Zurich has long been a magnet for both the critical and the creative. During both world wars many German authors immigrated to Zurich. And more than one hundred years ago members of the Dada movement met at the Cabaret Voltaire in Zurich's Spiegelgasse.
Today, about nine percent of the workforce in the Canton of Zürich is employed by the cultural sector, and this figure is increasing. Most creative enterprises are small companies. Amongst the internationally known is Freitag lab., a company manufacturing shoulder bags from truck tarpaulins and car seat belts.
“. . . no matter how enlightening Füssli’s paintings nor how surprising the Dada movements jokes are, no matter how contradictory life in Zurich or that of Joyce and Lenin can be, it is always Thomas Mann, the good European, the contradictory and critical European, that in my mind is most closely linked to Zurich.”
Carlos Fuentes in “This I Believe. Alphabet of Life”
According to the Second Report on the Creative Industries of Zürich (only in German available) more than 53'000 people work in the creative sector. They generate a turnover of over 16.6 billion Swiss Francs and contribute very strongly to the attractiveness of Zürich.
An increasing number of creative respresentatives is becoming independent. Are you thinking of self-employment? You will find further information on gruenden.ch, the Canton of Zurich’s platform for company founders.
