For the first time, Pro Helvetia is partnering with the Dutch Design Week to give the opportunity to upcoming Swiss Designers to present their innovative solutions in an exhibition from 22-30 October 2022.

Pro Helvetia’s exhibition will be held in Microlab Hall, which focuses on the theme Things that matter. Through a selection of curated projects and international partnerships, innovative and sustainable solutions that are directly linked to their usage in today’s world will be presented. The venue strives to find different answers on the future of products.

In that context, the Swiss Arts Council will present a story of various interpretations of Things that matter proposed by emerging Swiss design studios – embodying todays challenges: inclusivity, sustainability, equitability.

A selection of 4 to 5 projects will be reviewed and selected by DDW’s curator Lisa Hardon and one of Pro Helvetia’s Design Jury members. Please apply via this link until the 24th of May (midnight).

Open Call Criteria

• Projects need to have a clear connection to the topic Things that matter
• Projects can be from any design discipline (product design, material design, social design, graphic design, fashion design, digital design, interaction design etc.)
• Projects need to be in prototype stage or manufactured stage and need to have a proof of concept
• The design studio’s practices should have commercial reach
• The applicants may submit a project up to seven years after completing their studies or founding their studio
• The applicants must be Swiss citizens or permanently reside in Switzerland

In case of questions, please do not hesitate to contact Marie Mayoly.

Pro Helvetia Support 

Pro Helvetia enables emerging Swiss designers to gain visibility, to build professional networks and reach their commercial goals. Therefore, in addition to the exhibition, selected participating studios will benefit from a personalized matchmaking programme and the exhibition will be amplified by national and international PR.