Behind the scenes
What it takes to put on an event (the part the audience never sees)
When the audience walks in for a play or a concert, it all looks simple.
Lights, stage, emotion. But there is much more behind it.
An event does not start the day before — it starts months earlier. There are negotiations with the artists, picking and booking the venue, technical setup, flights, work permits, marketing campaigns, visuals.
And one question always sitting in the back of the mind: will enough people come? Will the tickets sell?
These days, having a good programme is not enough — you have to fight for your attention.
Social media, ads, newsletters, word of mouth — everything has to work together.
And in the end, it all comes down to one thing: did we capture and move the audience?
There were nights when the hall was not full. And there were nights when the energy was unbelievable.
Each of those nights is part of a one-of-a-kind process. Once you step into it, there is no going back.
And maybe most importantly: this is not work you do lightly — it is done with the whole heart, with no reservations.
So every time you buy a ticket, believe me, it means far more than you think.
— 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…
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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.