
Reflections
Why I still bring plays in our language — after 20 years
There are easier jobs and safer models. And there are surely projects with less stress — but also with less joy.
And yet, more than 20 years ago, I decided to do exactly this — to bring plays, films, and concerts in our language to Switzerland.
Not because it is easy. But because it is needed, and because back in the 90s this is the very thing I missed most.
Because every time I see a full hall, hear the laughter, hear someone say after the show "this was so good for us", and see those bright faces — I know why I do this.
The diaspora is not just an audience. These are people living between two worlds.
That is exactly why these are not just "events" — they are moments when people reconnect with themselves.
Over the years I learned one important thing: quality matters, but emotion sells the ticket.
That is why I always choose projects that carry something more — a story, honesty, identity.
Today, after two decades, I can say: we are not just making events, we are building a community.
And as long as there is a need for that feeling of "ours", I will keep going.
See you at the next event.
— Evica
Our stories
Why people from the Balkans leave so often, yet find it so hard to stop thinking about it
Evica Marković1 October 2026When you have lived away from the country you came from for a long time, your relationship with it becomes more complicated than you imagined at the start. Distance sometimes sharpens the view and sometimes clouds it with nostalgia…
Read moreEleven days when Zurich lives through film
Evica Marković23 September 2026Every autumn the area around Sechseläutenplatz changes almost overnight. Festival signs appear, queues form in front of the cinemas, around town you hear more and more conversations about films nobody has had the chance to see yet, and people who might otherwise never meet end up in the same auditorium because they picked the same title from the programme…
Read moreWhen design steps out onto the streets of Zurich
Evica Marković17 September 2026There are things we use every day and almost never think about. The chair we sit on, the glass we drink water from, the sign at the stop that tells us where to go, the light in a restaurant that keeps us there longer than we planned, or a poster on the street that makes us stop…
Read more
FAQ
Frequently asked questions.
HELSE is a Swiss cultural association that fosters exchange between Switzerland and Serbia. Through theatre, film, music, stand-up and children's workshops we build cultural bridges — alive, inspiring and open to everyone.
Our programme is diverse: theatre performances, film screenings, stand-up comedy, concerts, readings, seminars and children's workshops.
Events run year-round — the current schedule lives in the Events section.
Tickets are sold online via each event's page and, for some programmes, at the door before the show. HELSE members receive discounts on selected events.
Membership is open to anyone who wants to support the association. The annual fee is CHF 70, with reduced rates for students and pensioners.
Sign up via the Membership page — for any additional questions, write to info@helse.ch.









































