The

Trustees

Atelier Mondial was founded in 1986 originally under the name ‘International Studio and Exchange Program of the Basel Region (iaab)’. The Christoph Merian Foundation launched the project by constructing its own new studio building in the St. Alban Tal quarter of Basel. Since then the program has grown steadily. After a special and nearly historic agreement, which was reached in 2004 between Swiss cantons and regional municipalities, today Atelier Mondial serves as a shining example of a well-functioning cross-border cooperation. The following institutions form the trusteeship of Atelier Mondial, both conceptually as well as through an annual financial contribution:

• Christoph Merian Stiftung (Project Director)
• Canton Basel-Stadt /Switzerland
• Canton Basel-Landschaft /Switzerland
• Canton Solothurn /Switzerland
• City of Freiburg im Breisgau /Germany
• Alsace Region /France

Since the spring of 2013 the Alsace region, represented by the Kunsthalle Mulhouse, also belongs to the trusteeship of Atelier Mondial. This not only significantly increased the range reached by the program, but also made the program tri-national. Since 2013 creative artists from a large region stretching from Strasbourg and Freiburg across the Cantons of Basel-Stadt and Basel-Land are eligible to apply. In 2016 the canton of Solothurn joined the trusteeship with a studio in Genoa.

Furthermore, Atelier Mondial works in collaboration nationally as well as internationally with many different partner institutions. An important partner within Switzerland, which finances our guest artists from India and South Africa, is the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia.