The call for entries is aimed at cultural practitioners and creatives who are using technology in new ways and looking at how technology is changing society. It supports artistic projects that take an innovative approach to harnessing the possibilities of digital media or advance their use in a creative way. The projects must use digital media or digital forms of expression, such as augmented, mixed or virtual reality, immersive or interactive installations, creative websites, games or voice user interfaces.

Critical examinations of the digitalisation of our society are welcome. Possible topics for projects could include:

• Questions about digital ethics
• Artistic projects that consider or promote the empowerment of online communities through open-source solutionsArtistic reflections on digital literacy and the requisite skills
• Artistic reflections on digital literacy and the requisite skills
• Creative applications or repurposing of technologies such as big data, open data, artificial intelligence, machine learning, blockchain or social media

The examples listed here are intended merely as possibilities; you are welcome to go with your own ideas!

Funding is provided for cultural practitioners and creatives living in the city of Zurich. In the case of teams and cooperations, at least half of the members must reside in the city of Zurich.

Individuals, teams and cooperations can apply. Collaborations with academics, digital workers and cultural practitioners from other disciplines in Switzerland and worldwide are permitted; indeed, they are positively welcome.

Not eligible for funding are: 

• Projects initiated as part of school, vocational training or further education projects (e.g. Master’s and Bachelor’s theses) 
• Commercial projects that do not require public funding
• Infrastructure projects
• Projects with discriminatory content (e.g. sexism, racism, glorification of violence)
• Projects that are not generally accessible to the public
• Projects that have already been implemented or projects that will not be implemented within the specified time frame 
• Incomplete applications or applications not submitted in due time

Level 1 Cultural Affairs Office: Check of Formal Criteria

After the submission deadline, the Cultural Affairs Office will check whether an application meets the formal criteria. All formal criteria has to be met at the same time (cumulative). 

Level 2 Jury: Assessment of content-related criteria

In the initial stage, all applications that meet the formal criteria will be assessed in terms of content by a jury of experts. In addition, all applicants who meet the formal criteria will be asked  to participate in the online voting  process in October 2021.

The jury will assess the submitted project outlines on the basis of the following questions (content-related criteria). Not all questions have to be answered at the same time (cumulative):

• Which current and socially relevant topics does the project address?
• What critical approach is driving the project?
• How is it independent?
• In what way does it demonstrate an artistic quality and innovative character?
• How does it make creative use of contemporary technology?
• Has its implementation been planned in a thorough, realistic and feasible way? 
• Is there an audience for the project, and does the material provide a plausible explanation of how this is to be reached?

The jury consists of the following members

• Dorothea Baur (consultant and lecturer for artificial intelligence and ethics), Zurich 
• Alain Bellet (designer and associated professor ECAL University of Art and Design), Lausanne 
• Shusha Niederberger, art educator at HeK (Haus der elektronischen Künste Basel) and researcher on digital artistic practice at the Institute for Contemporary Art Research, ZHDK
• Mario von Rickenbach (game designer and artist), Zurich 
• Maike Thies (research associate in the Department of Design, Zürcher Hochschule der Künste ZHdK, co-lead and curator of REFRESH), Zurich

The jury will select 6 project outlines that best meet the above content criteria. These 6 project outlines will each receive 4000 Swiss Francs for the further development of a concept and a simple prototype. A maximum of 9 weeks is allowed for this.

Level 3 Applicants: Online Voting on 6 Concepts and Simple Prototypes

The 6 concepts and simple prototypes submitted will be voted upon online. All applicants whose applications have met the formal criteria are admitted to the online voting. Each formally admitted application has 3 votes, regardless of whether it was submitted by an individual, a team or a cooperation. Further details of the online voting process will be communicated at a later date.

The 3 concepts with the most votes will each receive 25 000 Swiss Francs. The implementation of the concepts must take place in the following 7 months.

18/05/2021 Start of call for entry

04/07/2021 Deadline for submission of project outlines

22/07/2021 Announcement of the six project outlines that will receive 4000 CHF each for the                                            further development of a concept and simple prototype

26/09/2021 Deadline for submission of concepts and simple prototypes

01/10/2021 Start of online voting by applicants

12/10/2021 End of online voting

14/10/2021 Announcement of the three concepts that will receive 25 000 CHF in funding

31/05/2022 Implementation of concepts

For Level 1 and 2: Project Outline

Applications are only accepted electronically via the online application entry system. All application documents can be submitted in German or English.

The project outline (max. 4 A4-pages) has to be submitted as a PDF. It should describe the detailed outline of the project and provide information about its technical implementation. The project outline should enable the jury to assess the project on the basis of the questions listed above in «How Does the Selection Process Work?»

The following points must be included in the project outline:

• (Working) Title
• Description of the content of the project (rough outline)
• Information about the technical implementation of the project (rough outline)
• Aim of the project
• Motivation for the project
• Persons involved (individual, team or cooperation)
• Platform(s) for the publication, exhibition or application strategy of the project (rough outline)
• Information on estimated costs, income and any additional contributions requested or already promised

Altogether, the following documents must be submitted:

• Project outline
• CVs of the participants

For Level 3: Concept and simple prototype

The concept (max. 8-A4 pages) should be submitted as a PDF. In addition, a simple prototype has to be submitted to illustrate how the project will be implemented.

The following points must be included in the concept:

• (Working) Title
• Description of the project content 
• Information about the technical implementation of the project 
• Aim of the project
• Motivation for the project
• Persons involved (individual, team or cooperation)
• Platform(s) and target group: Where will the project be shown or published? Who is the target group? How will the project be documented?
• Project budget and financing plan
• Timetable for execution

The concept may include visualisations (e.g. sketches, pictures, moodboards, storboards, mockups).

Information on the simple prototype:

• The protoype can be submitted as an upload or link.
• The format of the prototype is optional (e.g. moving image, animation, interactive prototype, clickable prototype, paper prototype, model).

Please note: In order to enable appicants to vote online, the 6 concepts and prototypes will be made available online. Further details on the online voting will be commuicated at a later date.

We are excited about your interest in «Creative Tech for Good» and we are looking forward to your projects. Since this is a pilot project, many things are new for us as well. We might not have answers to all questions yet, but this also gives you a lot of possibilities.

If you have any questions regarding our call for entry, we are here for you.

Please do not hesitate to contact us via phone (+41 44 412 35 59) or our contact form.

Ulrike Schröder (Overall Project Manager) and Raphael Rogenmoser (External Project Manager) will be answering your questions regarding «Creative Tech for Good» and your submission process.