Forum for the Future of Culture 2023 in Warsaw

The new edition of the Forum for the Future of Culture took place from May 26 till May 28, 2023 at the Powszechny Theatre in Warsaw. The motto of this year’s edition was: “Practices of Hope”. The Forum is an annual interdisciplinary cultural and social event, which is filled with discussions, debates, meetings with activists, people of culture and scientists, as well as performative activities and artistic events.

The Forum for the Future of Culture has been organized by Powszechny Theater with the support of the Capital City of Warsaw since 2017. It’s a space for meaningful dialogue and perspectives for the development of culture, promoting critical attitudes, diversity, openness, care, and respect for the rights of minorities. Forum connects people associated with art, science, and activism; it focuses on supporting and presenting new, sometimes utopian cultural visions.

The war in Ukraine, three years of the pandemic, growing authoritarian tendencies in many countries, unstable economic situation, and more and more crises. Yet, at the same time, examples of incredible solidarity, protests, disagreement with authoritarian tendencies of the government, identity transformations, and grassroots social movements that bring big changes. This is the social and political landscape of Europe in 2023. This situation is a challenge for Poland and all countries of the region, however, it also brings hope: it forces people to think and work through the policies of identity, memory, and narrations told about and against themselves.

How does culture respond to these changes? What should be the new cultural project for Central and Eastern Europe – a possible new map of imagination?

During the Forum for the Future of Culture 2023, its organizers took a closer look at the societies of our region, explored new forms of solidarity and community-based actions of citizens, their resistance practices against authoritarianism and populism, the processes of forming new narrations regarding the future shape of social politics, culture, and economy. They were also exploring the role that cultural institutions can play in these processes.