When Art on Ice glides across the ice for the 30th time in February and March 2026, the music will be of a particularly high caliber: James Bay and Jess Glynne, two of the most successful British artists of their generation, will take to the stage. Bay, known for hits such as Hold Back The River and Let It Go, has achieved over a billion streams and has won BRIT and ECHO awards. His blend of emotional intensity and musical precision perfectly matches the magical setting of the show.
Jess Glynne, on the other hand, is a record holder: she has had seven number 1 hits in the British charts - more than any other female solo artist. Songs such as "I'll Be There", "Hold My Hand" and "Don't Be So Hard on Yourself" made her famous worldwide. Producer Oliver Höner is delighted: "For the 30th anniversary, we wanted voices that combine character and a global career. James Bay and Jess Glynne bring both - and more."
m&k employee Christoph Soltmannowski had a lengthy podcast interview with James Bay almost a year ago:
The anniversary will also be a summit meeting of the world's elite in sporting terms: World and European champions such as Ilia Malinin ("Quad-God"), Madison Chock & Evan Bates, Deanna Stellato-Dudek & Maxime Deschamps and Minerva Fabienne Hase & Nikita Volodin will shine on the ice. From a Swiss perspective, European champion Lukas Britschgi and Kimmy Repond will represent the host country.
In addition to Zurich (February 26 - March 1 in the Hallenstadion), Art on Ice 2026 will also be held in Fribourg (March 3 - 4) and Davos (March 6 - 7). Tickets and VIP packages are available now at www.artonice.com or www.ticketcorner.ch.
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This reduces the amount of waste to be incinerated by around 75 percent. The used materials are collected after the events and taken to a nearby recycling center. Composting plant in Eglisau where microorganisms decompose them into nutrient-rich soil within a few months.
"We don't just want to avoid waste, we want to create a real cycle," says Philipp MusshafenCEO of the Hallenstadion. "Our crockery becomes earth again - that is visible sustainability."
An analysis of the carbon-connect AG shows that Bioloop cups made from PLA - a material based on corn and sugar cane - are only 46.3 grams CO₂ per unit. For comparison: PET cups are 89.1 gram, reusable cups at 53.4 grams. This means that the project also achieves a top value in terms of its greenhouse gas balance.
Although the changeover entails higher costs, the Hallenstadion sees it as an investment in sustainability and credibility. Quality and comfort for guests remain unchanged, while ecological added value is created in the background.
Every year, after composting, the Hallenstadion receives around 500 bags of soil back - a symbol of the closed cycle that the arena wants to make visible in the future.
With this project, the Hallenstadion is underlining its claim to integrate sustainability not just as a buzzword, but as a lived practice in event operations.
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The Hallenstadion Zurich hosts concerts, shows and spectacles. "We are pleased to continue working with APG|SGA and to create new synergies for unique advertising presences," says Philipp Musshafen, CEO of Hallenstadion Zurich.
In the coming months, the multifunctional event areas will be completely digitized in stages. The plan is to provide advertisers with over 100 event e-boards from summer 2023. The locations are to be strategically distributed at various levels and in future will accompany the target groups with an affinity for consumption with moving images throughout their visit to the event.
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At the "New Stage" event, the Hallenstadion showed how it has made itself fit and will set off into a new era with great drive after the departure of the ZSC Lions. For this the Location Customers, stakeholders and partners were invited to show them the innovations during an interactive tour.
Ice hockey played a very important role for the Hallenstadion for 72 years, which is now coming to an end. However, the departure of the ZSC Lions opens up new possibilities: For example, the infrastructure and food offerings are now designed not only for visitors with an affinity for sports, but also for the diverse concert audience. For example, the foyer has been given a facelift and a cozy atmosphere has been created with 360 LED lights and high-quality furniture.
New VIP offer
A VIP offer is also new: the "Studios". A private room directly below the boxes with a unique view of the stage can be booked as an upgrade for twelve people. The backstage area has also been upgraded.
Probably the biggest renovation is the reconstruction of the hall floor. The permanent ice field will be replaced by a concrete surface as a concert layout. For large ice shows, a temporary ice field will be used in the future. The centerpiece of the arena is the new "Brilliant Stage", a rolling stage that can be rolled to the desired location when equipped. This allows several works to take place in the arena at the same time.
Sustainability also plays a role: Since September, the Hallenstadion has been heated with a district heating connection of 1100 kilowatts. Of the two oil-fired boilers, one remains with 900 kilowatts, but this will only be used in the event of a power deficit on cold winter days. The district heating is generated in a central plant, in the case of the Hallenstadion in the Hagenholz waste incineration plant, and distributed in the form of hot water.
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Anna Schindler succeeds Urs Schmidig, who served 12 years as delegate in the company. The Board of Directors of the Hallenstadion says goodbye to Urs Schmidig after 12 years. He is Director of the Sports Office and has competently supported the company with his great political know-how and his valuable network.
Anna Schindler was elected by the City Council as the new member of the Board of Directors and delegate of the City of Zurich. She thus occupies the second municipal seat alongside City Councilor André Odermatt, who has already been a member of the Board of Directors of AG Hallenstadion since 2018. The designation of municipal representatives in public institutions is the responsibility of the City Council. According to the ordinance, the term of office of the representatives appointed by the City Council is four years and begins on 01 September following the respective renewal election of the City Council. The city representatives were reappointed as of September 1 for the term from 2022 to 2026.
Anna Schindler has been Director of Urban Development Zurich since November 2011 and studied geography at the University of Bern, specializing in urban development issues. In addition to working as a cultural and architectural journalist, she has held various management and leadership positions at two universities of applied sciences and the University of Zurich, and was a lecturer at the Institute for Applied Media Studies and the Center for Cultural Management at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences ZHAW from 2005 to 2012. Today, Anna Schindler is also on the Board of Directors of the Greater Zurich Area, on the Tourism Council of Switzerland Tourism and on the Board of Zürich Tourism.
Anna Schindler lives in Zurich with her husband and three sons. She is not affiliated with any political party.
Built in 1939 and remodeled and expanded in 2005, the Hallenstadion is Switzerland's largest multifunctional indoor venue with a total area of 14,300 square meters and space for up to 15,000 people. As a result of the conversion, the Hallenstadion has evolved from a cycling track into a state-of-the-art, digital multimedia venue for top-quality events. Far beyond the country's borders, the Hallenstadion is known as a venue for various major events with world stars from pop, rock, entertainment and culture, as well as for high-class sporting events and individually designed corporate events.
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In order to remain fit for the future and to question processes as well as existing partners, AG Hallenstadion has, among other things, re-tendered the strategic partnership in the area of venue service. Habegger, which has been responsible for the event technology at the event location in Zurich Oerlikon for over 15 years, was able to convince with a well thought-out offer package and its know-how in the pitch.
The international service provider will thus remain a strategic partner of the Hallenstadion for another five years and will continue to provide the complete venue service. In addition to lighting, audio and video technology, this also includes rigging and project management.
Foyer receives facelift
There are not only innovations backstage: As part of a facelift of the Hallenstadion, Habegger is currently realizing the redesign of the foyer, which was put out to tender in a separate pitch. Habegger won this with a multifunctional event space concept. In the future, guests will be able to hold smaller events or aperitifs in an elegant ambience. Completion is scheduled for the end of August.
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"The world in which we find ourselves today is no longer the same as when we last met at a General Meeting of the Hallenstadion - in May 2019". With these words, Balz Hösly opened his presidential address in the entrance hall of the Hallenstadion.
The events of the last two years would have taken their toll on the Hallenstadion and left their mark. Despite this, the team was able to keep infrastructure operating costs to a minimum. Short-time work, constantly changing imposed protective measures and 67 concert postponements would have tested the flexibility of the staff, management and the Board of Directors of AG Hallenstadion.
Resignation and new election
Due to reaching the age limit, Klaus-Peter Schulenberg, CEO of CTS Eventim & Co.KGaA, was dismissed from the Board of Directors. Annabella Bassler was proposed and unanimously elected as a new member of the Board of Directors.
Bassler has been Ringier CFO since June 2012 and is a member of various boards of directors. In November 2019, she initiated and launched the Ringier EqualVoice initiative, which aims to make women more visible in media coverage and give them an equal voice. With m&k Bassler chatted about topics such as leadership in times of crisis, interpersonal relationships, diversity (click here for the interview).
Panel discussion on "Partnerships
The General Meeting was rounded off with a panel discussion on the topic of "Partnerships", which have had a strong impact on the last two years of the Hallenstadion. The moderator Nik Hartmann talked to the CEO of Sunrise UPC, André Krause, about this. of the new "Premium Partner" of the Hallenstadion - the new director of Zürich Tourism, Thomas Wüthrich, as well as with Board President Balz Hösly and Hallenstadion CEO Philipp Musshafen. In the discussion, a joint look was taken at the past. At the same time, however, the advantages of working together as partners in the upcoming joint future were emphasized above all.
]]>With Sunrise Starzone a new music platform has been launched. By networking major players in the music industry, a national music portfolio with top festivals, large music arenas with over 150 live concerts per year is created.
The three national partners of Starzone thus gain access to a unique benefit program for their customers. They benefit from exclusive ticket and VIP offers for concerts and festivals throughout Switzerland. The offer is complemented by a digital music platform with attractive content.
"The appetite for live music continues unabated, and Sunrise Starzone offers Swiss concert fans a comprehensive range of national and international artists," says a delighted Andreas Angehrn, CEO of Ticketcorner, adding, "With Starzone, we are turning the spotlight on Swiss concert stages after two years of uncertainty and supporting music creators with an innovative and attractive music program as they relaunch after the Corona crisis."
André Krause, CEO Sunrise UPC, says: "With Sunrise Starzone, we thank our customers with unique and unforgettable moments. They get even closer to their stars and benefit from many exclusive advantages."
Lounges, priority sales and perks
The customers of the four partners are to receive many advantages in the Sunrise Starzone: Among other things, large ticket allotments, priority sales - i.e. early access to concert tickets and discounts through to last-minute tickets for around 150 concerts and major festivals each year. On site, Sunrise and Raiffeisen customers have access to specially designed "Sunrise Starzone Lounges" in the largest Swiss music halls, which can be reached via "Fastlane Access", as well as "Signature Drinks", DJs, bar service and more.
On the promoter side, the promoters AllBlues, Act Entertainment, Opus One, Live Nation, Good News as well as the Gadget Abc Entertainment Group, which was also brought on board as a competent strategic partner, bring the big artist names to the Sunrise Starzone. On the festival side, Open Air St.Gallen, Greenfield Festival, Heitere Open Air, Summerdays Festival, Seaside Festival, Zurich Open Air and Zoa City, Stars in Town and Venoge Festival are all on board. Sunrise Starzone lounges will go into operation at the Hallenstadion, Zurich's Volkshaus, Basel's St. Jakobshalle and the Arena de Genève. Other partners and locations are to follow.
Music platform starzone.ch: Stars write themselves
Sunrise Starzone will remain present for music fans outside the events: At Starzone.ch a competent editorial team prepares music news, interviews, reports, previews and exciting playlists. And at Sunrise Starzone, the stars themselves also take up the pen. For the launch, Baschi, Naomi Lareine and Dabu will publish their inside view of music as authors. Other musicians and insiders are to follow.
"It is very important to us to strengthen music journalism in Switzerland," emphasizes Andreas Angehrn. "In recent years, this has been massively reduced in many editorial departments - especially when it comes to the socially and emotionally important topic of music.
The event venue's partnership with Sunrise UPC is designed to bring event experiences to a new level, according to a joint statement. "We are spoiling guests at the Hallenstadion with new productions and digital offerings. In this way, we surprise our Hallenstadion fans in addition to the concert experience. With Sunrise UPC, we have found the perfect partner and our visitors can look forward to many innovations in the future," Philipp Musshafen, director of AG Hallenstadion, is quoted as saying.
First premium partnership
As Switzerland's largest indoor event location with a capacity of up to 15,500 visitors, the Hallenstadion is a venue for international events of all kinds. Over the past two years, the venue had used the "silence" imposed due to Corona to develop new concepts and prepare the way for new partnerships. With the first Premium Partner, a completely new form of cooperation is to open up for the Hallenstadion. The focus will be on emotions and an innovative overall experience for visitors - before, during and after the event.
"By working with the Hallenstadion Zurich, we are taking another important step towards becoming the number 1 in the Swiss entertainment market. Thanks to our many commitments in the sports and entertainment sector, we will offer our customers even more exciting and exclusive events - live and via digital channels," says André Krause, CEO of Sunrise UPC.
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