After 35 years of professional activity, first as a dancer, actor and choreographer, then as a director, producer, and a networker on an international level, he is now an artistic consultant, working mainly in the launch of new projects.

Philippe Olza works closely with renowned institutions and artists as well as people from different backgrounds and cultures all over the world.

Born in Geneva his family is originally from Poschiavo (Graubünden-Switzerland). He has studied at the Accademia Teatro Dimitri (University of Applied Sciences of Southern Switzerland, Academy for Physical Theatre) in Verscio and at Mudra (Training and Research Centre for the Performing Arts UNESCO) multidisciplinary school of Maurice Béjart in Brussels. Olza moved to Basel in 1996.

Since 1979 his experimental work on stage has shown a close affinity with the dramatic theatre tradition and the circus arts. Maurice Béjart engaged him to work with the Ballet of the 20th Century in Brussels and created for him "Five Preludes for Cello" at the City Center Theater in New York in 1985. As an interpreter on stage, he then pursued a wide variety of artistic interests, which involved him with a number of companies, theatres and festivals. From 1998 Olza began to realize the scope for bringing his own projects to the stage. "Madame Monsieur", first produced at the Swiss Institute in Rome, was then restaged for various European Cities of Culture in the Year 2000 and at the Cathedral of Basel in 2002. In 2003, "Two Men and a Cello" was the resulting performance in a collaboration with the cellist Matthias H. Ibach. "Contact" was created on an invitation from the Festival d'Avignon in 2004. This play was further developed into "VOILÀ !" at the Centre National de la Danse in Paris/Pantin and toured in Switzerland, Belgium, Germany and Japan. 2007-2008 saw the co-production of "GDEO" with the Seoul Ballet Theatre.

Philippe Olza is the initiator of "Tanzfaktor", an interregional and promotional project for young contemporary dancers/ choreographers in Switzerland (2007-2008). From 2009, "Tanzfaktor" is organized by Reso (Réseau Danse Suisse).

Since 2008, he is concentrating in the promotion of performing arts on an international level. For the Ballet Béjart Lausanne (2011-2013) he is in charge of public relations and partnership management (International tours). He is a member of the selection committee for the Swiss Contemporary Dance Days 2013. He works for the Opéra National du Rhin (Strasbourg, Mulhouse, Colmar) strengthening the relationship of the Alsacian ONR in the Basel region (2013-2014). For the Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève, he organizes tours in South Africa (2014 and 2015) and "HIGH FIVE Choreographic Encounters", a cooperative project with South African dancers and choreographers at Soweto Theatre and Wits Theatre - University of Johannesburg. He is the producer of "MOVES - Ballett Theater Basel & Seoul Ballet Theatre" realized in South Korea in 2015 and in Switzerland in 2016. As a consultant, he also works for Hiver de Danses Neuchâtel (Funding & communication) and for the agency Clementree in Dubai (Education projects).

The French "Ministre de la culture et de la communication" appointed him "Chevalier de l'ordre des Arts et des Lettres", in recognition of his contribution and engagement to the service of the French culture.

He is a member of the jury for the Swiss Dance Awards 2017, organized by the Federal office of culture (FOC).