Examples for grants 2025

Nina von Meiss, Christina Pfander and Dominique Vigne form the trio of artists Mickry 3. They met at the F+F School of Art and Media Design and have been working together since 1998. Their work is inspired by comics and pop culture, addressing themes of consumerism and social critique and always reflecting on their own role within consumer society, with regard to sustainability and the use of materials, for example. The trio creates humorous, often colorful and sometimes bizarre sculptures, paintings and multi-part installations. In recent years, they have increasingly produced art‑in‑architecture works, including the Löwin, a sculpture in front of the temporary city hall in Zurich that serves both as seating and as impact protection.

Visual arts: The UBS Culture Foundation is recognizing the artistic work of Mickry 3 with a recognition grant of CHF 15,000.

The Association pour la recherche archéologique dans le Val d’Anniviers (ARAVA) is researching and preserving the medieval village of Fang Tiébagette in Val d’Anniviers, which since its rediscovery in 2000 has provided a rare source of information on everyday life and settlement history from the 14th to the 15th century. Well-preserved residential and agricultural buildings, a ruined tower and the possible remains of a chapel offer insights into the life of an alpine community.From 2026 to 2028, further excavation campaigns are planned, supplemented by scientific analyses and conservation measures to protect the exposed walls. Beginning in 2028, ARAVA will make the research findings publicly accessible through scientific publications and public information.

Heritage conservation and archaeology: ARAVA is receiving a project grant of CHF 13,000 from the UBS Culture Foundation.

In her search for new ways to cope with grief, director Arami Ullón discovers the Wind Phone in Japan. After the death of his cousin, Itaru Sasaki set up a phone booth in his garden and opened it to the public following the 2011 tsunami. Although the line leads to nowhere, this unusual place has helped thousands of people overcome their grief. Ullón speaks with Sasaki and with users of the wind phone about loss and the question of how people find ways to cope with the inexplicable. The film thoughtfully invites us to reflect on grief and transience, and on those moments of beauty that, despite the pain, repeatedly reveal themselves and connect us to life.

Film: Beauvoir Films is being supported with a production grant of CHF 25,000 for the making of the documentary.

Gianluca Grossi (1967, Bellinzona) is a journalist, war correspondent, photographer and author of non-fiction books, novels, plays and a children’s book.
His novel “«Una trascurabile inquietudine», published in January 2026, tells the story of Magnus Rost, who one day finds himself plagued by doubts, uncertainties and questions, and tormented by incurable hypochondria. He recognizes his fate and decides to give his life a new direction. His goal is to prevent the catastrophe that is about to befall his city. The inhabitants of Levàntia, on the other hand, are convinced that they live in a perfect world, free from doubt and tragedy. In this world, any sense of unrest is considered negligible, and those who rebel against it are doomed to a ridiculous end.

Literature: Gianluca Grossi has received a work grant of CHF 10,000.

Villa Senar in Weggis, the former home and studio of Sergei Rachmaninoff, is a rare example of a modernist Gesamtkunstwerk. Since 2023, the Serge Rachmaninoff Foundation has opened the monument to the public and has been developing it into a versatile cultural and educational venue. Concerts, masterclasses, digital public dissemination through augmented reality, programs for audiences ranging from children to adults, and scholarly publications connect tradition with the present.
The cultural center is in a crucial development phase during the years 2025 to 2028. Plans include commissioned works, the Senar Arts Academy, accessible concerts in the park, artists in residence, expert-led guided tours, and educational and participatory offerings for diverse target groups.

Priority project: The UBS Culture Foundation is supporting the expansion of educational programs with CHF 80,000.

Under the title «Gesprengte Welten / LSD», the Basel Sinfonietta presents works that challenge the limits of perception. At the center is the commissioned work «Hofmann in Death Valley» by composer Leo Dick, which explores Albert Hofmann’s discovery of LSD and provides an anecdote about Michel Foucault’s LSD experience. Leo Dick translates the kaleidoscopic play of colors and shapes described by Hofmann into music.

Leo Dick (born in Basel in 1976) studied composition and opera direction; his focus lies in forms of new music theater. Founded in 1980, the Basel Sinfonietta is an orchestra specializing in contemporary music with symphonic instrumentation.

Music: The UBS Culture Foundation is supporting the Basel Sinfonietta with a project grant of CHF 10,000 for the premiere of Leo Dick’s work «Hofmann in Death Valley».