TALKS

During Zurich Art Weekend, the Talks Program unfolds as a dynamic public platform for exchange, bringing together artists, curators, scientists, writers, and cultural leaders. Across venues and formats, the program fosters conversations at the intersection of contemporary art, society, and critical thought, addressing key questions shaping the present.

Conceived as a free and public-facing forum, the Talks Program encourages dialogue, experimentation, and accessibility while maintaining intellectual rigor. Talks take place across the city and are open to all, with advance registration recommended.

Located within Löwenbräukunst, schwarzescafé at Luma Westbau serves as the central hub for the Talks Program. A long-standing partner of Zurich Art Weekend, Luma Westbau provides a framework where curated and partner-led talks unfold in close succession, creating a continuous rhythm of exchange. 

From museums to galleries, selected ZAW members, partner institutions and collaborators present their talks at schwarzescafé. These conversations unfold through diverse formats – artist talks, book launches, curators’ forums or panel discussions.

Within the Talks Program at schwarzescafé, the special Arts x Sciences Talks are curated and produced by Zurich Art Weekend, as a core pillar of the program. Initiated in 2018, this series brings together internationally acclaimed artists and leading researchers for interdisciplinary conversations.

Pairing artistic and scientific practices, these talks explore fields such as climate, ecology, artificial intelligence, biology, neuroscience, and more. Rather than illustrating one discipline through another, the format emphasizes dialogue, shared inquiry, and the coexistence of different forms of knowledge.

The 2026 program of Arts x Sciences Talks will be announced in end of April 2026.

Beyond schwarzescafé, numerous talks are organized independently by participating institutions, galleries, and off-spaces across Zurich, and integrated into the Zurich Art Weekend program.

These events reflect the breadth of the city’s art ecosystem, engaging with topics ranging from exhibition-making and institutional histories to performance, publishing, and social questions. Together, they extend the Talks Program into a city-wide network of conversations.