Out of the sidelines

Editor Sandra Smolcic

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Women, football, culture - and new perspectives. Her Game Culture is bringing a cultural programme to the pitch for the Women's European Championship that takes a fresh and bold approach to gender issues.

So-called players' wives? We probably all know a few. But what about women who play football themselves?

When the name Lehmann is mentioned, even 14 years after his career ended, many people still think of the German goalkeeper rather than the Juventus striker. The associations with women's football rarely go beyond the image of bobbing ponytails and the vague idea that the gender pay gap does not stop at women playing football.

Why is that? That's what the creators behind the Her Game Culture initiative asked themselves. And above all: what can be done about it?

Eveline Schüep from the Kulturvermittlung association is one of the women who not only want to help women's football gain more visibility, but also the visibility of women in general - through cultural projects. "It's true that emancipatory issues are particularly virulent in culture and art as well as in sport - in football, for example. It becomes clear how many similarities there are between these areas."

More than 50 cultural institutions from the city and canton responded to the association's call to bring women's football out of the sidelines with creative workshops, flash mobs and city tours. "It was like popcorn. The idea was to put together a cultural programme as part of the Women's European Championship - and then it popped! It suddenly popped and became really big."

Vom Rasen auf den Laufsteg Modenschau Josefwiese 21.6.25 15:30

Einfach Zürich: Fabienne Hadorns KABOOM ROOM

Vom Rasen auf den Laufsteg Modenschau Josefwiese 21.6.25 15:3

Although media attention for the European Championships is still rather muted compared to other competitions, women's football is by no means leaving Zurich - and cultural institutions in particular - cold. Especially because it brings topics such as gender and feminism, equal rights and integration onto the pitch like almost no other sport - and far beyond. The aim of the cultural programme is clear: it should not just be a decorative nice-to-have to go with the action in the stadium, but a catalyst for dialogue between those interested in culture, sports fans and everyone in between.

Eveline Schüep knows only too well from her work as a mediator that women do not have the same presence as men in sports reporting or in art and culture: "It's like a rat's tail. What is not visible is not looked at, not considered important". Is this why the initiative chose a pair of eyes as the visual for the campaign? Quite possibly.
That's why: All eyes on women's football! - and on the joy of togetherness. Because one thing should not be forgotten despite all the seriousness, says Eveline Schüep: "Above all, it's about having fun!"

The cultural programme Her Game Culture runs until the beginning of August.

A few highlights:

13 June: Theatre HORA - Open Lab Women's Football

21. June: Football Fever Festival Kiosk Josefwiese

21 June: Museum of Design - How do I knit a fan scarf?

21 June: Textil KulTour & Kiosk Josefswiese & Fashion Revolution: From the lawn to the catwalk - the big upcycling fashion show

28. June: Frauenstadtrundgang Zürich: Nicht mehr im Abseits?!

5 July: Simply Zurich - Kaboom Room

6. July: Garage Wetzikon - Youth film "Einfach Sieger sein"

12. July: Zirkusquartier Zurich - Workshop foot juggling

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