Collab Highlight
The recent ECAL x Google exhibition at Milan Design Week 2026 is a very tangible example of Swissnex's mission to connect and spark collaborations.
Read more
Creative Industries
We create opportunities for Switzerland’s creative industries to engage with the art, design, science, and tech ecosystem of the Bay Area, with a focus on innovation.
Swissnex in San Francisco acts as the launchpad and connector for Switzerland’s creative industries in the Bay Area. We highlight innovation at the intersection of art, design, science, and emerging technology. By focusing on digital creation, interactive media, design, and architecture, we support Swiss talent to engage with one of the world’s most advanced tech ecosystems.
Upcoming Events & Programs
-
![]()
2026 Multimedia Lab for Journalists
August 10, 2026 — August 21, 2026An immersive 2-week intensive program designed to support established and emerging professionals in journalism and multimedia storytelling from Switzerland.
-
![]()
Future Museum Lab
October 5, 2026 — October 10, 2026A fellowship program connecting Swiss museum professionals with Bay Area innovation to strengthen visitor engagement and turn ideas into institutional practice.
Collaborate With Us
Our Creative Industries programs connect individuals and organizations from Switzerland and the US, including:
-
0
1
Newsrooms and Journalists
-
0
2
Artists, Designers & Creative Technologists
-
0
3
Universities and Cultural Institutions
-
0
4
Museums & Museum Professionals
-
0
5
Filmmakers & Festivals
Current Partnerships
These are ongoing partnerships which support our Creative Industries focus area. We are always open to new collaborations that share our mission of supporting connections between Switzerland and the U.S. West Coast.
-
Max Kohler Foundation
In collaboration with the Max Kohler Foundation, we offer a fellowship program connecting Swiss museum professionals with Bay Area innovation to strengthen visitor engagement and turn ideas into institutional practice.
Discover More -
Gebert Rüf Stiftung
Supported by the Gebert Rüf Stiftung (GRS), we host an immersive two-week intensive program designed to empower established and emerging professionals in journalism and multimedia storytelling from Switzerland. This collaboration creates an exchange platform between local Bay Area experts and Swiss communicators.
Discover More
Over the years we have worked closely with a number of Swiss educational institutions. Read about other recent partnerships:
-
![]()
Refresh/ZHdK
REFRESH is a festival exploring the intersection of Arts, Design & Technology. The 2026 edition of REFRESH was a partnership with the Department of Design and the Immersive Arts Space of the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK). The festival features keynotes, masterclasses and an exhibition, bringing together acclaimed designers, artists, and researchers from Switzerland and the US to envision possible futures and new fields of action for design and the arts.
-
![]()
Museum für Gestaltung
The Swissnex Network partnered with the Museum für Gestaltung Zürich to further strengthen its international presence and foster global collaboration. This partnership aimed to increase engagement with the museum's internationally significant collection by connecting it with designers and artists from around the world.
-
![]()
Locarno Film Festival
Swissnex in San Francisco hosted filmmakers and creative technologists for the AI & Film Academy, a weeklong program designed jointly with the Locarno Film Festival‘s established Academy program. The program brought practitioners working at the edge of cinema and AI into proximity with the companies building the tools, to see what happens when creativity and curiosity meet infrastructure.
Insights & Impact Stories
-
![]()
ECAL and Google Sent a Message from Tomorrow
July 7, 2026Notes from a conversation with Claude Zellweger (Google) and Camille Blin (ECAL) on "A Message From Tomorrow", the ECAL x Google exhibition presented at Milan Design Week 2026.
-
![]()
Recap of the First Museum Roundtable
May 27, 2026Watch the recording of our first Museum Roundtable where an international group of artists, researchers, museum practitioners, and community builders explored what it means to put sound first.
-
![]()
The Red Thread | Between Takes: A Week of Cinema and AI in San Francisco
April 23, 2026Our Creative Industries Manager reports on the insights from the AI & Film Academy, a five-day program by Swissnex San Francisco and the Locarno Film Festival.
-
![]()
Interview with Maike Thies
May 5, 2026An interview with Maike Thies from Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK) and the curator of the REFRESH exhibit and festival held at Swissnex in San Francisco in March 2026.
-
![]()
REFRESH 2026 in San Francisco
March 4, 2026 — March 7, 2026A festival exploring the intersection of Arts, Design & Technology, happening at Swissnex in San Francisco in March 2026.
-
![Billy Wilder Theater - Hammer Museum LA]()
What ‘The Twilight Zone’ Can Teach Us About The Future of Cinema
January 28, 2026A 1964 episode of 'The Twilight Zone' eerily anticipates today’s debates about AI intimacy, authorship, and control. Revisiting these visions reminds us that AI’s impact on cinema is not a rupture from history, but a continuation of long-standing entanglements between technology, labor, and imagination.
-
![]()
Beyond the Hype: Swiss Journalists’ Journey Through AI’s Impact
August 26, 2025Beyond the Hype: Swiss Journalists’ Journey Through AI’s Impact
-
![]()
Reimagining Collections: A Museum’s Digital Anniversary Project
July 7, 2025Sophie Grossmann, Curator at the Museum für Gestaltung Zürich, reflects on the process of building cross-cultural dialogue through digital curatorship for their anniversary project.
ECAL x Google
Interested in collaborating with us?
If you work in any of the creative industries, there are a number of opportunities for us to help you navigate the Bay Area and connect with local experts. In addition to those featured above, a few other possibilities are listed below. Get in touch about any of these options or propose your own.
-
0
1
Exhibitions
-
0
2
Master Classes
-
0
3
Public Events
-
0
4
Program Design
-
0
5
Professional Development
Contact us
Lucas Hagin
Creative Industries Program Manager
Elodie Malonga
Events & Creative Industries Associate
1
2
Testimonials
Through its strong local network, Swissnex San Francisco acts as a powerful catalyst for collaboration in media and creative technology. Gebert Rüf Stiftung especially values the team’s professionalism, enthusiasm, and clear commitment to bringing knowledge and innovation back to Switzerland.
Marco Vencato Deputy Director of Gebert Rüf Stiftung
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.
Maike Thies Research Fellow at the Department of Design at ZHdK