Wrocław – Berlin Platform for creative sectors

Back from AIR Wro Talks in Wrocław. It was an amazing opportunity to meet directors and managers of international art and cultural organizations and a privilege to take part in a panel “Wrocław – Berlin Platform for creative sectors”.

In the context of the discussion, we had on a podium two invited residents who experienced short and long-term stays in Berlin. Kama Sokolnicka, an artist and alumni of Künstlerhaus Bethanien and Paweł Szroniak, a curator who conducted his research on Experimental Music Scene in the framework of Berlin Sessions Residency and implemented it in the planning of a concert series in Wrocław titled rozkurz. Both projects were supported and initiated by Cultural Zone Wrocław.

As a Berlin-based voice served Christophe Knoch, organizer of In Between Festivals, founder of Mica Moca project berlin e.V. , an outspoken activist for the rights of Independent Art Scene in Berlin, and me. Guidance on the questions at hand offered Nico Anclam, lecturer for Art Theory at the University of the Arts Berlin.

During the panel, I have noticed that 90 minutes committed to diving into the topic was just a beginning of an important conversation. In the future, I see a need to work on a manual of successful cooperation examples, detailed information on the supporting structures, shared guidelines and a list of useful contacts. In my opinion audiences in a Polish and German city would welcome it with an applause.

The historical and contemporaneous link between the two cities is ineluctable. I am curious what outcomes of a possible comparative study of Wrocław and Berlin could reveal if we would concentrate on those and more detailed questions: – the conditions of work – opportunities accessibility for artists, curators, and cultural managers – an approach of local governments to support creative industries – the frequency of mobility of creatives and a density of skills exchange

In 2018 I will continue the dialogue with AIR Wro, produce a residency project in May and visit Wrocław as early as April. *I am still astonished that I was able to purchase a ticket on a flixbus page for 2 Euro to get to the conference. ;)