Kunsthalle Bern

Kunsthalle Bern owes its existence to the initiative taken by the Bernese Artists’ Society (GSMBA, Bern section) in 1918, making it one of the oldest Kunsthalles in Europe. We are an institution founded by artists and are thus dedicated to showcase and promote artistic practices from Switzerland and beyond.

At Kunsthalle Bern, our exhibitions, events and learning programs offer opportunities for people to encounter, experience and participate in contemporary art that inspires, challenges and transforms. To fulfil our core mission of presenting contemporary art, we organise exhibitions, commission art, publish and develop educational and collaborative initiatives and events. For us art is a prism for better understanding the world and each other. While our program derives from the contemporary, it also considers how art has been created and experienced in the past, but it also contemplates its future. Our aim is to be a leading international contemporary art institution, presenting groundbreaking exhibitions, informative and thought-provoking public events that bridge conversations across our city and engage our communities. We are a space that practices care and hospitality by making time and space for artists and cultural workers to speak about their ideas and the world.