“Culture – Change – Europe” Congress Opens Polish Art Week At The Embassy Of Poland In Berlin
Event explores the role of art, identity, and diplomacy amid shifting European realities
June 18th, 2025
On June 16th, 2025, the Embassy of Poland in Berlin hosted the international congress “Culture – Change – Europe” as part of the sixth edition of Polish Art Week and the Avant Art Festival. The event highlighted the evolving role of culture in Europe’s political and social transformation, with a special focus on migration, inclusion, and cross-border artistic cooperation.
The congress was opened by Jan Tombiński, chargé d'affaires of the Polish Embassy, Katarzyna Sitko, director of the Polish Institute Berlin, and Kostas Georgakopulos, director of Avant Art. The event was also attended by Hanna Wróblewska, Polish Minister of Culture and National Heritage, whose presence underscored the high-level political and diplomatic backing for the initiative.
The day's program featured two main discussion panels:
----“Artists Beyond Borders – Institutional Perspective” (13:30–14:30), which brought together representatives from cultural institutions including the DAAD Artists-in-Berlin Program (Silvia Fehrmann), the Internationale Gesellschaft der Bildenden Künste (Constanze Brockmann), Poland’s National Centre for Culture (Robert Piaskowski), and the Adam Mickiewicz Institute (Olga Brzezińska).
----“Artists Beyond Borders – Artistic Perspective” (15:00–16:00), featuring renowned artists such as Anda Rottenberg, Katarzyna Kozyra, Rabih Beaini, and Matthias Pees, director of Berliner Festspiele.
Throughout the panels, speakers addressed the critical role of artistic expression and cultural platforms in building a shared European identity in the face of growing migration and political fragmentation. Minister Wróblewska emphasized: “Culture is the indispensable bridge for Europe as it faces challenges of mobility, diversity, and inclusion.”
Later that evening, the Polish Art Week officially opened with the exhibition “ELIXIR” at NADAN Gallery, showcasing the works of Polish artists Natalia Janula and Wojciech Skiba. The festival will continue through June 23rd, featuring contemporary music, cinema, and performance art with support from the Embassy and the Polish Institute.
References:
- https://instytutpolski.pl/berlin/2025/06/06/congress-culture-change-europe/?utm_source=chatgpt.com https://instytutpolski.pl/berlin/2025/06/06/congress-culture-change-europe/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
- https://polishartweek.com https://polishartweek.com
