{"id":6259,"date":"2013-09-06T09:22:08","date_gmt":"2013-09-06T08:22:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/michaelschindhelm.com\/about\/"},"modified":"2026-01-31T17:41:01","modified_gmt":"2026-01-31T16:41:01","slug":"about","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/michaelschindhelm.com\/en\/about\/","title":{"rendered":"
About<\/center>"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\tAbout<\/center>\">\"Michael<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\n

Michael Schindhelm (1960) is a German-born Swiss national based in Ticino (Switzerland) and Liguria (Italy). He is a writer, filmmaker, curator and a cultural advisor for international organizations (incl.\u00a0Dubai Culture & Arts Authority<\/strong><\/a>, UAE;\u00a0West Kowloon Cultural District<\/a>, Hong Kong<\/strong>;\u00a0Strelka Institute<\/a>, Moscow<\/strong>;\u00a0Skolkovo Innovation Center<\/a>, Moscow<\/strong>;\u00a0Zurich University of the Arts<\/strong><\/a>, Zurich;\u00a0European Capital of Culture Dresden 2025<\/strong><\/a>, Germany;\u00a0Tempelhof Projekt<\/strong><\/a>, Berlin, Germany;\u00a0Diriyah Gate Development Authority<\/a><\/strong>, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n

Under Schindhelm’s directorship, Theater Basel received the Bavarian Theatre Prize in 1999 and 2001 and was named Theatre of the Year in the German-speaking countries in 1999.<\/p>\n

In 2022, Schindhelm received the Herbert Quandt Media Prize and the 3rd Award of the German Film Award on Economy for his documentary film “Revolution in Medicine – the Biontech Project”.
\nIn 2023, Schindhelm received the Golden Pen from SVIK (Swiss Association of Communication) for “In the Mood for Art”<\/p>\n

Schindhelm has been a member of the International Board of the Leadership Programme S.T.A.R.S. since 2016:
\nhttps:\/\/www.the-stars.ch\/<\/a><\/p>\n

In\u00a02008<\/em> he was founding director of the\u00a0
\nDubai Culture & Arts Authority<\/a>, UAE.<\/strong>
\nPrior to this he was founding General Director for the\u00a0Berliner Opernstiftung<\/strong><\/a>, Germany (2005 \u2013 2007<\/em>)
\nand CEO and Artistic Director of the\u00a0Theater Basel<\/strong><\/a>, Switzerland (1996 \u2013 2006<\/em>).<\/p>\n

He has previously worked as a theatre & opera director, playwright (librettist), TV presenter (Der Salon, Swiss TV) and translator.<\/p>\n


\nPublications:<\/strong><\/p>\n

In English:<\/em> Dubai High<\/a> (Arabian Publishing, London 2011); Lavapolis<\/a> (Sternberg Press, Berlin 2014)<\/p>\n

In German:\u00a0<\/em>Roberts Reise<\/a> (dtv, Munich 2000), Zauber des Westens<\/a> (DVA, Munich 2001), Das Kamel auf der Startbahn<\/a> (Christoph Merian Verlag, Basel 2004), Die Herausforderung<\/a> (DVA, Munich 2006), Mein Abenteuer Schweiz<\/a> (Echtzeit Verlag, Zurich 2007), Dubai Speed<\/a>\u00a0(dtv, Munich 2009), Lavapolis<\/a> (Matthes & Seitz, Berlin 2014), Letzter Vorhang<\/a> (Theater der Zeit, 2017),\u00a0Walter Spies: Ein Exotisches Leben<\/a> (Hirmer Verlag, Munich 2018)<\/p>\n


\nDocumentary Films:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Chants of the Steppes <\/a>(2004, arte, Frankfurt, Zurich, Paris) about music of nomads in the desert Gobi (Mongolia).<\/p>\n

Bird\u2019s Nest <\/a>(2008, arte\/Swiss TV, Berne, Paris) on the making of Beijing\u2019s Olympic Games Stadium (designed by the Swiss architectural office Herzog & deMeuron).<\/p>\n

The Chinese Lives of Uli Sigg <\/a>(Theatrical Release in Europe in February 2016, in Asia in March 2016) about the Swiss entrepreneur, diplomat and art collector Uli Sigg.<\/p>\n

OUTLAND<\/a>(Theatrical release Nov, 28 2021 Lugano, Switzerland)<\/p>\n

Revolution in medicine. The Project Biontech<\/a>(Swiss TV SRF 24 Oct. 2021; Arte Germany and France 30 Oct, 2021)<\/p>\n

In the Mood for Art\u00a0<\/a>(Premiere in Basel, August 27, 2023)<\/p>\n

Roots\u00a0<\/a>(Docufiction, premiere in Basel, August 30, 2024)<\/p>\n


\nExhibitions (selection)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Lavapolis\/Friday in Venice\u00a0<\/a>(Transmedia project, Venice Biennale 2014)<\/p>\n

Zurich Oracle\u00a0<\/a>(Public space audio intervention in Zurich, 2018)<\/p>\n

Wie es war wird\u00a0<\/a>(Public space audio intervention, Kulturforum Berlin, August 2021)<\/p>\n

Project Lightspeed\u00a0\u00a0<\/a>(Permanent exhibition at Deutsches Technik Museum Berlin, since September 2022)<\/p>\n

The End of Aging\u00a0<\/a>(Multimedia exhibition at KBHG, Basel, May – July 2024)<\/p>\n

Roots\u00a0<\/a>(Multimedia exhibition at KBHG, Basel, August – November 2024)<\/p>\n

After The Deluge<\/a>(Multimedia exhibition at Franck Areal Basel, October\/November 2025)<\/p>\n


\nConsultancy, Research, Teaching, Advisory, Art:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Since 2019<\/em>
\nMember of the Heritage & Culture Committee, Diriyah Gate Development Authority<\/a><\/strong>, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia<\/p>\n

2010 – 2021<\/em>
\nHonorary collaboration\u00a0and member of board of trustees of the\u00a0German Food Initiative Welthungerhilfe<\/a><\/b>.<\/p>\n

2012 – 2019<\/em>
\nInternational\u00a0Advisor to the\u00a0Zurich University of the Arts<\/b><\/a>.<\/p>\n

2018 – 2019
\n<\/em>Curator\u00a0for Dresden’s application for the title of
\nEuropean Capital of Culture 2025<\/b><\/a>;<\/p>\n

Advisor for 2018 – 2020
\nTempelhof Projekt, Berlin<\/b><\/a>.<\/p>\n

2011\/2012<\/em>
\nConsultant on\u00a0culture and sport for the\u00a0Skolkovo Innovation Center<\/a>, Moscow<\/b>, on the development of culture and art within the concept of the Innovation City Skolkovo.<\/p>\n

2010 \u2013 2012<\/em>
\nHead of research\u00a0on Urban Culture in contemporary Moscow at\u00a0Strelka Institute<\/a>, Moscow, Russia<\/b>.<\/p>\n

2010\/2011<\/em>
\nCultural advisor\u00a0to the architectural firm OMA (Netherlands) in the development for a masterplan on the large-scale cultural project\u00a0West Kowloon Cultural District<\/a>, Hong Kong.<\/b><\/p>\n

2007 \u2013 2009<\/em>
\nDirector to\u00a0the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority<\/b><\/a>\u00a0(and helped preparing its establishment) (Dubai, UAE).<\/p>\n

2005 \u2013 2007<\/em>
\nDirector General\u00a0<\/b>of the newly founded “Stiftung Oper in Berlin<\/a>“, Germany<\/b>, world’s largest opera group, comprising three houses: Staatsoper Berlin, Deutsche Oper, Komische Oper.<\/p>\n

1996 \u2013 2006<\/em>
\nCEO & Artistic Director at the\u00a0Theatre Basel<\/b><\/a>, Co-President Orchestra Sinfonieorchester Basel,\u00a0Switzerland<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

1994 \u2013 1996<\/em>
\nDirector General and Artistic Director of the Theatre Altenburg Gera<\/a>, Germany.<\/strong><\/p>\n

1992 \u2013 1994<\/em>
\nArtistic and Managing Director of the Theatre Gera<\/a>,\u00a0Germany.<\/strong><\/p>\n

1990 \u2013 1992<\/em>
\nMichael Schindhelm became Director and Head of Drama of the Theatre Nordhausen<\/a>, Germany.<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Academic Studies:<\/b><\/p>\n

<\/b>In 1979<\/em> he studied at the\u00a0International University of Voronezh (USSR)<\/b>\u00a0and graduated 1984<\/em> with a Master of Science in Quantum Chemistry. From 1984 \u2013 1986<\/em> he was Research Assistant at the\u00a0Academy of Science in East Berlin<\/b>.<\/p>\n

Schindhelm was listed by the Stasi as an \u2018unofficial contributor\u2019 during a forced spell in the eighties. He was cleared by disciplinary councils in Switzerland (2001) and Germany (2004), which found that it had no bearing on his activities in public office and no one was harmed.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Michael Schindhelm (1960) is a German-born Swiss national based in Ticino (Switzerland) and Liguria (Italy). He is a writer, filmmaker, curator and a cultural advisor for international organizations (incl.\u00a0Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, UAE;\u00a0West Kowloon Cultural District, Hong Kong;\u00a0Strelka Institute, Moscow;\u00a0Skolkovo Innovation Center, Moscow;\u00a0Zurich University of the Arts, Zurich;\u00a0European Capital of Culture Dresden 2025, Germany;\u00a0Tempelhof […]<\/p>\n Read More...<\/a>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-6259","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/michaelschindhelm.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6259","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/michaelschindhelm.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/michaelschindhelm.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/michaelschindhelm.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/michaelschindhelm.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6259"}],"version-history":[{"count":33,"href":"https:\/\/michaelschindhelm.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6259\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10614,"href":"https:\/\/michaelschindhelm.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6259\/revisions\/10614"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/michaelschindhelm.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6259"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}