About us

The SAPA Foundation preserves and shares Switzerland’s rich cultural output in the field of the performing arts. As an archive and centre of expertise, we conserve and maintain archival holdings of individuals and institutions of national significance. We provide access to reliable sources of information and offer expertise and support on matters relating to the preservation of cultural heritage.


Non-discriminatory documentation
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The SAPA Foundation does not tolerate racism or discrimination of any kind. It pursues an ethically sensitive and critical archival practice. Holdings and documents that contain problematic terms, images, videos, and archival material due to their historical origins are labelled accordingly.
We strive to continuously update the handling and description of our collections as well as the associated terminology, taking into account the latest research. As a memory institution, we document historical change. Our holdings reflect the language, aesthetics, and conventions of the respective period in which they were created. We therefore face a particular challenge in bearing historical witness, taking contexts into account, and maintaining a critical and contemporary approach.
Our collections comprise 500,000 documents. Let us know if we have overlooked something!
We welcome your feedback to help us identify and mark discriminatory representations, stereotypes, and prejudices in our collections that are ethically unacceptable.


^{Large image: Beatriz Consuelo and Claude Gafner. Photographer: © Claude Gafner, SAPA Foundation
Small image: Suburban Theater Basel, anniversary 1994, photographer: © Claude Giger, SAPA Foundation}