Activities in the framework of the Polish presidency of the council of the European Union

The Polish Presidency constituted also the opportunity to establish the closer cooperation with artists from the Eastern Partnership States in the context of implementation of the National and Foreign Cultural Programme of the Polish Presidency (NInA and IAM). In the Arsenal Gallery in Białystok the exhibition, presenting the modern art from the Eastern Partnership States, “Journey to the East” was launched. The project was attended by nearly 50 artists from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine and Poland. The exhibition was visited by over 300 thousand of people. On the other hand, the programme performed in Lublin included joint projects of artists, animators and non-governmental institutions representing local institutions, as well as partners from Lviv, Vilnius, Minsk, Kiev and Tbilisi. The cooperation to a large extent relied on the exchange of artists and its main theme was related to considerations on borders of Europe. The “Mindware. Technology Dialogue” Programme consisted of three parts: residential, public presentations of artistic works and theoretical part including lectures, seminars, meetings and discussions attended by artists and professionals, dedicated to the artistic reflection on the social communication in the public space.

In Lublin (21 – 23. 10.2011) was also held the Eastern Partnership Culture Congress attended by over 300 participants: artists, culture managers and animators, representative of ministries, local authorities, non-governmental authorities and academic societies, as well as media from Eastern Partnership States, the European Union and from Russia and other European states (including 17 countries). One of suggestions of the Congress was to create the “Eastern Partnership Cultural Cooperation Network” (temporary name), which shall be an organisation open for all people of culture working both in Eastern Partnership States and outside them. Ultimately it shall become one of tools supporting the implementation of recommendations developed during the Congress.

During the Presidency, due to the initiative of the Adam Mickiewicz Institute, also the I, CULTURE Orchestra was established. It is the first enterprise of this type within the Eastern Partnership. The Orchestra consists of 110 young musicians from Poland, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. The attendance in the project allowed young people from the Eastern Partnership States for acknowledging the specific character of the multicultural orchestra, operations of crucial European cultural institutions, as well as developing their skills.

Another Polish venture was the set up by the Adam Mickiewicz Institute, the Eastern European Performing Arts Platform established in Lublin. The Network is the international exchange platform for artists and curators from the Central and West Europe. One of first achievements of the Network is the report on the status of performing arts in states of the Central and Eastern Europe.