About HEK
House of Electronic Arts
HEK (House of Electronic Arts) in Basel is dedicated to digital culture and the new art forms of the Information Age. Since 2011, the institution has been central to the creative and critical discourse on the aesthetic, socio-political and economic effects of media technologies. As a platform for contemporary art that explores and employs new technologies, HEK promotes aesthetic practices related to information technologies. This not only enables a better comprehension of the changing world we live in, but also serves to actively engage with these processes and confront pressing questions of 21st century culture, while actively contributing to their mediation.
As an interdisciplinary museum, HEK is a turntable for current artistic events in the visual arts, music, theatre, dance, performance and design, offering the public insights into art production at the interface of art, media and technologies. The institution’s diverse programme of exhibitions, performances, concerts, smaller festival formats, educational and online activities address current social issues and questions.
Besides this abundance of events and exhibitions, HEK is concerned with the methodology of collecting digital art Tand is distinguished by its unique collection, which focuses on “born-digital” art, i.e. art created and located in the digital medium, often lacking any physical manifestation. The focus is on software and net-based works that rarely find their way into public collections, as their preservation requires innovative strategies and a network of experts – from conservators to programmers.
With these tasks the museum takes on a unique position and pioneering role in Switzerland. HEK initiates and values close collaboration with artists, researchers and institutions from Switzerland and abroad in its efforts to map, document and promote current trends in media art. In recent years, HEK has established itself as a centre of competence for media art in Switzerland through its agency in global discourse.
Mission statement
The HEK is the Swiss centre of excellence for the exploration of art, technology and media. In an explicitly interdisciplinary crossover approach, the HEK places emphasis on reacting dynamically and flexibly to current affairs and making themes accessible to both an expert audience and the general public. With its varied programme and numerous international and national project partners, the house presents itself as a lively hub for the examination of electronic art and digital culture.
Digital Strategy
HEK (House of Electronic Arts) is a centre for contemporary art that works with electronic media and reflects critically on their use. Digital technologies are not an add-on to our work. They are integral to how we program, collect, communicate, educate and organise ourselves. We do not treat digital technologies as neutral tools, but as culturally shaped systems that influence access, responsibility, sustainability and participation. HEK’s digital strategy brings these perspectives together and shapes how we work digitally as an institution.
A central focus of this strategy is the visibility and accessibility of our public programmes in media art and digital culture. This includes exhibitions, the collection, education and outreach activities, and participatory projects such as Friends of HEK. Our curatorial practice is defined by a long-term engagement with digital artistic practices and by close attention to current technological developments. Art functions as a starting point for exploring broader social questions at the intersection of technology, culture and the future. Alongside physical exhibitions, we realise hybrid and online projects and present online exhibitions via virtual.hek.ch, our dedicated online exhibition space. Our education and outreach programmes address diverse audiences and focus on how tools and systems can be explored hands-on, questioned critically and shaped creatively. Topics range from augmented reality and games to creativity with digital tools, blockchain, artificial intelligence and quantum technologies.
A key and distinctive part of HEK’s work within the Swiss cultural landscape is its media art collection, which focuses on born-digital works by Swiss artists. Preserving these works over time requires new conservation approaches, technical expertise and interdisciplinary collaboration. HEK is actively developing knowledge and practice in this field. Information about the collection is available on our website, and the digital infrastructure for hosting, emulation and archiving is continuously developed to support the long-term preservation and presentation of digital art.
Our communication strategy is digital and mobile-first. The website serves as the central source of information and as an archive, while social media channels and newsletters form the core of our public communication. Print materials are used selectively and with care for resources. AI-based image or video generation is used only in digital communication, such as on social media or the website, and only when no suitable visual material is available and when creating an alternative would not be feasible within a project’s time or budget. In text-based work, AI is used in a supportive role for tasks such as proofreading, structural suggestions, transcriptions and initial translation drafts. All content is written, reviewed and ultimately taken responsibility for by people.
HEK’s digital infrastructure supports website management and hosting, file storage, collaborative work, archiving, visitor management and internal knowledge sharing. It is hosted locally where possible, maintained in-house and developed collaboratively across technical, educational, communication, administrative and leadership teams. Wherever feasible, HEK prioritises open-source technologies, community-oriented tools and locally rooted infrastructures. Commercial tools are used where necessary for day-to-day operations, with a clear awareness of their limitations.
HEK’s digital strategy applies to the period from 2025 to 2027 and is reviewed and developed on an ongoing basis. Its aim is to connect technological developments, curatorial practice, education and outreach, and institutional processes in a way that supports HEK’s work and contributes to a broader network of cultural institutions, research and the public.
History
Comptant parmi les établissements pionniers du quartier du Dreispitz, la HEK a ouvert ses portes en 2011, au numéro 10 de l’Oslostrasse, d’abord dans des locaux temporaires. Ce quartier, ancien port franc et lieu de déchargement de marchandises, se trouve alors en pleine en transformation, développant un nouveau visage animé et urbain.
Stiftung
The House of Electronic Arts Foundation launched its activities on 1 January 2011 with the aim of enabling the establishment of the eponymous institution and therefore create a venue for the mediation, promotion and documentation of electronic arts on regional, national and international levels.
Foundation Board
The foundation presidency is currently held by Annette Schönholzer, independent consultant and owner of connect the dots GmbH. Further members of the Foundation Board are Claudio Beccarelli, Head of the Department of Culture of the Christoph Merian Foundation; Nikki Böhler, multiple-time founder at the intersection of digitalization and society, and co-founder of Intersections, Zurich; Eva Pauline Bossow, Independent Consultant for Business and Strategy Development, Entrepreneurship and Knowledge Transfer; Regula Steinemann, lawyer at Furer&Partner, Basel; Robert Sumner, Associate Director of Disney Research Zurich and Adjunct Professor at ETH Zurich; Bernard Vischer, lawyer and partner at Schellenberg Wittmer, Geneva; Thomas Wenk-Werthemann, tax expert and partner at Hoffmann & Partner AG in Basel.
Advisory Board
The newly appointed advisory board is composed of persons from the arts and culture sector, as well as from the technology, media, research/science and economic sectors. The board will advise museum management on fundamental professional and practice-oriented questions, planning and content-related orientation, and will support the profile and objectives of the museum.
The members of the HEK Advisory Board are: Dr. Giulia Bini, Curator and cultural scholar, Head of Arts at CERN; Laetitia Bochud, Expert in immersive technologies, Director of Virtual Switzerland, co-founder of the European XR funding program IMPULSE and Chair of XR4Europe; Bruno Bolfo, Collector and co-founder of ICA Milano; Haro Cumbusyan, Entrepreneur and collector, founding director of collectorspace; Ariane Koek, Independent Strategic Consultant, Creative Producer, Curator and author; Dr. Marcos Garcia Pedraza, Entrepreneur in technology-driven innovation and former member of the net.art group etoy; Dr. Nina Roehrs, Expert in digital art, founder of Roehrs & Boetsch and curatorial head of the digital art collection at Arab Bank Switzerland; Christopher Salter, Professor for Immersive Arts and Director of the Immersive Arts Space at the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK); Christian Simm, Founder, kamzang – engineering serendipity; Valentin Spiess, Founder and Chairman, iart ag; Dr. Joachim von Heimburg, Innovation Architect.
The honorary advisory board is elected by the Foundation Board of the HEK to serve for a period of four years and meets at least once a year.
Annual report
Team
The museum management comprises Sabine Himmelsbach as Director, Michèle Thüring as Head of Organisation and Finance, and Marlene Wenger as Head of Programme. The HEK team are happy to answer any questions you may have.
