Schpensa team

Tina Arpagaus

Hotel manager

Tina is the third generation to run the charming, family-owned chalet hotel Sonnenhalde and hosted the members of the «Kollektiv» during their stay in Arosa. A passionate hotelier, she was born and raised in Arosa and – as she has discovered during several stays abroad – cannot imagine a more beautiful place to live. She shares her fascination for the beauty of Arosa and her attachment to the local culture to her guests with dedication and charm. Tina joined the arvae team as local coordinator of our first «Kollektiv» in Arosa, mediating between the local citizens and stakeholders, «Kollektiv» members and our team.
www.sonnenhalde-arosa.ch

Violeta Burckhardt

Landscape architect

Violeta studied architecture in Mexico City and urban design in Berlin and Shanghai. She is currently working with Vogt Landscape Architects in Zurich, where she develops research and practice-oriented projects as part of the Case Studio. Apart from her experience in film and art production she has also curated several cultural events as a member of her office and co-designed exhibitions from Los Angeles to Venice. She recently released a book titled “Paradise Now. Die Neuen Grenzen des Gartens”, co-written with Günther Vogt, which investigates shifting ecosystems as a result of human activities and the thresholds that separate our notions of architecture and landscape.

Anne Laure Franchette

Artist and Researcher

Anne-Laure studied Fine Arts in Zurich and Art History in Paris. She currently works as research assistant at Luzern University within the department of Cultural Studies, with a focus on artistic research. Her work is concerned with questions of labour, representations and hierarchies of dignity (related to beings, objects and practices), as well as strategies of self-organization and maintenance within artistic practices. She is part of the interdisciplinary study group TETI (textures and experiences of trans-industriality) and initiated both the Zurich Art Space Guide, and VOLUMES.
www.annelaurefranchette.com

Sarah Garcin

Chef, Graphic Designer and Programmer

Sarah Garcin designs, develops, cooks, talks on the radio and draws. She is interested in collaborative writing practices, knowledge sharing, pedagogy, alternative publishing systems, open source software, wild gathering, multi-streaming, live and layering.
She designed and developed the Schpensa online platform.
https://sarahgarcin.com/

Tara Lasrado

Co-Director arvae

Tara is a producer and curator particularly interested in working on experimental, interdisciplinary, collective, and non-institutional collaborations for diverse publics. Her practice-based experiences permeate institutions, manifesting in public spaces, off-spaces and open fields. She has produced artistic projects intersecting with climate science, communications, social and political activism, and pedagogy. Tara has initiated numerous platforms for emerging artists to present their works to new audiences, mentored artists, organised public space interventions, curated festivals, summer schools, and performance programs, and hosted artist residencies. She works closely with artists and collectives on land-based, decolonial, and performative practices.

Alexandra Müller-Crepon

Co-Director arvae

Before joining forces with Tara to start arvae, Alex built platforms and bridges for artists and designers who work with new technology and science. With an academic background in international relations, cultural management and cultural policy in urban development, she has always been interested in where the arts meet other sectors, disciplines and logics. She has dedicated her career to holding space for free artistic practices within these other structures and fostering understanding for the value of other disciplines collaborating with the arts. She believes that we can most effectively make this world a better place by working together and that every fruitful collaboration starts and succeeds in honest human connection. This is what she strives to contribute to with arvae.

Bettina Tschuor

Former Journalist for the Arosa Zeitung and deputy manager of the Güterschuppen restaurant in Arosa, now based in Zurich

Raised in the eastern part of Switzerland, Bettina has been living in Arosa and working in gastronomy for the past four years. As a Deputy Manager at the Restaurant Güterschuppen she can follow her passion for food and enjoy the beautiful nature around the Schanfigg valley. A summer job in a mountain hut on 2300 m a.s.l. gave way to her wish to work in gastronomy after working at an international Grisons energy company, receiving her bachelor’s degree in business administration, and gaining work experience in the areas of human resources development, marketing, sponsoring, and events. In her spare time she loves cooking with local and seasonal ingredients from the market or her parents’ garden.

Schpensa contributors

Maria Alexandrescu, Artist and Curator, www.lars-mueller-publishers.com/mutation-und-morphose

Marcel, Restaurant Anders, www.instagram.com/laversamarcel

Paloma Ayala, Artist, www.palomaayala.com

Beat Caduff, Restaurant Alpenblick www.alpenblickarosa.ch

Taina Campos, Sustainable Product Designer, www.tainacampos.com

Denny, Restaurant Charlotte/Seehof, www.seehof-arosa.com/essen-trinken

Patrice De Werra, Agronom Agroscope, www.agroscope.admin.ch

Roman Ernst, Cultural Professional, Designer, Photographer, www.arvae.ch

Gabriel Gee, Art Historian and Writer, www.researchgate.net/profile/Gabriel-Gee, www.tetigroup.org

Lucile Haute, Artist and Educator, www.lucilehaute.fr

Thomas Krättli, Hotel Stoffel www.hotelstoffel.ch

Simone Krüsi, Kommunikation/Medien, ProSpecieRare, www.prospecierara.ch

Ruth Licht, Storyteller from Arosa, Link to Interview

Markus Lütscher, Alpine Farmer in Arosa, Link to Interview

Mariana Murcia, Artist, www.instagram.com/marianautomatic/

Dharmendra Prasad, Artist, www.instagram.com/unhorizoning

Ana Nunez Rodriguez, Artist, www.ananunezrodriguez.com

Martin Völker, Chef Güterschuppen, www.gueterschuppen-arosa.ch

Peer Schilperoord, Biologe Agroscope www.researchgate.net/profile/Peer-Schilperoord

Åsa Sonjasdotter, Artist, Researcher, Writer and Organizer, https://asasonjasdotter.info/ www.asasonjasdotter.info

Carsten Steinacker, Link to Interview

Evie Sprecher, Biogarten Schanfigg, www.biogarten-schanfigg.ch

Schpensa helpers

Berenice Serra, Media Artist and Researcher, www.berenice-serra.com

Beat Urech, Seifenmacher Arosa, www.seifenmacher.ch

Simeon Max Forester and Community Engagement Officer at restor, www.restor.eco/about/team

Nadine Keller Forest Ecologist at ETH Zurich, www.usys.ethz.ch/en/people/profile

Mark Anthony, fungal scientist in the Crowther Lab at ETH Zurich,
www.usys.ethz.ch/en/people/profile

Daniela Burki & Yindela Lannazzone, ETH students who helped with plant pot design
All of our Garden hosts in Arosa

Schpensa partners

Migros Pioneer Fund

The Migros Pioneer Fund looks for and supports ideas with social potential. It enables pioneering projects that break new ground and seek out forward-looking solutions. Its impact-oriented funding approach combines financial support with coaching services. The Migros Pioneer Fund is part of the Migros Group's social commitment and is enabled by the Migros Group with around CHF 15 million annually.
For further information: www.migros-pionierfonds.ch

Arosa Tourism

As a destination management organization, Arosa Tourism represents the destination and its tourist facilities, offers and events to the outside world, including marketing for the mountain village. Arosa Tourism does its utmost to maintain the destination as a small paradise in the Grisons mountains for both locals and guests.

Maran Garden

The Agroscope experimental station in Maran above Arosa includes trial fields for forage production and potatoes as well as a 1000 square metre alpine garden with around 500 vascular plants. The 4000 square metre facility can be freely visited during the growing season.

Natur Labor

Since summer 2020, there has been a nature laboratory in Arosa. In this discovery centre in the middle of the village, you can find out details about "Arosa 2030", Arosa's sustainability strategy and about the Arosa Bear Country and the planned Bear Academy.
In addition, a team member from Arosa Tourism Guest Information will be on hand to provide information about Arosa and the wide range of activities on offer in the region. The Nature Lab is a first attempt to establish the theme of regionality and local ties in combination with national partners in an innovative and promising way. All beginnings are fun and encourage effective projects.

Easter Potato

In one year, this website produces 580g de CO2, or the equivalent of 6 potatoes