The Facts
Kunsthaus Zürich has joined the 'Connect' dance training program for people with Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis, expanding the partnership that originally launched in February 2024 with Ballett Zürich, the Tonhalle-Gesellschaft Zürich, performance group The Field, and the Dance & Creative Wellness Foundation. The program now accommodates three weekly groups instead of two, meeting on Friday afternoons at the Tonhalle Zürich and, for the first time, in exhibition spaces at Kunsthaus Zürich. Sessions are led by choreographer Clare Guss-West, with selected sessions featuring live accompaniment by musicians from the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich. Kunsthaus director Ann Demeester stated that the institution's participation is rooted in evidence that art enhances physical and mental wellbeing, extending the museum's existing program for people with dementia.
The Signal
The expansion reflects a growing institutional commitment in Zurich to arts-based health interventions, with Ballet Zurich director Cathy Marston and Tonhalle intendant Ilona Schmiel praising the cross-institutional collaboration. For collectors and arts professionals, this signals how museums are increasingly positioning themselves as active community-health partners, not just exhibition venues. The program's integration of dance, live music, and visual art within museum galleries suggests a model that could be replicated by other institutions seeking to demonstrate art's measurable social impact beyond traditional audiences.
- People: Ann Demeester, Cathy Marston, Ilona Schmiel, Clare Guss-West
- Museums: Kunsthaus Zürich
- Locations: Zürich
The Morning Signal · Daily
Get stories like this in your inbox
The art world in one daily email — auctions, openings, and acquisitions from 90+ primary sources, distilled into a five-minute read. Independent — no marketplace, no gallery ads.
Join collectors, dealers & curators
No spam · free every morning · unsubscribe anytime
The Jobs Digest · Weekly
New art-world jobs, every Monday
The Jobs Digest rounds up the week’s new museum, gallery, and auction-house openings — with salary when disclosed. One email a week, unsubscribe anytime.
