Our European success

In the spring we joined the prestigious organization European Network of Cultural Centres. This network currently brings together more than 3,000 cultural centers from nearly 20 countries. These include centers in small towns in rural areas, as well as cultural centers in the Community’s largest metropolitan areas. According to statistics, ENCC networks more than 15,000 people working in the broader cultural sector.

• Thanks to our participation in the network, we get to know other perspectives, explains Katarzyna Pągowska, WOAK’s deputy director for substantive affairs. – We observe, exchange experiences and learn about models of operation of cultural institutions, but also about specific project solutions from other countries, she adds.

This year the ENCC network, as part of the Up Grants program, funded micro-grants for projects “promoting integration in and through culture.” We are very pleased that it was our proposal that was recognized by the voting community and the expert jury consisting of: Kirsi Mustalahti, Zita Holbourne, Diana Anselmo, Markku Turunen, Piotr Michalowski, Sara Turra, Cigdem Ozdemircelik and Sophie Dowden.

As part of the “Building inclusive narratives” microgrant section, we will implement the project “Invisible Painting. Art Discussion Series” (more information about the project itself at this link).

The ENCC Network’s annual conference “Tracing the Trails” took place last week in Riga. The motto of this year’s edition was “For Inclusive Culture in Unequal Times.” (For Inclusive Culture in Unequal Times). We were represented at the conference by Katarzyna Pągowska, who received an award for our project from the hands of Kirsi Mustalahti and led a workshop for those attending the Riga meeting.

As she admitted, it was a valuable experience, and the visit to Riga itself resulted in the establishment of many new contacts, thanks to which the importance of WOAK on the national and European cultural map is steadily growing.