Pro Helvetia

The foundation promotes cultural dialogue of the different regions of the country and supports arts in interregional context.

Pro Helvetia was founded by decision of the Federal Council on October 20, 1939[1] as an organization to support the spiritual national defence.

Since the partial revision of the act in 1980, the Swiss Confederation has financed Pro Helvetia through credit decisions, each of which extends over four years and is based on a program approved by the foundation council.

[16] In 2004, the exhibition “Swiss-Swiss Democracy” by Thomas Hirschhorn was held at the Centre Culturel Suisse in Paris.

"[18] As a direct consequence of the so-called “Hirschhorn scandal”, the Swiss parliament voted on December 16, 2004 to cut Pro Helvetia's 2005 budget by 1 million francs.