ACT Basel 2026: Performance Festival to Showcase Swiss Art Students
The ACT Basel performance festival, a platform for Swiss art students, will take place on Friday, March 27th and Saturday, March 28th, 2026, at the Museum der Kulturen Basel. The festival is a collaboration between the museum and the Institute Art Gender Nature (IAGN) of the HGK Basel FHNW.
Featured Talk: “We Rise by Lifting Others”
The festival will open on Friday, March 27th, with a talk titled “We Rise by Lifting Others” by Marinella Senatore, a prominent figure in contemporary Italian art. Senatore’s work focuses on collaborative artistic practice, and her talk will explore participatory practice as a framework for collective engagement and co-creation. Learn more about the event.
Performance Schedule and Program
Performances by participating students will be held on Saturday, March 28th, from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM. The full program and list of participants will be announced soon. Visit the ACT website for updates.
About ACT Basel
ACT Basel is designed as an “open laboratory” for students from Swiss art universities to test performative artistic strategies. The festival emphasizes the dynamic between performers, performances, and the audience, prioritizing the process and exchange between students and viewers.
Festival History
ACT, the Performance Festival of Swiss Art Academies, has been providing a platform for student performances since 2003, rotating annually between various cities across Switzerland. The festival celebrated its 20th anniversary in Biel/Bienne in 2022. Explore the festival’s history.
Location Details
The Museum der Kulturen Basel, located on Münsterplatz 20 in Basel, will host ACT Basel 2026. It is one of Europe’s most important anthropological museums. Visit the Museum der Kulturen Basel website.
Upcoming ACT Events
Following ACT Basel, the festival will continue with events in Lucerne (April 11, 2026), Berne (April 18, 2026), Zurich (April 25, 2026), Geneva (May 2, 2026), and Valais (May 17, 2026). View the full schedule.