Artists will be employed by entrepreneurs from Lublin for a month – this program is an attempt to reduce the distance between the worlds of work and creativity. In this way, the originators want to create a space for meetings, conversations and prepare the city for the European Capital of Culture in 2029.
The multi-annual program of artistic residencies in Lublin companies “Culture at work” is carried out as part of the ECoC Lublin 2029.
The director of the ECoC, Paweł Potoroczyn, said during Monday's press conference that the program is an attempt to reduce the distance between the world of work and the creative class. The project is to be an opportunity to meet, talk, ask questions, exchange knowledge and habits, which – in his opinion – is invaluable for employees and artists.
In his opinion, the project is part of the discussion on the draft act on social security for professional artists.
– We want to provide empirical proof that creativity is normal work with the same rigors, regime and discipline. That it is not much different from many other activities that we commonly and popularly associate with work – noted the director.
In his opinion, it is also important so that creators “see where the money for their grants, institutions, scholarships and projects comes from.”
The first participant of the program is writer Ivan Davydenko. The artist comes from Zhytomyr, Ukraine, and is a laureate of the National Literary Competition. Artur Fryza 2023 for the best poetic book debut. In his work, he addresses the topics of war, migration, masculinity and social relations.
– I deal with literature after hours of my full-time job – said Davydenko. He explained that normally he could devote up to two hours a day to creative activities, but as a participant of the program he does it from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. – I need to be fresh, focused. This is an absolutely new experience for me, he added.
The writer has been participating in the program since April 7. Since then, he has been working eight hours a day in a glass pavilion set up especially for him next to the Medisept office building in Lublin. It has at its disposal, among others: desk, table, chairs and laptop. For the monthly residence, he receives a stipend in the amount of the average salary in the workplace. His work can be viewed until May 8.
– Everyone can watch me as I sit and write the next chapter of the essay book with the working title “Wrong Azimuth”. This is a book written from my perspective, i.e. from the perspective of a person who has been living in Poland for almost 15 years and comes from Ukraine, said Davydenko.
The creator of the “Culture at Work” program, Ralph Talmont, explained that the project is about creative ferment. – Ferment is the root of innovation, innovative thinking, which in a natural, organic way leads to inventions, patents, creating something new, creating the future – he said. In Talmont's opinion, in modern business, thinking about optimization, processes and procedures is not enough and entrepreneurs can learn faster from artists.
The president of Medisept, Przemysław Śnieżyński, expressed his satisfaction with the opportunity to host the artist. – We tried to combine the creative and business tissue. We are curious where this will lead us, he said. Medisept produces cleaning and disinfection agents.
Potoroczyn said that more companies are interested in participating in the project. There are plans to organize up to eight such residencies a year.
Lublin was selected as the European Capital of Culture 2029 as the third Polish city in history (previously this title was awarded to Kraków in 2020 and Wrocław in 2016). The motto is RE:UNION, which refers to the Union of Lublin and the 25th anniversary of Poland's accession to the European Union.
The ECoC program for Lublin is based on three pillars: Community, Habitat, Borders. According to the assumptions, the budget for the implementation of the ECOC 2029 program will amount to EUR 46 million, of which EUR 39 million are public funds: EUR 12.5 million – national authorities, EUR 12.5 million – the city of Lublin, EUR 6.5 million – Lublin Voivodeship, EUR 4.5 million – EU, EUR 4 million – Academic Union. The remaining funds will come from the private sector.
The European Capital of Culture competition was born 40 years ago in Greece. The annual ECoC celebrations in subsequent European cities serve to strengthen the integration of the European Union and present the cultural achievements of individual countries belonging to the community. (PAP)
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