Prof. Dorota Ilczuk, with contributions from Magdalena Kulikowska and Anna Stępniewska (Pro Cultura Foundation)

Dorota Ilczuk is a Professor of Humanities and Cultural Management at the Warsaw School of Social Psychology. She is the President of the Pro Cultura Foundation, the President of Circle, a board member of ECURES, member of European Cultural Parliament and of many Polish associations and foundations.

Summary

The anti-communist regime and anti-state actions were an impulse to start building the whole non-governmental sector in Poland. Nevertheless, despite such premises and a specific background, the sector now skillfully cooperates with the democratic state. What was started then created a solid basis for activity that answers well to the new needs of the present times. The functions of NGOs – including those in the cultural field – are changing and the organisations face new tasks and challenges. As this article shows, Polish NGOs acting in the field of culture are extremely active and vibrant even though they have to deal with quite problematic and difficult obstacles of a fundamental and strategic nature.

This article gives a general picture of Polish cultural third sector organisations relating to the types of activity, main aims, financial situation and cooperation with other organisations in Poland and abroad. The content is supported by statistical data, presents a short history of Polish cultural NGOs and gives carefully chosen examples of cultural NGOs, which, in spite of restraints, are still developing.