Sparx Call for Ideas
The most important key points
Topic / section
Region
Entry / entry deadline
20.08.2026 - 22.10.2026
Funding type
Financial support of CHF 6'500 per person, coaching, networking
Migros Culture Percentage Sparx supports young artists and cultural practitioners with time and financial freedom.
The support from Sparx takes place during the Sparx studio period, a four-month period. During this time, the funded groups work independently on the further development of the ideas submitted. Two coaches provide support, and the participants receive total grant of CHF 6500 per person. No finished products have to be created. The groups can decide for themselves how and where to work; joint meetings of all studio groups and with experts take place on five Studio Days in various locations throughout Switzerland.
Requirements
- The group must comprise between two and a maximum of four people.
- All supported individuals must be at least 18 years old.
- Supported individuals must be at the start of their professionalisation and have already gained initial experience in artistic or cultural projects. They must want to pursue their artistic/cultural work professionally. They must describe their motivation on the application form and can attest to it through their CV and a suitable reference project.
- Supported individuals may not be enrolled at art school, either when applying or during Sparx Studio.
- All supported individuals are willing and able to participate actively during the four-month Studio period and develop the project vision further.
- The development of the project vision and the implementation of the project must take place in Switzerland. Supported individuals must live in Switzerland and have a bank account with a Swiss IBAN throughout the four-month Studio period.
What we support
Sparx supports groups of young cultural professionals and artists in the further development of their project visions. Ideas from all sectors and groups from all over Switzerland are welcome. During the Sparx funding programme, no finished products have to be created; the focus is on the independent further development of the project visions and the consolidation of artistic or cultural practice through professional coaching and exchange with other artists and cultural practitioners.
We are looking for project visions form all different art sectors that address cultural, political and/or socially relevant issues. Supported individuals should be supported in their professionalization as part of the funding.
Sparx does not support projects that
- Fail to fulfil all the conditions of participation;
- Discriminate against people;
- Are developed within an institutional framework (training run by external individuals or institutions);
- Have a commercial focus;
- Go beyond the ideation phase in the planning stage;
- Serve to establish an office or other infrastructure;
- Focus on the development of apps or websites;
- Involve only the fields of photography, design or architecture;
- Have already been supported by other Migros Culture Percentage funding programmes;
- Are initiated by people who have already been funded by Sparx Studio.
Deadlines and decisions
Project visions for funding by Sparx can be submitted from August 20 to October 22, 2026.
Based on the participation requirements and selection criteria, the selection process is carried out in three stages:
- In a first step, a formal review is conducted. All applications are checked against the participation requirements and exclusion criteria.
- Secondly, an internal review is carried out. All submissions are evaluated based on the requirements regarding professionalization and the content of the submitted project vision. All applicants will receive feedback by mid-December 2026.
- The final decision is made by an external selection committee. All shortlisted applications are evaluated anonymously and without attachments.
The final selection will be communicated by February 1, 2027.
Funding type
The groups that receive funding are supported during the four-month Sparx studio period through
- Individual coaching and support in further developing the project vision
- Networking opportunities on the Studio days
- Meetings with experts
- A personal grant of CHF 6500
- an optional contribution to social security:12% of the grant amount is paid into a private pension account (6% contributed by you and an additional 6% contributed by Sparx).
- A contribution towards materials for developing ideas
- Assumption of travel costs for the Studio days
Important links
Contact
E-Mail: sparx@mgb.ch
Phone: +41 79 249 76 39
Writing Support
Do you need help with submission? Are you unsure about writing your application?
Sparx helps you with the Writing Support. Book your personal support here: www.sparx-space.ch
FAQ – Questions and answers
Your project idea should address social issues and have a positive impact on at least one of the following aspects:
- Positive Change: Arts and culture are used as a means to collectively address societal challenges, inspire change, and highlight questions for which potential solutions can be developed.
- Sustainability: Developing approaches that promote a holistic understanding of sustainability (environmental, social, and economic) as well as the long-term impact of one’s own work.
- Diversity and Inclusion: Bringing together different perspectives to discover new ways of collaboration and to build bridges between people and communities.
- Innovation through Arts and Culture: Exploring new creative approaches and collaborative formats to develop solutions and capabilities for addressing current societal challenges.
- Social Cohesion: Using artistic approaches to create experiences and formats that broaden perspectives while strengthening dialogue, mutual understanding, and solidarity.
Sparx does not support projects that
- Fail to fulfil all the conditions of participation;
- Discriminate against people;
- Are developed within an institutional framework (training run by external individuals or institutions);
- Have a commercial focus;
- Go beyond the ideation phase in the planning stage;
- Serve to establish an office or other infrastructure;
- Focus on the development of apps or websites;
- Involve only the fields of photography, design or architecture;
- Have already been supported by other Migros Culture Percentage funding programmes;
- Are initiated by people who have already been funded by Sparx Studio.
Sparx is looking for projects:
- Submitted by groups of people who all fulfil the conditions of participation;
- Submitted by groups of people who are just starting their personal professionalisation and can equally gain valuable experience for their further development from the support.
- That describe a project vision in a comprehensible and structured way;
- Involving a project vision that is still in the early stages of its development and will not yet be in the production phase during the Sparx Studio period.
- The content of which aims to have a positive impact in the aforementioned socially relevant areas;
- For which the motivation for participating in Sparx Studio is clearly recognisable;
- That communicate who the group members are and how they collaborate.
Individuals can't apply for Sparx Studio because Studio time will only be made available to groups of two or more people.
People who have already funding from Migros Culture Percentage Sparx can't reapply directly through the call for ideas. All those who haven't received support (but have applied) are always free to submit new project visions.
Applicants must answer three project-specific questions and submit a budget for their project. Together, this constitutes the core of your application. All of the key information about the submitted project vision should be described in the application. Your answers to the questions form the basis for the selection procedure and the only information presented to the selection committee for its final decision.
If you are unsure what to write, you are welcome to attend a writing support session, in which we can help you formulate your idea.
Sparx sees professionalisation as a process. A variety of skills and external factors are required in order to be seen as "professional". During the studio time, Sparx imparts especially the administrative skills that are important for professionalisation.