What the HELSE audience looks like today

When we started organising events in Switzerland more than 20 years ago, the audience was different. People came primarily because they missed the language, the music, and the feeling of home. Today the audience is far more diverse — and honestly, it is wonderful for me to see.

At our events I now meet different generations: people who have only just arrived in Switzerland; those who have lived here for decades; young people who were born here but want to stay connected to their origins; families who bring their children to hear our language and get to know the culture through music, film, and theatre.

I notice that the audience today chooses much more carefully.

It is no longer enough for something to simply be "ours" — people want quality, a good atmosphere, an organisation they trust.

I think that is a good change. It pushes us to be better.

That is why today, when I choose the programme, I do not think only about what is popular at the moment, but also about what has value and what can stay in people's memory.

I am especially glad when I see a younger audience, children at concerts, young people at plays. These are generations who may be growing up between two languages and two cultures, but who still want to stay connected to their roots.

That is why I can say with pride that the HELSE audience today is diverse, nurtured, of high quality and, above all, it represents a community.

— Evica