26/09/2025
The Art Residency of the Fifth Switzerland is a cultural exchange project for Swiss artists living abroad. Its aim is to establish a platform at the Place of the Swiss Abroad Foundation in Brunnen, serving as an artistic link to Switzerland. Every two years, a young Swiss artist from abroad is invited to Brunnen to work for at least four weeks in a local studio or gallery. Alongside this, a public programme is held at the Place of the Swiss Abroad Foundation, offering insights into the artists’ work and fostering cultural exchange with the local community.
Previous Residencies
2016 – Premiere
In collaboration with the Galerie am Leewasser, the landscape painter Lucienne Fontannaz-Howard was invited. She lives in Australia and originally comes from Bex (Canton of Vaud).
2018 – 2nd Edition with the Schoeck Festival
The Berlin-based composer Stefan Keller wrote several works on site, including Der einsame Tisch (The Lonely Table), a setting of a poem by Unica Zürn for voice and piano.
2024 – 3rd Edition
The musician and artist Nat Carter, who lives in Scotland, composed and presented several musical pieces in Brunnen, created paintings, and enriched community life with a wide variety of smaller events.
Anniversary Year 2026
For the tenth anniversary in 2026, there is a unique opportunity to establish the Art Residency of the Fifth Switzerland as a significant cultural institution and to gain national visibility beyond Central Switzerland. After a successful decade, the programme will be further developed with a clear focus through strategic partnerships, with the aim of achieving nationwide resonance.
To this end, starting from the anniversary year, the Centro di Cultura e d’Arte Ascona – with the Galleria Sacchetti and its own established residency programme – will take over the implementation of the Art Residency of the Fifth Switzerland, bringing with it a strong presence in the Swiss art landscape.
A young Swiss artist from abroad with a sculptural focus is being sought. The core phase of the residency, lasting at least four weeks, will take place in Brunnen between early June and mid-August. Additional phases may be held at locations such as the Furka Pass or Flims, highlighting the residency’s nationwide scope.
The Place of the Swiss Abroad Foundation carries overall content-related and structural responsibility for the project. The residency is carried out in cooperation with the Centro di Cultura e d’Arte Ascona (CCAA), which is responsible for operational implementation. The project is further supported by the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA), which provides its communication channels, thereby contributing to the residency’s visibility within the global Swiss community.
The call for applications opened on 22 August 2025 as part of the Swiss Community Days. Young Swiss artists abroad with a sculptural focus are invited to apply until 9 November 2025.
The residency will be awarded in December 2025 by a jury consisting of at least two members of the Place of the Swiss Abroad Foundation, one representative of the Organisation of the Swiss Abroad (OSA), and one to two experts from the cultural sector.