and stereotypes: the North American Native Museum presents the indigenous societies of North America in a nuanced and accessible way.

The cross-disciplinary SALON OUTSIGHT series is entering its next round. The theme: The female body as interpreted in academia.

This month, we can look forward to a dialogue between film and theatre, short films by photographers, contemporary compositions set to early silent films, and queer cinema.

Food and drink with feminist publishers, blossoming ideas, spring-like landscapes, and, amidst a world of disasters, literature seeks hope.

What protest movements have in common with marigolds: a visit to the ‘Disobedience Archive’ exhibition at the Migros Museum of Contemporary Art.

The exhibition ‘ALL IN: All Art. All Life.’ brings together artists who turn their own lives into an artistic practice and consciously operate outside established rules.

The music of Langstrasse’s up-and-coming talent is being created in the recording studio at the Kreis 4 youth centre. A visit to the Besenkammer.

Spring is here, and the big international artists are returning to the city. But there are also some great local bands to discover.

A conversation with Maria Milisavljević about the text for her play *still loading*, which confuses, intoxicates and enchants. Performed at the Theater Winkelwiese.

How can a city continue to develop without losing its quality? The current exhibition at ZAZ Bellerive explores this question and strikes a chord.

Discover new cultural venues – and for free, too? Lili Aebli and Noemi Meier have put together a city map of free events in Zurich.

Priszilla Medrano, from Zurich, is a DJ, social deacon and jack-of-all-trades. She moves between the nightlife, the church and university.

The Winterthur Museum of Photography is concerned with your visual literacy; it is not part of the entertainment industry, does not break any taboos, but is willing to face our questioning.

March rouses feminism from its winter slumber, conjures up spirits and celebrates the endurance of time with a 100-year-old school-leaving essay.

… and the actor, the consul and the lover of the arts. And above all: my neighbour. A portrait.

March is set to be weird and rhythmically intricate. Those who prefer a more straightforward sound will find what they’re looking for in these revivals of 80s cold wave.

A guide to musical experimentation in concerts, performances, installations and film – everything an experimental heart and ear could desire.

“I’ve started to realise that it’s not at all about what you do, but rather about how
you do it.”

An exhibition on the Zurich-based artist, graphic designer and theorist Richard Paul Lohse, one of the key figures in Constructivist-Concrete art.

With his travelling concert label, Noise Reduction, Sebastian Brunner provides a radical counterpoint to Zurich’s cultural scene.

From 5 to 29 March, the Migros Culture Percentage dance festival Steps will be taking place across Switzerland. An overview of the highlights in Zurich.

Choreographer Soraya Leila Emery offers a fresh perspective on the body, desire and female empowerment.

At the Helmhaus, Lynne Gbodjrou Kouassi not only paints the floor, but also challenges norms, power dynamics and perceptions.

Rebellion, care work, war and identity: the nominees talk about a present-day world in a state of emergency.

There’s a buzz and a flurry of activity between the pages; February is set to be a lively and eventful month, featuring classic films, plenty of live music and the question of how one ...

Behind the softly tinted glass on Mythenquai, our duo explores an exotic, charming and fascinating treasure trove of botany.

Cabaret Voltaire promotes both irrationality and reason, calls for radical openness to the process, and submits to our questioning.

February brings a short month, long evenings and music ranging from the profound to the legendary.

A conversation with the musician Fhunyue Gao about art as a practice of listening, childhood experiences and an inner, unstoppable urge.

This month, you can look forward to dance, music and powerful stories.

It’s sparkling, shimmering and glistening everywhere. To go with that, a quote from Dolly Parton: ‘There’s no such thing as too much glitter’. I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed.

A psychiatrist by day, a DJ by night: Elsa Wurzel Ova (30) on music as a resource, her burnout and why saying ‘no’ is a strength.

Central Uster is 11 minutes from Zurich, is planning a Western featuring ponies, is concerned about your midlife crisis and is facing our cross-examination.

Dancing silent films, young contemporary cinema, international acting talent and short films with philosophical commentary.

As the new year dawns, ideas and speeches begin to take shape; we learn amazing things about animals, the women in the spotlight, and nostalgia.

The Rigiblick programme ‘Punchlines & Protokoll’ brings together leading figures from the Swiss rap scene for a discussion in an unusual format.

In its new concert series at the Cabaret Voltaire, the Collegium Novum performs the same piece twice at each concert. Why? We asked the co-artistic director.

Zurich-based photographer Simon Habegger captures unplanned moments. A conversation about nervousness, the Gonzo style and the magic between two clicks.

After a quiet start to the month, music is making a comeback in Zurich’s bars and clubs towards the end of the month. But this time with real vigour, spanning the decades right up to ...

The Neumarkt Theatre longs for Anne-Marie Blanc, has recently taken to speaking French, knows the theatre’s future and faces our questioning.

Zurich-based slam poet Gregor Stäheli talks about his first solo show and the adventure of trying to make it as a comedian.

A mountain tour through the psychogeography of Switzerland and on to C.G. Jung “The Red Book”. The exhibition at the Swiss National Museum in Zurich offers a new perspective!

Of thunderous skies, wild legends and the art of doing the right thing when everyone else is looking the other way. Book recommendations for the run-up to the festive season.

During a ‘cold reading’, the auditorium becomes a workshop. Those listening join in the discussion. The feedback on the text is put to good use by the authors.

In the last few weeks of December, as well as Christmas dinners, candle-making and recorder karaoke, there are a few lovely concerts to enjoy.

The Aargauer Kunsthaus is hosting Klodin Erb’s largest solo exhibition: her paintings, installations and videos are brimming with intense creative energy.

From 21 to 29 November, the Winterthur Dance Festival will see artists ranging from up-and-coming to established names explore topical social issues.

Amidst the moving boxes in London, actress Elsa Langnäse talks about presence and why she prefers acting to performing.

A visit to Rigo and Rosa: in a leopard’s enclosure, courage, music and a mouse come together – and from almost nothing, poetry for a whole lifetime is born.

ZW focuses on the future, believes in love and irrationality, would like to see more ‘dirt’ in District 5, and faces our interrogation.

Between inner contemplation and rhythmic explosion – four productions invite you to experience the body and space in a new way.

Lost in the short film jungle? We’ll help you navigate the festival maze with tips, a quiz and our favourite programmes.

This month features Portuguese sounds, a dreamy baritone voice, a rising star and a jazz musician who pretends to be dead.

High-tech architecture meets (high) performance: Following open-heart surgery, performances are resuming at the Winterthur Theatre.

When nobody is in the driving seat, yet everyone goes along for the ride – at the Münsterhof, the audience becomes part of an experiment on control and trust.

Texts open up whole new worlds, and this October the world of texts is opening up in Zurich: a closer look at the anniversary programme for ‘Zürich liest’.

Writing, listening, immersing yourself: every month, DEARS, WRITE creates a space filled with words, voices and echoes. Join in and experiment.

A journey into the inner self – or how I learnt to love meatloaf.

The Bechtler Foundation knows what contemporary art is; it defies expectations, it doesn’t have any sculptures you can sit on, and it faces up to our scrutiny.

Take off your shoes, put on your headphones: at the Forum Zürich cemetery, you step into a colourful carpeted landscape and immerse yourself in the city’s history.

This month features fairy-tale insights, a trip back to the sweltering summer of 2003, and the Zurich Literature Festival.

This weekend, ‘Open House Zürich’ is celebrating its anniversary: 190 buildings are opening their doors. This tour is the perfect way to set off on a spontaneous stroll and discover ...

‘Picasso and Bloch’ in Zurich tells the story of a unique friendship between artists – and of art that creates both a sense of closeness and enduring value.

Swiss hydropower: a technical feat versus personal fate – eyewitnesses share their stories in the new exhibition at the National Museum.

It’s summer, it’s the European Championship. Most concert venues are quiet. But there’s still plenty in store to delight the ears.

Industrial history meets scenography: in Winterthur, 130 years of factory life form part of an immersive and poetic tour.

Women, football, culture – and new perspectives. To mark the Women’s European Championship, Her Game Culture is launching a cultural programme that takes a fresh and bold approach to ...

I’ll take you along on my visit, which offers not only a glimpse into the house, but also into a special kind of connection between the performers and the audience.

The Kunst Museum Winterthur is not for boring people; it encourages irrationality, serves up a *Pulp Fiction* milkshake and stands up to our questioning.

It’s a brief journey back in time – to a Zurich where people were warned about sharp hat pins and a public transport ticket cost just a few rappen.

The best place in town: A little ode to the Rote Fabrik.

The former home of C.G. Jung and Emma Jung-Rauschenbach in Küsnacht offers an insight into the couple’s life and work.

A journey through the life and work of the great writer during his years in exile in Switzerland.

The Kunsthaus Zürich is honouring one of Switzerland’s most significant contemporary artists, Roman Signer, with a solo exhibition.

Poor Switzerland: In a literary exhibition at Galerie Litar, the works of Lika Nüssli and Albert Minder reveal rarely seen aspects of this country.

For the past 16 years, the collective, label and festival Lauter has been shaping the Zurich music scene – on 23 and 24 May, it invites you to discover new sounds.

Die Helferei is open to everyone, brews its own beer, has problems with the automatic towel rail, and yet still faces up to our questioning.

Rea Eggli has been a leading figure on Zurich’s cultural scene for 25 years. Over a cappuccino, she explains why curiosity and courage are her greatest driving forces.

The Winterthur Numismatic Museum is the proud owner of 63,000 coins. And, of course, a few pottery shards too; every historical museum must have some.

On Valentine's Day, the Literarturhaus Zurich and I met for the first time: a date report.

Brave New World: It’s raining parcels at the Fabriktheater. But young critic Gustavo, the author’s son, takes a look behind the scenes.

A new management team with promising plans has recently been making waves at the multi-arts centre. Time for a trip to the canton’s third-largest city.

Just a little story, but a good one: young critic Gustavo and his dad spend Sunday morning with Frau Holle and her cheerful assistant.

A virtual tour of the Swiss National Museum’s permanent exhibition ‘History of Switzerland’. Focus: The history of women.

Young critic Gustavo can’t bear to watch any more: is the new production of *Heidi* for children really that bad?

I’m about to experience three personal firsts: my first time at the TaG, my first improv theatre show, and it’s also the play’s opening night.

No knights, but dragons: Gustavo asks his butler Johann to show him the most magnificent house in town.

Clever, musical and delightfully wicked: a Böögg with delusions of omnipotence, Alice Weidel in Wonderland and a duel between the right wing and a landslide bring the year to life on ...

With SALON OUTSIGHT, singer Franziska Bruecker has created a platform for exploring what it is like to work on stage as a woman and a musician.

The works of Matthew Wong and Vincent van Gogh come together at the Kunsthaus Zürich. Two artists who found refuge in painting and revealed their inner struggles in it.

The Friday concert series "Solo am Mittag" is my cultural discovery of the year. The short concerts by soloists bring a breath of fresh air to the day.

It’s a real hidden gem: behind the façade of the stately villa at 150 Klosbachstrasse lies the three-generation legacy of the Righini Fries family of artists.

From the centre of our planet to the peaks of the Alps and right up to the stars – at focusTerra, science comes to life and complex topics are presented in a clear and engaging way.

Surprise, a name familiar from the street magazine, organises nine different city tours with a unique twist. A former homeless person leads a two-hour tour through the city of Zurich. ...

A visit to Le Corbusier’s final building: a timeless structure that plays with light, colour and structural design.

In this series, authors visit places and seek out experiences that they have not yet experienced - and report on their "premiere".

How does programme design work in an uncurated space? The Brücki 235 association has a solution that should benefit the independent dance, theatre and performance scene.

My tip against boredom or hangovers: a Naegeli treasure hunt. No rules, no time limit, just mischievous fun.

The Coalmine is not just a café, sometimes it's also a cinema. Sophisticated documentary films are shown here every Wednesday.

Two rooms of art, one reduced to a minimum, the other full of historical details. In between, a staircase as a colourful collage.

In the "Artothek", the authors of the culture magazine Coucou tell the individual creative stories of works of art from Winterthur. This time: at the entrance to Rosenberg cemetery.

This weekend, I ventured out of Zurich to explore what the Winterthur theatre scene has to offer.

Contemporary art from the Zurich area: a visit to the Helmhaus.

Zurich offers dozens of opportunities to find new reading material for little or no money. A stroll through the city is all it takes.

"You just somehow come out of this church happier!"

About rain trousers, plastic candles and the question of the right outfit.

In Rebekka’s diary, the second week of November has been marked in bold for years. This pleases Sebastian, as he believes he is the reason for it.

Langstrasse can even do theatre! Thanks to a grey-blue Rubik's Cube hidden behind the legendary shoe shop Peter & Vreni.

Every Wednesday morning, the Fraumünster kicks things off with a short, lively organ concert for everyone. I went along to have a look.

A sight that surprises even those who think they’ve seen it all: discover the haunting beauty of the human body at the University Hospital’s Moulage Museum.

Tractors on the horizon: Circus Chnopf returns from its tour of Switzerland, ending the tour in Uster, Winterthur and Zurich.

The Bechtler Foundation, which will open in May 2022, is located in the middle of the Zellweger Park area. It is on the one hand a spatial work of art and on the other hand art in open ...

The C.G. Jung House in Küsnacht was once the residence of the Swiss psychoanalyst C.G. Jung, who is world-famous for his work on archetypes. The museum offers an exciting insight into ...

In this series, authors visit places and look for experiences they have not yet experienced - and report on their "premiere".

Curtain up: The locker once used by Albert Einstein is on display at the ETH, and interested visitors can browse through it to their heart's content.

All just theatre? That's exactly what it's not. With this theatre ABC you will be fit for the boards that mean the world.

All just theatre? Not at all. With this theatre ABC, you’ll be ready to take to the stage.

In this series, authors visit places and look for experiences they have not yet experienced - and report on their "premiere".

All just theatre? Not at all. With this theatre ABC, you’ll be ready to take to the stage.

A love affair that began in the 80's and continues to this day.

Zurich’s smallest theatre – Keller62 – is my favourite place because it’s the prettiest theatre in the city. But that’s not all.

Samba, soul and experimental trap from Geneva: Biel rapper Buds presents his musical cosmos.

From binge-watching and peanut crisps to climate collapse: an email exchange with the writer Jonas Lüscher.

Hidden in the backyard of the Children's Hospital Zurich is a light installation by world-famous artist James Turrell. A visit.

Cats roam through art history, from hissing late Gothic memes to fluffy Impressionist icons: art lovers meet velvet paws at the Kunsthaus Zürich.

In this series, authors visit places and seek out experiences they haven't had before - and report on their "firsts".

District 4 isn’t just a place for party-goers at night; during the day, it’s also a haven for parents and children.

A visit to the «Einfach Zürich» permanent exhibit at the Landesmuseum shows what cultural mediation and Zurich can do together.

Pipilotti Rist’s «Pixelwald» has found its home at the Kunsthaus. An experience for cultural newbies, art-lovers – and fans of the Matrix.