Financial support for the distribution of cultural works
Diffusion follows the artistic creative phases of ideation and production. This is when the artistic works find their way to the public. Migros Culture Percentage of the Federation of Migros Cooperatives gives funding priority to innovative diffusion concepts and pilot projects.
Changing culture
How culture and media are perceived and experienced is changing:
Social developments such as digitisation, the climate movement or efforts to promote participation and inclusion are transforming the way in which people and culture can be brought together.
A sustainable cultural life requires concepts that face this change and identify or try out new approaches to presenting, perceiving and reflecting culture.
Priority is also given to artistic endeavours that are outside the box and focus on the exchange between creative artists and the public.
Who can apply
Entries are open to creative artists as well as supporting and diffusing partners (e.g. event organisers).
Funding is not available for the simple distribution of media (e.g. screenings, CD or book sales).
Important links / downloads
You will receive a written reply to your application approx. 2-3 months after its submission. Application is possible in German and French.
Contact
+41 (0)58 570 41 90 (Tuesdays between 10.00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.)
On December 24, 2024, and December 31, 2024, the advisory phone line will not be in service.
FAQ
The visual arts, comics, digital culture, film, jazz, classical music, cabaret, literature, pop, dance, theatre as well as multidisciplinary projects; all other areas (e.g. photography) can be supported only in conjunction with another area that we support (as part of a multidisciplinary project). We give priority to ventures that are innovative, have a pilot function, take artistic risks and adopt new approaches to methods of working.
Applications for funding for productions can be submitted regionally to the respective Migros Cooperatives.
MGB’s Migros Culture Percentage can provide no guarantee of funding for more than a year at a time. Applications may be submitted annually for recurring projects such as festivals; they are reassessed each time as part of our support for diffusion.
To qualify for funding nationally, your project either needs a supraregional presence with event locations in at least three different cantons (in Ticino: at three different event locations) or be a locally based format that attracts supraregional media attention and audiences. A further requirement is that at least one-third of creative artists involved must be from Switzerland. These requirements are not absolutely essential for projects with a pilot function.
There are no application deadlines for the ideation and diffusion areas; applications may be submitted at any time. However, the project in question must not have finished at the time the application is submitted. For diffusion projects, the rule also applies that its implementation must not be due to start within four months of submitting the application. Calls for bids are subject to application deadlines that are announced on the website for each individual call for bids.
Once an application has been submitted it is regarded as completed. Please do not send us any additional details.
In the areas of ideation and diffusion, you will receive a decision within two to three months. Notice of acceptance or rejection will be sent by e-mail.
The Migros Culture Percentage of the Federation of Migros Cooperatives wants to be accommodating in helping to protect the livelihoods of creative artists. Sums already paid out for events that are cancelled or postponed will not be claimed back.
Yes. Applications can be submitted simultaneously to the Federation of Migros Cooperatives and a regional cooperative. Applicants must apply separately to both organisations; applications are not shared or discussed across the organisations. The Federation of Migros Cooperatives and the regional cooperatives handle decisions and communications independently of each other.
No. Once an application has been rejected it will not be reconsidered.
Please indicate only the budget for your project’s ideation or diffusion phase on the application form. You are also welcome to present an overall budget in the dossier.
The Migros Culture Percentage wants to make substantial funding available to support the ventures of its applicants. The Migros Culture Percentage does not specify any minimum or maximum amount. Substantial means the sum in question will play a significant part in the venture being designed or realised as envisaged. Funding that we award for ideation or diffusion is based exclusively on the budget for that particular phase, not on the overall budget for a venture. Our calls for bids refer to overall budgets.
Diffusion support by the Migros Culture Percentage of the Federation of Migros Cooperatives is not available for the following areas
- Production costs (applies to all areas)
- Projects that have already been completed
- Infrastructure and running costs
- Deficit guarantees
- Institutions outside Switzerland
- Performances outside Switzerland
- Translations
- Lay culture
- Commercial projects
- Commissions
- Projects of a regional character (except for pilot projects)
- Charity events
- Private and benefit events
- Fundraising campaigns
- Purchases of musical instruments or museum exhibits
- The installation of Art in Architecture
- Projects by schools, technical colleges or universities
- Projects related to scientific research
- Didactic projects
- Stipend requests
- Monograph projects
- Non-contemporary strands in all areas (except for classical music)
- Services to be provided under subsidy contracts
- Area-specific ventures in the fields of photography, design and architecture (where no other areas are involved)
Yes
No. Foreign nationals resident in Switzerland can also request support for their projects. The projects submitted must actively contribute to cultural life in Switzerland and be realised here.
Festivals can apply to the Federation of Migros Cooperatives for diffusion support for individual elements of the programme or for the entire event. Our diffusion support provides no guarantee of funding for more than a year at a time. The principle of giving priority to innovative diffusion concepts also applies to festivals.
Yes. Concert tours are part of the diffusion support provided by the Federation of Migros Cooperatives. A concert tour can receive support if it is supraregional in scale, in other words envisages performances in at least three cantons (in Ticino: in at least three different event venues).
Yes, the final report is mandatory. Please retain our letter of confirmation, which indicates the evaluation date. Approx. three weeks before this date, you will receive an e-mail request to complete the evaluation report in the application portal. Please do not send us any final reports by mail or e-mail.
