„Culture strikes back” – a debate 

Sunday, the 28th of May, 4:45 – 7:45 p.m. [break: 6:00 – 6:15], the Big Stage of Powszechny Theatre in Warsaw 

➤ moderators: prof. Iwona Kurz and Igor Stokfiszewski 

➤ participants: 
– Beata Chmiel – cultural activist, Citizens of Culture, Congress of Women
– Agata Diduszko-Zyglewska – New Left Party, vice-chair of the Culture and City Promotion Commission of the Warsaw City Council
– Alina Gałązka – Komuna Warszawa, Chairwoman of the Industry Commission for Social Dialogue on Culture at the Office of the Capital City of Warsaw
– dr hab. Maciej Gdula – Member of Parliament, member of the Council and Board of the National New Left Party 
– Katarzyna Górna – Citizens' Forum of Contemporary Art
– Katarzyna Kulińska – National Union of the Workers’ Initiative
– Krzysztof Mieszkowski – member of Polish parliament, former director of the Polish Theater in Wrocław, member of the Polish parliament Committee on Culture and Media on behalf of the Civic Coalition
– Joanna Mucha – Member of Parliament, Vice-Chairwoman of the Polska 2050 party of Szymon Hołownia
– Jarosław Suchan – art historian and critic, member of the International Committee for Museums and Collections of Modern Art. Former director of the Museum of Art in Łódź.

In an election year, there needs to be a dialogue between the social side and politicians of the democratic opposition about the subject of the functioning of culture, the values on which it should be based, but also systemic solutions that would be a response to the processes taking place in culture under the rule of Law and Justice – to the non-organization of competitions for directorial positions, the disorganization of the life of cultural institutions run by local governments, for abandoning the project of introducing regulations covering artists and artists with insurance and social benefits, for fighting non-governmental cultural organizations whose activities are not in line with the government's policy, for destroying public media and aggressive historical policy, which replaces cultural policy.

"Culture Strikes Back" is a meeting of cultural activists representing the leading cultural institutions, civil and working environments of contemporary art and non-governmental organizations from the cultural sector with politicians of the most important forces of the democratic opposition.