Street Art Tour

Since the early 1980s, Biel has been considered the birthplace of Swiss hip-hop culture. This is where the first pioneers experimented with graffiti, breakdance, rap and beatboxing – inspired by New York yet shaped by the town’s bilingual everyday life, blending German- and French-speaking hip-hop styles.

The watch industry crisis left behind unused factory buildings, which soon became ideal playgrounds for creative minds: spaces for graffiti, skateparks, illegal bars and band rehearsal rooms. In 1985, the group "Jetzt Kunst" made a nationwide statement by opening 14 facades to young artists, turning Biel into an open urban-art laboratory.

Throughout the tour, explorer·s encounter large-scale murals and hidden artworks that showcase the scene’s diversity. Highlights include early graffiti by Sèyo and Tarkin, as well as wall paintings by Jörg Müller and Hans-Jörg Moning. The perspective then widens beyond Biel, tracing the roots of New York hip-hop and Berlin urban art – influences still visible in the cityscape today. An old-school soundtrack accompanies the walk, completing the immersive atmosphere.