“We are not an institution that knows all the answers. Instead, we are the ones who keep asking the questions”. This is a conversation held on the occasion of Warsaw Observatory of Culture’s (WOK) third anniversary

Raman Abramchuk: What kind of year was it for you? Difficult? Inspiring? Groundbreaking? Or perhaps all of the above?

Małgorzata Bakalarz-Duverger: It was a very intensive year, on one hand programme-wise and on the other, it was challenging in terms of establishing the identity of WOK. We initiated a long-term and multifaceted study of the cultural participation of Varsovians, and this project will continue in various forms over the next few years. We hope that it will blend well into the culture of Warsaw-based cultural institutions, but also enable us to develop a systemic solution that supports the cultural sector.

Unexpectedly, it was also a year in which we fulfilled our programme dreams. When we wrote down our ‘dreams’ during a programme-oriented workshop last summer, we did not expect to achieve them all within a year. We are developing our activities in collaboration with diaspora organisations focused on culture and art. We have also initiated research into the participation of children with migratory experiences in cultural activities in Warsaw. Another dream come true is the ‘Art(work) Studios’ project, which aims to examine creative work models and the needs associated with it, and to jointly develop possible forms of supporting artistic work in urban areas. We are very excited and intrigued by this project because it broadens the scope of our cooperation with the creative community. This includes the next edition of our research and artistic residencies, the study of the situation of parents working in the arts and the provision of knowledge and evaluation of the process of establishing a dance institution in Warsaw.

Another notable outcome of the year is the establishment of WOK’s research and artistic identity as an institution. I must admit that when I joined the WOK team, I was uncomfortable with this term; I did not believe that it was possible to combine these two areas. Meanwhile, we have clearly developed a style of work that combines methodologies from various fields in the study of Warsaw culture while engaging in dialogue with artistic, academic and cultural professionals. In the course of updating our mission and vision, we unanimously recognised the consistency of our activities and interests. I am glad that we have infused the merged ‘research-artistic’ adjective with our own meaning. This is also reflected in the WOK programme, which I conceptualised in collaboration with the team: our concept of thinking and acting ‘anew’ broadens the understanding of the research and artistic nature of our institution.

R.A.: In which areas of WOK’s activities has it achieved the most? What results has this brought?

Łucja Krzyżanowska: This is a complex research question because, of course, everything depends on how we define the variables (laughs). However, many of our activities and research projects are long-term rather than one-off, and differ in scale in terms of both research and impact. Regarding our most significant long-term achievements, our collaboration with cultural education practitioners has undoubtedly been a highly productive and inspiring research process. The networking meetings that we organise are gradually becoming spaces for dialogue between artistic and educational ecosystems. The topics we propose at these meetings draw on our research and, at the same time, broaden the analysis of issues facing the community. Finally, we inspire each other by learning from the institutions that host us and the experts we invite to the meetings.

We are entering the next year of our process of supporting the dance community in establishing a dance institution. As facilitators, knowledge providers, and evaluators of the project, we believe this will bring about real change and a deeper understanding of the community and its circumstances. This takes time.

We have observed similar outcomes in our residency programme. Rather than expecting products from the residents, our supportive approach fosters authentic development and more meaningful reflection. This approach was highly successful for Stefan Bieńkowski, an artist and sociologist. He emphasises that the residency allowed him to organise his past activities and create the space needed to complete his PhD. Meanwhile, the poetry collection Silesian Gothic by Anouk Herman, on which the publishing team behind Girls & Queers to the Front – Agata Barbara Wnuk, Ola Kamińska, and Maria Halber – worked during their residency, received the Gdynia Literary Award.

M.B.-D.: Is it a coincidence? I don’t think so! (laughs) Following Łucja’s rigorous research, if we are inquiring about quantitative effects and scale, we must of course mention the Warsaw Cultural Participation (WCP) project. As part of WCP endeavour, we are conducting segmentation research and enabling each cultural entity to conduct regular, independent self-research. One very concrete result of our work on the project was the development and testing of research tools: four cultural entities underwent the pre-pilot self-assessment stage last spring. Together, we developed a short questionnaire to help institutions regularly survey their audiences and answer the question, ‘Who visits us?’ Importantly, this will be a universal tool used by all cultural institutions in Warsaw. This will enable us to obtain comparable results and data. We are now at the start of a pilot programme covering another 15 entities.

We also have a segmentation study based on a sample of 9,000 residents ahead of us. Developing the questionnaire for this study was the result of painstaking, multi-stage work by a large team of experts.

From a broader perspective, our proposed model aims to develop a culture of work in the cultural sector, supporting decision-making based on reliable, objectively collected data. This model is complimentary to existing models at both city and institutional levels and focuses on participation in culture. We also hope that it will help answer questions about the changing role of cultural institutions in times of unrest and digital revolution.

Speaking of revolutions, another outcome of our work is the publications we produced, devoted to reading patterns. The first is a research report, and the second is a guide to promoting reading in the digital age. Our approach to reading is based on the belief that, in the digital age, we should pay critical attention to an expanded definition of reading. Alongside the experts involved in the study, we believe that supporting young people should focus less on what they read and more on how they read, thereby supporting their development and encouraging them to discover reading for themselves.

We continued to develop our academic cooperation, particularly with School of Ideas at SWPS University. Together, we selected topics for the School of Ideas students to work on with our substantive support. This spring, a report on their work was published, focusing on the application of automation in the cultural sector.

We believe that this type of knowledge transfer and joint conclusion-drawing is satisfying for everyone involved. It also enables us to view our activities and research interests from a different perspective. We are not an institution that knows all the answers; instead, we are the ones that keep asking the questions, in good company. Exploring these questions with unexpected partners from academia, the arts, local government and culture brings us closer to a better understanding of the world around us.

R.A.: This year, as part of the ICORN project, of which WOK is a partner, you have offered support to Rabigül Erkmen, an Uyghur researcher. How is she doing? Have you noticed the effect that your support has had?

Ł.K.: Rabigül is gradually becoming involved in conference circles and is now being invited to symposiums. As a recent PhD graduate, she is entering the scientific world and starting to publish papers. She is becoming more professional and has the support she needs to devote herself calmly to her academic pursuits. She is starting to be recognised as an expert. The freedom of mind and existential peace that the ICORN programme provides allows her to take a step back and observe the world around her.

R.A.: WOK is primarily about research, reports, and knowledge. What data from last year’s reports surprised you?

Ł.K.: I was surprised people complain about children being noisy in children’s theaters, talking, making noise and playing. I was also surprised that, during my research into cultural institutions, respondents were more likely to choose a paper survey than an electronic one because they valued the contact with a researcher that this method implied. This suggests that despite our efforts to implement new technologies to reduce research costs and enhance communication, there remains a need for genuine, personal interaction with others.

M.B.-D.: I was surprised by how emotional the conversation about reading was and how much of a generational issue it is. It is also shocking how little we know about non-Polish-language cultural circles in Warsaw and about migrant children’s participation in culture and their related needs. I am glad that we have started to address this knowledge gap.

R.A.: What inspired you personally to work or start a project this year? Any personal stories?

M.B.-D.: My research interest in the ‘ordinary/everyday’ multiculturalism that has returned to Warsaw after 80 years is, to some extent, related to my personal history, as I spent several years living abroad. My PhD thesis also explored various dimensions of multiculturalism, including its spatial aspects. While my story does not involve any dramatic choices, I have an instinct for multiculturalism.

Ł.K.: Of all the studies I have worked on, the one on the professional situation of artists who are parents is closest to my heart because of my personal experience. As a mother of two, I know that parenting in Poland can be challenging. However, our research shows that it is even more difficult for artists due to the specific nature of creative work. This includes a lack of permanent employment, irregular and unusual working hours, a scarcity of childcare facilities available during these hours, travel, and the need to focus and distance oneself from everyday responsibilities. This topic is worth introducing into a broader discourse. The recommendations we have developed could be implemented to make life much easier for artists with parenting responsibilities.

M.B.-D.: In response to Łucja’s comments, I would like to highlight that, since WOK’s inception, we have offered childcare to enable parents to participate in our meetings. We promote this as a standard worth introducing in cultural institutions in Warsaw and across Poland.

R.A.: You intend to initiate a public debate by taking an unconventional approach to well-known social topics. What are the most critical issues that you have raised, and what problems do you plan to raise?

M.B.-D.: Among these issues are the emergence of new audiences and the arrival of new residents. I am glad that our research on cultural education includes reflection on the presence in culture of groups for whom the offer has not yet been designed. The term ‘new audiences’ is increasingly being used in discussions about cultural education, which suggests that the concept is slowly gaining acceptance and becoming a point of reference.

To celebrate our anniversary, we are launching the WOK Repository series. In this series, we invite authors to examine seemingly familiar concepts from a historical perspective and to comment on their relevance in today’s world. The first concept presented in the repository is pluralism. Next spring, we plan to host a series of discussions focused on this topic.

R.A.: What other new activities do you plan to undertake?

M.B.-D.: As part of the Warsaw Cultural Participation programme, we are about to conduct a large-scale survey covering 9,000 residents of the capital. The last extensive survey of this kind was conducted in 2017, before the pandemic and the war, when people were less reliant on the internet. This is why we need to update our data: to understand how culture is consumed now, where people go to experience it, and what they expect from it. These findings will help cultural institutions better tailor their offerings to the needs of Warsaw residents, including newcomers with a migrant background.

Ł.K.: In terms of migration issues, we are searching for unexpected partners, organisations, and institutions that are interested in researching the topic. We also want to explore how artificial intelligence can be used to manage a cultural institution and utilise its data without the institution necessarily having research or analytical competencies. We will also invest in our team and its skills and resources. This applies not only to human resources…

M.B.-D.: …. but also spatial planning. I will not say anything more about that for now, but it is an exciting new prospect for us.