Living In Switzerland - The Swiss Art Scene, with Nikolai Kleist Burkal

If you love art, Switzerland is a great destination for you. Every city is home to art museums, galleries, and innovative creative spaces. Zurich and Basel are particular art hubs, with countless permanent and temporary exhibitions and a large fair called Art Basel. If you attend art events and workshops, you can not only learn something new but also meet like-minded people.

Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
0:29 About our guest
01:22 Background
02:24 Are you enjoying Switzerland so far?
04:58 Similarities between Switzerland and Greenland
07:32 Has your art adapted since coming here?
07:42 Local rules
08:28 Pensions and health insurance
09:55 Art in Switzerland
10:26 Swiss infrastructure
11:07 Zurich's art scene
12:13 The Swiss Museum Pass
15:09 What are some different art venues that you like to visit?
17:58 What about the scene outside Zurich?
24:23 Social art
26:06 Emerging artists
26:55 Virtual exhibitions
27:40 Residencies
28:05 Vernissage
30:59 Access to the rest of Europe
32:17 Art-Beats
35:42 How to get in touch or find out more

Next Steps
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Who We’re Talking To
Nikolai Kleist Burkal is an artist in Zurich. He grew up in Greenland and has lived in several countries before settling in Switzerland in 2022 due to a work opportunity. He runs the platform Art-Beats, where he publishes articles on the pulse of art scenes, trends, and art activities internationally.

About the Episode
If you want to get involved in the art scene in Switzerland, start here:
As a spectator:
Visit the many art galleries and museums
1. Zurich: Big venues are the Kunsthaus (Art House) and the art galleries located on the Rämistrasse or in the Löwenbräu Kunst building. If you want to visit smaller or more innovative spaces, check out Rote Fabrik.
2. Basel: The biggest art fair in Switzerland is Art Basel, which takes place in early summer. There is also a Kunsthaus in Basel, and plenty of strong art exhibitions thanks to the Beyeler Foundation.
3. Other cities: There are art venues in every area. Some popular ones are Zentrum Paul Klee in Bern, Plateforme Dix in Lausanne, and the photo and art museums in Winterthur.
As an amateur artist:
There are many types of art classes in Switzerland. Some big art supply stores like Bösner have a newsletter, where new courses are advertised. This is a great way to engage in something enjoyable and meet new people at the same time.
As an emerging artist:
Check out art performance spaces like Rote Fabrik or the VC7 open space in Zurich.
Look for open calls, and spend time writing proposals. You can also apply for residencies. There are lots in Switzerland, and they often last for several months at a time.
As an established artist:
Attending gallery openings (vernissages) is a great way to integrate into the local art scene. If you go regularly, you’ll meet the same people again and again and start to make connections. You can also rent a studio or atelier. This is surprisingly cost-effective. If you’re in Zurich, start by browsing places on Raumbörse Zürich.

Resources
Nikolai’s website https://nikolaikleistburkal.com/

Nikolai’s Instagram catalogue   / nikolai.burkal  

Art-Beats https://art-beats.com/

Art-Beats Instagram   / art_beats_media  

Art-Beats on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/art-...

Other things mentioned

Art workshops offered by Boesner https://www.boesner.ch/niederlassunge...

Atelier/art studio rental site, Raumbörse https://www.raumboerse-zh.ch/

The Swiss Museum Pass https://www.museumspass.ch/

Recommended venues to visit

Das Landesmuseum, Swiss National Museum https://www.landesmuseum.ch/en (Zurich)

Rote Fabrik https://rotefabrik.ch/#/ (Zurich)

Haus Konstruktiv https://www.hauskonstruktiv.ch/en (Zurich)

Löwenbräukunst https://lowenbraukunst.ch/en (Zurich)

Kunsthaus https://www.kunsthaus.ch/en/ (Zurich)

Museum Rietberg https://rietberg.ch/en/ (Zurich)

Zentrum Paul Klee https://www.zpk.org/ (Bern)

Fotomuseum https://www.fotomuseum.ch/en/ (Winterthur)

Kunstmuseum https://www.kmw.ch/ (Winterthur)

Kunstmuseum https://kunstmuseumbasel.ch/ (Basel)

Fondation Beyler https://www.fondationbeyeler.ch/en/home (Basel)

Art Basel https://www.artbasel.com/basel?lang=en

Plateforme 10 https://plateforme10.ch/en/ (Lausanne)

VC7 Open Space https://www.studiomk2.ch/vc7kontakt (Zurich)

GK3 Space https://www.gk3.ch/ (Zurich)