Pro Helvetia Fast Forward Grant for Musicians

The Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia offers Creation and Production Grants supporting nationally established music professionals and bands in Switzerland as they create and produce new musical works. With grants of up to CHF 25,000, the program funds new repertoire, recorded music productions, live performances, and related projects across a range of contemporary genres. Funding can be used for new compositions, recordings, performances, and other creative music projects that contribute to the contemporary Swiss music scene. The final grant amount depends on the overall project size, production costs, professional fees, and the scope of the artistic activities. Eligible genres include pop, rock, jazz, electronic music, experimental music, global sounds, and hip-hop. Applicants must be nationally established music professionals or bands based in Switzerland, recognized throughout the country, performing regularly at well-known venues in Switzerland and abroad, and must have previously received support from Pro Helvetia. Projects must have a clear connection to Switzerland, be of nationwide importance, secure appropriate co-funding from public or private sources, and guarantee fair working conditions. Applications are assessed on artistic relevance, the quality of the project, appropriate fees for music professionals, secured co-funding, the number and quality of planned performance venues, and national and international promotion strategy. A complete application typically includes a project description, artistic concept, implementation plan, demo recordings, an international promotion strategy, and details of the team and any record label. Submissions are made through Pro Helvetia's application portal, with a deadline of September 1, 2026.