November 2007
UK/Poland seminar on migration
Migration is a hot topic in the UK, and in the East of England it is changing the population make-up; Polish migrant-workers make up a significant number of the in-comers to the region. It seemed appropriate, therefore, for the second seminar between the cultural leaders in the Eastern region of the UK and the Maloplska region in Poland, that migration should be a topic for discussion and interaction.
In–migration to the UK and out-migration from Poland begins to change audiences for the arts and offers new challenges for the arts to engage with local minority communities.
Michal Garapich, who works between Surrey and Roehampton University, in the UK and at the Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland, is a well-known researcher on Polish migration to the UK. He gave an opening address setting out the main issues facing migrants both in their own country and their new one. He identified many of the issues that face immigrants trying to embed themselves into local communities.
The participants debated the bigger picture and examined the differing impact on the two countries. This was followed by discussions on how this migration affected audiences within different art disciplines and what impact it has on our current definitions of multiculturalism and on outreach programmes trying to engage minority communities.
This discussion was highlighted on the following day by visits to Wysing Arts Centre, Cambridge and Trestle Arts Base, St Albans. Wysing is a visual arts centre with a range of spaces where artists can work for periods of between 6 months and five years.
Trestle Arts Base, St Albans, October 2007
(From left to right) Nelson Fernandez (Visiting Arts), Ms Justyna Kciuk (Krakow Philharmonic) Mr Robert Wyrod (Swiatomy Theatre – H. Jordan Youth Centre), Emily Gray (Trestle Theatre Company, Trestle) Mr. Stanisław Kolodziejski (Musical Sheepfold Association - Near Krakow)
The group had a tour of the building and discussed several examples of how the centre relates to its local community. At Trestle Arts Base it was an immersion experience where the group worked alongside the local Polish community involved with the Arts Base. This was fun, poignant and rounded-off the seminar extremely well. The weekend was completed by a great party at the new Polish Cultural Institute in London.
Sue Harrison
November 2007
The final report of the seminar will look at the issues raised in the seminar and identify next steps for the relationship.
Background
The partnership, managing and planning this exchange, is between Arts Council East, the Małopolski Instytut Kultury, Krakow, Poland and Visiting Arts and took place in Cambridge during 11-14 October 2007.The relationship between the two regions has been established for around 2.5 years, addressing areas of common interest and greater understanding through dialogue, interaction and exchange. This was the second seminar, the first was held in Poland in April 2007. Five cultural leaders from the Eastern Region and ten from Poland attended this seminar, including the Director of Department of Culture, Heritage and Tourism, Marshal’s Office of Malopolska Region. It was hosted by Peter Thornton, Deputy Director, Arts Council England East.
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