Olivier Keaser & Jean-Paul Felley

Lausanne, a city for contemporary art? Rather, a city of contemporary arts. As co-directors of the Swiss Cultural Institute in Paris, we are particularly interested in the multidisciplinary aspect of contemporary culture. With regards to visual art in Lausanne, the MCBA is the institutional section, the ECAL the pedagogical one with a strong international network, and Circuit or 1m3 the independent ones essential to the region. And of course, the plan for the new museum hub, with the MCBA, the Elysée and the Mudac, will be crucial to the city’s future and beyond. After decades of wishing for a new museum and years of dithering, this excellent project will see the light of day by the railway tracks and in the briefest of delays.

Lausanne’s strength is definitely found in its articulate proposal of visual and living arts. The latter is embodied in the Vidy theatre, one of the most beautiful and successful theatrical endeavours in Europe. The Arsenic is an incredibly avant-garde and relevant location in the field of dance-theatre, and Sévelin 36 is a key organisation in the city. Also important is the Urbaines, a rather small but very stimulating festival, and le Bourg with its crosscutting projects, such as the cine-concerts or Bourgllywood evenings.

The quality of the artistic scene is due to an equilibrium between the actors, the tools and the cultural support structure. In Lausanne, the current situation seems very favourable. Politicians in charge of cultural activity are engaged, the directors of institutions make good use of the tools at hand, and the young protagonists of the cultural scene have the possibility of expressing themselves within the bosom of the institutions already mentioned. Of course, the situation is fragile and there is much room for improvement – but the desire to create projects exists, and that is the most promising sign of artistic health!