This year’s PRIX ASSITEJ Switzerland/Suisse/Svizzera/Svizra was awarded to the Theatre Am Stram Gram in Geneva. The professional association thus honours the artistic quality, the establishment and maintenance of international collaborations, and the continuous work in the field of youth participation carried out by this theatre under the current direction of Joan Mompart. The theatre is one of the most important institutions for children’s and youth theatre in Europe.
Since 2021, it has been directed by actor and director Joan Mompart. It has established itself as a beacon when it comes to providing young people with a place for artistic and aesthetic experiences, both in terms of reception and their own activities. Here, different generations come together to celebrate the diversity of the performing arts.
The company was founded in 1974 by Dominique Catton and Nathalie Nath and has been shaping professional theatre for young audiences in Switzerland ever since.
What makes the working conditions in Switzerland so unique is that in 1992, the theatre was given its own building in the city centre by the City of Geneva. It was designed by architects Peter Böcklin and Predrag Petrovic. Instead of building a theatre with a representative façade, they built 16 metres underground. A staged path leads the audience from the noisy street down into a three-storey open hall. It is illuminated from above by a generous glass roof. Two stages, spacious foyers, a library and various studio rooms invite young (and young-at-heart) audiences to visit.
Looking to the future
In her congratulatory speech, Claudia Seeberger, director of Zurich’s PurPur Theatre and winner of the PRIX ASSITEJ 2024, highlighted the role that such a place of imagination, creativity and encounter plays in shaping the identity of young people. ‘Children notice it immediately. It’s their home! … this unique, open space of possibility. This encounter with like-minded people, with art and culture, is formative. It empowers us to help shape the real environment. (…)’
Julie Paucker, artistic director of the Swiss Theatre Meeting, particularly emphasised the importance of the audience. The Theatre Am Stram Gram continually develops new forms of participation and involvement for young people. This changes the relationship between the generations, encourages them to play a creative role in social change and further develops the theatre into an open house for all generations. This special feature should not be reserved for theatre productions for young audiences.
Representatives of a future dance and theatre venue for children and young people in Bern combined their congratulations with a look to the future. They hope that the honour bestowed on Theatre Am Stram Gram will inspire politicians to promote similar venues for young audiences in the German-speaking Swiss performing arts landscape.
An evening of honours and encounters
The award ceremony took place as part of the jungspund Festival in St. Gallen on 28 February 2026 in the presence of all five nominated groups, the young audience, former winners of the PRIX ASSITEJ, numerous dance and theatre professionals and relatives of the nominees. The evening began with a tribute to the nominees from Zurich, Schaffhausen, Biel, Lucerne and Geneva. The board of ASSITEJ Switzerland/Suisse/Svizzera/Svizra based these nominations on a wide range of suggestions from the association’s members.
Background information
The Swiss section of the international professional association for children’s and youth theatre ASSITEJ awards the PRIX ASSITEJ Switzerland/Suisse/Svizzera/Svizra annually. This cultural prize is awarded to a deserving personality, group or institution for artistic or cultural achievements in the field of performing arts for young audiences.
The five nominated collectives represent the diverse performing arts scene for young audiences in all parts of Switzerland and all language regions, both in terms of content and aesthetics.
Some of them have been shaping the performing arts scene for young audiences in Switzerland for decades, while others have only been doing so for a few years. They have dedicated their artistic work to dance, performance, puppetry, contemporary circus, theatre or combinations of these genres. Some are institutionally anchored with their infrastructure, while others are constantly seeking new networks.
Théâtre Am Stram Gram, Genf
Das Figurentheater am Luzerner Theater (Co-Leitung: Sibylle Grüter und Jaqueline Surer)
uantuzten theaterkollektiv, Zürich
Tina Beyeler & Kumpane, Schaffhausen
