Don’t just like it, live it!

Thursday 21 May, 19:00

Linda Bell presents an intimate durational performance that navigates repetition, memory and materiality. Working across sculptural processes and live intervention, Bell’s practice unfolds through subtle bodily presence, careful pacing and attention to gesture. The performance is presented within the exhibition Methodical Process alongside works by Nnena Kalu and Marie Gyger and realised in collaboration with Action Space, London. The atmosphere is meditative and finely calibrated, inviting close attention to process and detail.

Thursday 21 May, 12:30

Didier van Cauwelaert, awarded the Prix Goncourt and author of more than thirty-five novels, brings a singular blend of literary, human and spiritual inquiry. In conversation with Marie Cénec, he discusses recurring themes in his work: the afterlife, memory, and the boundaries between imagination and reality. He reflects on recent novels that revisit his early writing years and investigate extraordinary phenomena—from plants communicating at a distance to children recalling past lives—offering a generous exploration of creativity and belief.

In French.

Thursday 21 May, 15:00

Zofia Kiniorska, assistant conductor of the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, presents her experience directing ensembles and the practical and symbolic aspects of conducting within a professional orchestra.

She examines the coded gestures, score interpretation and the conductor–musician dialogue, illustrating subtleties of phrasing, dynamics and tempo with the help of an OSR musician. The session investigates how gestures shape collective interpretation and the choices that reveal a work’s character.

19 – 31 May

Are Demons Among Us? Berbiguier de Terre-Neuve du Thym was a French citizen from Avignon who, after having his cards read by a fortune-teller, began to see malevolent beings all around him, whom he called “goblins.” The delusion lasted his entire life. His book on demons is an impressively detailed work, written in a rich literary style and containing utterly bizarre content—both pathetic and unintentionally comical.

It constitutes the most complete account of the inner world of a man gripped by profound madness. It was rediscovered in the following century by the Surrealists, notably Raymond Queneau, as well as by enthusiasts of outsider art. The performance will be a montage of the very words of this famous “literary madman” and will offer the audience a journey into the labyrinth of his thoughts.

In French.

Thursday 21 May, 20:00

Zucchero, the Italian rock‑blues legend, brings four decades of soulful songwriting and gritty vocals to the stage. Known for blending blues, rock and Mediterranean melodies, he has collaborated with icons such as Eric Clapton, Bono, Sting and Luciano Pavarotti. With over 60 million records sold and hits like Senza una donna, Baila (Sexy Thing) and Diamante, his performance balances intimate ballads and rousing grooves.

20 – 25 May

In May, Fête de la Nature takes over Geneva with a breath of fresh air.  For a few days, the city turns green with guided walks, outdoor workshops, wildlife encounters, and hands-on activities — all designed to reconnect you with nature, right in and around Geneva.

A feel-good festival where curiosity meets the outdoors.

Thursday 21 May, 19:00

Linda Bell presents an intimate durational performance that navigates repetition, memory and materiality. Working across sculptural processes and live intervention, Bell’s practice unfolds through subtle bodily presence, careful pacing and attention to gesture. The performance is presented within the exhibition Methodical Process alongside works by Nnena Kalu and Marie Gyger and realised in collaboration with Action Space, London. The atmosphere is meditative and finely calibrated, inviting close attention to process and detail.

Thursday 21 May, 12:30

Didier van Cauwelaert, awarded the Prix Goncourt and author of more than thirty-five novels, brings a singular blend of literary, human and spiritual inquiry. In conversation with Marie Cénec, he discusses recurring themes in his work: the afterlife, memory, and the boundaries between imagination and reality. He reflects on recent novels that revisit his early writing years and investigate extraordinary phenomena—from plants communicating at a distance to children recalling past lives—offering a generous exploration of creativity and belief.

In French.

Thursday 21 May, 15:00

Zofia Kiniorska, assistant conductor of the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, presents her experience directing ensembles and the practical and symbolic aspects of conducting within a professional orchestra.

She examines the coded gestures, score interpretation and the conductor–musician dialogue, illustrating subtleties of phrasing, dynamics and tempo with the help of an OSR musician. The session investigates how gestures shape collective interpretation and the choices that reveal a work’s character.

19 – 31 May

Are Demons Among Us? Berbiguier de Terre-Neuve du Thym was a French citizen from Avignon who, after having his cards read by a fortune-teller, began to see malevolent beings all around him, whom he called “goblins.” The delusion lasted his entire life. His book on demons is an impressively detailed work, written in a rich literary style and containing utterly bizarre content—both pathetic and unintentionally comical.

It constitutes the most complete account of the inner world of a man gripped by profound madness. It was rediscovered in the following century by the Surrealists, notably Raymond Queneau, as well as by enthusiasts of outsider art. The performance will be a montage of the very words of this famous “literary madman” and will offer the audience a journey into the labyrinth of his thoughts.

In French.

Thursday 21 May, 20:00

Zucchero, the Italian rock‑blues legend, brings four decades of soulful songwriting and gritty vocals to the stage. Known for blending blues, rock and Mediterranean melodies, he has collaborated with icons such as Eric Clapton, Bono, Sting and Luciano Pavarotti. With over 60 million records sold and hits like Senza una donna, Baila (Sexy Thing) and Diamante, his performance balances intimate ballads and rousing grooves.

20 – 25 May

In May, Fête de la Nature takes over Geneva with a breath of fresh air.  For a few days, the city turns green with guided walks, outdoor workshops, wildlife encounters, and hands-on activities — all designed to reconnect you with nature, right in and around Geneva.

A feel-good festival where curiosity meets the outdoors.

Thursday 21 May, 19:00

Linda Bell presents an intimate durational performance that navigates repetition, memory and materiality. Working across sculptural processes and live intervention, Bell’s practice unfolds through subtle bodily presence, careful pacing and attention to gesture. The performance is presented within the exhibition Methodical Process alongside works by Nnena Kalu and Marie Gyger and realised in collaboration with Action Space, London. The atmosphere is meditative and finely calibrated, inviting close attention to process and detail.

Thursday 21 May, 12:30

Didier van Cauwelaert, awarded the Prix Goncourt and author of more than thirty-five novels, brings a singular blend of literary, human and spiritual inquiry. In conversation with Marie Cénec, he discusses recurring themes in his work: the afterlife, memory, and the boundaries between imagination and reality. He reflects on recent novels that revisit his early writing years and investigate extraordinary phenomena—from plants communicating at a distance to children recalling past lives—offering a generous exploration of creativity and belief.

In French.

Thursday 21 May, 15:00

Zofia Kiniorska, assistant conductor of the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, presents her experience directing ensembles and the practical and symbolic aspects of conducting within a professional orchestra.

She examines the coded gestures, score interpretation and the conductor–musician dialogue, illustrating subtleties of phrasing, dynamics and tempo with the help of an OSR musician. The session investigates how gestures shape collective interpretation and the choices that reveal a work’s character.

19 – 31 May

Are Demons Among Us? Berbiguier de Terre-Neuve du Thym was a French citizen from Avignon who, after having his cards read by a fortune-teller, began to see malevolent beings all around him, whom he called “goblins.” The delusion lasted his entire life. His book on demons is an impressively detailed work, written in a rich literary style and containing utterly bizarre content—both pathetic and unintentionally comical.

It constitutes the most complete account of the inner world of a man gripped by profound madness. It was rediscovered in the following century by the Surrealists, notably Raymond Queneau, as well as by enthusiasts of outsider art. The performance will be a montage of the very words of this famous “literary madman” and will offer the audience a journey into the labyrinth of his thoughts.

In French.

Thursday 21 May, 20:00

Zucchero, the Italian rock‑blues legend, brings four decades of soulful songwriting and gritty vocals to the stage. Known for blending blues, rock and Mediterranean melodies, he has collaborated with icons such as Eric Clapton, Bono, Sting and Luciano Pavarotti. With over 60 million records sold and hits like Senza una donna, Baila (Sexy Thing) and Diamante, his performance balances intimate ballads and rousing grooves.

20 – 25 May

In May, Fête de la Nature takes over Geneva with a breath of fresh air.  For a few days, the city turns green with guided walks, outdoor workshops, wildlife encounters, and hands-on activities — all designed to reconnect you with nature, right in and around Geneva.

A feel-good festival where curiosity meets the outdoors.

12 – 24 May

Written by E.-E. Schmitt, La Tectonique des Sentiments probes how love can turn to hatred in an instant. The plot follows Diane and Richard as imagined betrayals unleash seismic emotional shifts, toppling certainties and stirring violent tenderness. The piece balances sharp comedy and quiet cruelty, dissecting contradictions of desire through intimate exchanges and sudden tremors of feeling. The staging favors psychological clarity and a charged, oscillating atmosphere that leaves the audience unsettled and moved.

In French.

Saturday 23 May, 20:00

Celebrating the Undertones’ 50-year legacy, this punk double bill pairs the Northern Irish veterans with Geneva’s Asphalt for a night of raw energy. The Undertones bring their tight, hook-driven songwriting—anchored by the echo of “Teenage Kicks”—while Asphalt channels arcade-era grit and bel canto-inflected shouts, featuring players from Armure, Allusion, The Chisel and Branlarians. Presented in collaboration with Le Rez and Roosevelt Sports Club, the concert oscillates between singalong immediacy and feral momentum, a visceral reminder of punk’s communal power.

20 – 24 May

Geneva-based artist of Turkish origin Ibo Art offers a sensitive exploration of waste transformed into living, symbolic forms. Blending painting, sculpture and installation, he reclaims construction debris, plastic flowers refreshed with acrylic, and found materials to fashion islands, micro‑houses and human figures. The post‑industrial installations deploy vivid colour and vegetal motifs to question consumption, value and belonging. The work reveals how discarded matter can assert presence, evoke resilience, and be reimagined as contemporary relics.

20 – 25 May

In May, Fête de la Nature takes over Geneva with a breath of fresh air.  For a few days, the city turns green with guided walks, outdoor workshops, wildlife encounters, and hands-on activities — all designed to reconnect you with nature, right in and around Geneva.

A feel-good festival where curiosity meets the outdoors.

22 – 24 May

Mai au Parc brings the community together for a lively three-day outdoor festival featuring fifteen concerts (including nine Swiss acts), family-friendly activities, and a wide selection of food stalls. Enjoy moments at the wine bar and explore a culinary world tour served on ten small plates. Activities and community-run stands invite everyone to participate; volunteers are welcome to join. The festival celebrates local music, conviviality and shared neighbourhood spirit.

Saturday 23 May, 21:00

Founded in 2018 by Louis Schild, Le Recueil des Miracles unfolds as a communal music journey inspired by the tarantella. Vocalist Antoine Läng, violinist Clara Levy, flautist Anne Gillot, clarinetists Laurent Bruttin and others weave between festive Thracian rhythms and introspective Asia Minor melodies. Gaspar Pahud shapes the electronic soundscape while David Meier anchors the pulse on drums. The ensemble blurs boundaries between performers and listeners, creating echoing, embodied soundscapes that shift between trance-like release and reflective intimacy.

Thursday 21 May, 19:00

Linda Bell presents an intimate durational performance that navigates repetition, memory and materiality. Working across sculptural processes and live intervention, Bell’s practice unfolds through subtle bodily presence, careful pacing and attention to gesture. The performance is presented within the exhibition Methodical Process alongside works by Nnena Kalu and Marie Gyger and realised in collaboration with Action Space, London. The atmosphere is meditative and finely calibrated, inviting close attention to process and detail.

Thursday 21 May, 12:30

Didier van Cauwelaert, awarded the Prix Goncourt and author of more than thirty-five novels, brings a singular blend of literary, human and spiritual inquiry. In conversation with Marie Cénec, he discusses recurring themes in his work: the afterlife, memory, and the boundaries between imagination and reality. He reflects on recent novels that revisit his early writing years and investigate extraordinary phenomena—from plants communicating at a distance to children recalling past lives—offering a generous exploration of creativity and belief.

In French.

Thursday 21 May, 15:00

Zofia Kiniorska, assistant conductor of the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, presents her experience directing ensembles and the practical and symbolic aspects of conducting within a professional orchestra.

She examines the coded gestures, score interpretation and the conductor–musician dialogue, illustrating subtleties of phrasing, dynamics and tempo with the help of an OSR musician. The session investigates how gestures shape collective interpretation and the choices that reveal a work’s character.

19 – 31 May

Are Demons Among Us? Berbiguier de Terre-Neuve du Thym was a French citizen from Avignon who, after having his cards read by a fortune-teller, began to see malevolent beings all around him, whom he called “goblins.” The delusion lasted his entire life. His book on demons is an impressively detailed work, written in a rich literary style and containing utterly bizarre content—both pathetic and unintentionally comical.

It constitutes the most complete account of the inner world of a man gripped by profound madness. It was rediscovered in the following century by the Surrealists, notably Raymond Queneau, as well as by enthusiasts of outsider art. The performance will be a montage of the very words of this famous “literary madman” and will offer the audience a journey into the labyrinth of his thoughts.

In French.

Thursday 21 May, 20:00

Zucchero, the Italian rock‑blues legend, brings four decades of soulful songwriting and gritty vocals to the stage. Known for blending blues, rock and Mediterranean melodies, he has collaborated with icons such as Eric Clapton, Bono, Sting and Luciano Pavarotti. With over 60 million records sold and hits like Senza una donna, Baila (Sexy Thing) and Diamante, his performance balances intimate ballads and rousing grooves.

20 – 25 May

In May, Fête de la Nature takes over Geneva with a breath of fresh air.  For a few days, the city turns green with guided walks, outdoor workshops, wildlife encounters, and hands-on activities — all designed to reconnect you with nature, right in and around Geneva.

A feel-good festival where curiosity meets the outdoors.

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CoolBytes

Celebrating Geneva’s vibrant heartbeat and the stories shaping culture today

Writer, interviewer, collector of conversations. Alain Elkann has sat across from presidents, cardinals, artists, and Nobel Prize winners — thousands of conversations spanning decades — and never once posed a question he wasn't willing to abandon. I met him at his home in Geneva to talk a bit about everything: the craft of the interview, the future of books, why common sense might be the most underrated virtue of our time, and the advice that has stayed with him since childhood.
Chef Florian Le Bouhec shares his favorite Geneva spots — from his go-to café for inspiration to the cultural discoveries that spark his creativity.

Geneva Classics

Visiting for the first time? A quick guide to the city’s top attractions.

The MEG is a renowned museum dedicated to the exploration and presentation of cultural diversity from around the world. Located in the heart of Geneva, it houses an extensive collection of over 80,000 objects, including artifacts, textiles, and artworks that highlight the rich traditions and histories of various communities. The museum emphasizes interactive and immersive exhibitions, engaging visitors with contemporary issues related to culture and identity.

Cool fact: The e-MEG app serves as a digital twin of the permanent exhibition, providing an audio guide and detailed descriptions along with photographs of all displayed objects.

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– CLOSED FOR RENOVATION –

Since its opening in 1994, the MAMCO Geneva (Musée d’art moderne et contemporain)  has staged 450 exhibitions with works dating from the 1960s to the present day. Mamco’s holdings include works by Christo, Martin Kippenberger, Jenny Holzer, Dan Flavin, Sarkis, Franz Erhard Walther and Sylvie Fleury, among many others.

Cool fact: The MAMCO is the epicenter of the “Nuit des Bains”, held three times a year.  During this event, the district around the museum is transformed into a large gallery and attracts thousands of art lovers and sightseers each night.

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With a collection of 27,000 items from Switzerland, Europe and the Middle and Far East, and a witness to twelve centuries of ceramic art from the Middle Ages to modern times, the Ariana is one of Europe’s great museums specializing in glass and ceramics.

Cool fact: On the first Sunday of each month, the Ariana Museum opens its temporary exhibitions to the public.

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