Poznań Art Week is returning for its 7th edition in 2023, and this time the main theme is “Locality”. The festival is going back to its roots, the original idea of showcasing cultural phenomena in the field of visual arts in the Greater Poland region’s capital city. However, this time the focus will be on not only the artists and their works, but also the people who actively shape Poznań’s cultural landscape: Culture Animators. As in each edition, partner institutions such as galleries, museums, and off-space venues are invited to create a joint program that will be presented from June 1st to June 18th, 2023.
For the general public, who can attend the planned events for free, it’s an opportunity to immerse themselves in the region’s diverse and rich culture, discover local artists, and explore new places or visit the known and loved ones. Poznań Art Week 2023 has planned many events, including art exhibitions, artist talks, curatorial tours, and lectures. Those interested in participating in the program can freely shape their tour using the festival’s schedule and map.
“Locality” as the Art Week’s motto is not only about the identity of Poznań’s art and culture. Although the first association with “locality” is something that is limited to a certain defined area or place, nowadays, the word refers to the totality of cultural influences manifested in a particular location. “Locality” is therefore a result of a vast and diverse mosaic of influences. In this sense, it means “accessibility”. It refers to what is within reach. In a globalized world, our local perspective is not shaped only by what happens here, directly around us. On the contrary, many of the most current global processes, such as the pandemic, the war in Ukraine, or the financial crisis, seem to confirm the “Butterfly Effect.” A small and distant change causes unexpected consequences in many places at once. That’s why a large portion of events presented online will be translated into Ukrainian.
“Locality” also means adjusting strategies and actions to specific conditions and needs to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of social and cultural processes. In the case of Poznań Art Week, the guiding slogan translates into an awareness of the essential role of building relationships in culture, and through them, creating a friendly atmosphere for exchanging ideas, not only artistic ones.
Since its inception, Poznań Art Week Festival has been guided by the belief that openness, accessibility, and visibility are essential for the culture and art industry. This is crucial for cultural creators and animators, as their work aims to reach as many audiences as possible, inspire them, and shape their cultural sensitivities. The visibility of cultural events has many positive effects, such as increasing interest and participation in culture, strengthening social ties, and promoting cultural sensitivity. For cultural animators, visibility is also important as it helps to build reputation and acquire partners for future projects. Therefore, this year, a significant component of the festival will be presentations by people who co-create the program of festival partners in the form of audio conversations accompanied by descriptions published in the Art Week READING ROOM.
Art Week 2023 program will also feature international events. “Locality” is now understood broadly – including as a system of relationships between distant places, although connected to each other. Crossing locality is a process of shaping locality. An occasion for such reflection is the 30th anniversary of the agreement connecting two partner cities – Poznań in Poland and Shenzhen in China – which falls precisely in 2023. This opens Art Week to the concept of “global locality” and encourages exploration of the situation in which, on the one hand, globalization and the universality of culture lead to the blurring of cultural differences, and on the other hand, local contexts and traditions are still crucial for identity and artistic expression. The paradox of contemporaneity lies in the fact that in the age of cultural globalization and mass artistic production, locality becomes relevant again. In culture, phenomena such as glocalization (a combination of global and local elements), hybridization (mixing cultures), and local interpretations of global trends are emerging.
Contemporary visual arts, film, fashion, music, literature – these are just a few areas where the paradox of global locality is visible. Artists want their works to be understandable to audiences worldwide, but at the same time, they want to express their individuality and show their cultural identity. Therefore, they often use local motifs and traditional elements that enable them to stand out in a global context. This paradox applies not only to artists but also to cultural institutions that try to combine global trends with local needs and traditions.
The choice of the theme “Locality” as the guiding principle for Poznań Art Week is not accidental. The return to normalcy in cultural activity has created an opportunity to re-examine the basic questions regarding the strategy, mission, and goals of cultural activity. The opening of cultural institutions and the increase in the number of events have made people aware of a kind of “culture hunger”. Tickets for cultural premieres sell out quickly. This creates a friendly atmosphere for the development of infrastructure and provides a strong foundation for inter-institutional cooperation.
Therefore, networking and cooperation between cultural institutions and the creation of joint cultural programs seem to be an interesting alternative to the previous scattered actors in the cultural landscape, especially in the face of current crises – pandemic challenges, repercussions caused by the war in Ukraine, and global economic downturns. It is easier to face the challenges of difficult times together. This cooperation should be based on mutual support, exchanging experiences, and creating a joint cultural program.
We warmly invite you to participate in it!
Poznań Art Week Team & Partners
Curator of Poznań Art Week 2023
Mateusz M. Bieczyński
Texts
Mateusz M. Bieczyński
Fastival’s Visual identity
Piotr Marzol
Organizers
Municipal Galleries of the UAP
Partners
Organizers
Supported by
Subsidised by the National Centre for Culture under the programme Kultura w sieci and by Urząd Miasta Poznania.
© Copyright by Poznań Art Week, Fundacja Rarytas 2019. All rights reserved.
