“Nothing about us without us”. Summary of the Culture. Migrations. Institutional Strategies meeting

The Culture. Migrations. Institutional Strategies open mic meeting was attended by artists and curators with migration experience currently living in Poland. Agata Adamiecka-Sitek and Paweł Łysak, who chaired the meeting, pointed out that although the ‘#Warsaw2030 Strategy’ mentions diversity, today, given the existing situation, the document should be expanded with an annex developed together with the new residents of Warsaw, so that it realistically responds to their needs. This is all the more important as there is still no integration policy at state level in Poland. Łysak pointed to the need to develop a comprehensive support programme for municipal institutions, which would make it possible to include more groups of new residents in the activities of the many institutions operating in Warsaw, to fund residencies for artists and to employ migrants.

A presentation by Pietro Florida, director and founder of Cantieri Meticci, served as an inspiration for a discussion on a broad and long-term support programme that could be implemented in Warsaw. Florida spoke about the projects carried out in Bologna and gave an insight into the Italian city’s urban policy. “Our local governments and local institutions have begun to realise that the city is increasingly becoming an assemblage, a collection of distant elements that can be given meaning by creating new relationships”, said Florida. The director stressed that Bologna’s local government has understood that managing from behind a desk, following old patterns and rigid bureaucratic tools, is not compatible with ever-changing cities and societies. Participatory processes are the answer to thinking about new cities.

Migrants attending the meeting spoke about their needs in terms of participation in the cultural sector. They expressed concerns about their experience of participating in culture, both as audiences and as workers. Many raised the issue of accessibility, which needs to be addressed on several levels. It is important both to translate texts into languages other than just English, and to create a sense that migrants are welcome here. This can be promoted through diaspora-related themes of events, as well as communication aimed at migrants. Accessibility departments for people with migration and refugee experience could be established in cultural institutions. NGOs, which have already developed a number of good practices in the field of integration, can provide support. On the other hand, the experience of migrants working in culture and creating art is characterised by a lack of financial stability. In this context, it is important to regulate the working conditions, at least through commission contracts, but preferably through permanent employment contracts. At the same time, the temporary nature of the stay of migrant women and migrants, especially those who arrived in Poland after 24 February 2022, should be taken into account. The activities they carry out here should take into account the transience and the possibility of transferring projects to Ukraine if the migrants decide to return.

Participants: Pietro Florida, Taras Gembik, Maria Beburia, Svita Oleshko, Olia Kalakoltsava, Olga Mzhelskaya, Krystyna Velchko

Moderators: Agata Adamiecka-Sitek, Paweł Łysak