Fotomuseum Winterthur appoints Sophie Haslinger as new Director

The Board of Trustees of Fotomuseum Winterthur has appointed Sophie Haslinger as the new Director following an extensive selection process. She will assume her role on 1 August 2026. She succeeds Nadine Wietlisbach, who has led and significantly shaped the institution since 2018 and will assume the position of Head of Cultural Promotion at the Federation of Migros Cooperatives (FMC) in early summer 2026.

With this appointment, the Board of Trustees reaffirms its commitment to the future development of the institution. The Board is confident that it has appointed a leader who will guide Fotomuseum Winterthur with clarity and responsibility and play a key role in shaping its continued development.

‘With Sophie Haslinger, Fotomuseum Winterthur gains a director who combines curatorial practice with current social and ecological concerns, providing vital impetus for the institution’s future development.’
— Madeleine Schuppli, Chair of the Board of Trustees of Fotomuseum Winterthur

Sophie Haslinger

Sophie Haslinger (*1986) is a curator specialising in contemporary photography and ecological themes. Since 2015, she has been working at KunstHausWien, initially as Assistant Curator and Exhibition Manager, and since 2022 as Curator and Head of the Exhibitions Department, overseeing the museum’s exhibition programme.

She has also worked for the photography festival Foto Wien and has developed numerous independent exhibition projects. In addition, she regularly publishes in exhibition catalogues, publications and magazines on contemporary art.

Sophie Haslinger holds a Master’s degree in Art History and Communication Studies from the University of Vienna and was a Curatorial Research Fellow at the Museum of Contemporary Photography in Chicago in 2017.

Her most recent exhibition projects include:

• Seeds. Reclaiming Roots, Sowing Futures (2026)
• Julius von Bismarck. Normality Bias (2025)
• Mika Rottenberg. Antimatter Factory (2025)
• Into the Woods. Perspectives on Forest Ecosystems (2024)

‘Taking on the Directorship of Fotomuseum Winterthur is both a great pleasure and a great responsibility for me. The institution has played a key role in shaping the discourse around photography and visual culture for many years. Continuing this work together with the team is a key concern of mine. As a cultural institution with both local and international reach, Fotomuseum Winterthur provides a strong foundation upon which I look forward to building.’
— Sophie Haslinger, Director of Fotomuseum Winterthur

Future Direction

Under its new leadership, Fotomuseum Winterthur will further strengthen its role as a place for critical engagement with photography and visual cultures. Public engagement and accessibility will remain central priorities of the institution.

About the Museum

Photography has had an unparalleled impact as a medium on how we see ourselves and the world, influencing the way we think and act. In response to this, Fotomuseum Winterthur examines the cultural, social and political role of photography and the effect it has on us and on our day-to-day lives.

Since its inauguration in 1993, Fotomuseum Winterthur has devoted its energies to contemporary photography and visual culture. It stages between three and five exhibitions a year, examining photography from different angles and showing works by a mix of emerging and established international photographers and artists.

The exhibitions are accompanied by a diverse programme of events and workshops. The museum also delves into photography on its digital platforms, which host online events and a range of multimedia posts.

The collection comprises some 9,000 photographic objects from the 1960s to the present day.