Although Poland does not have a fully developed QUANGO-type model in the field of culture, non-governmental organisations, professional associations and expert communities increasingly participate in cultural policymaking processes through consultations, advisory bodies, public debates and grant mechanisms. Their role became more visible after the parliamentary elections of 2023, when the new government declared the rebuilding of dialogue with artists, NGOs, local governments and cultural audiences as one of the priorities of cultural policy.
After 2023, the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage increasingly emphasised consultation-based legislative work and participatory governance. Public consultations and expert dialogue accompanied proposed reforms concerning cultural activity, museums, heritage protection, public media governance, reprographic fees, copyright reform and the social security system for artists and creators.
The Council of Non-governmental Culture Organisations
The Minister of Culture and National Heritage established the Council of Non-governmental Culture Organisations in march 2007. The Council is a consultative and advisory body for the Minister. The main aims of the Council are to submit proposals and opinions on collaboration forms between the Ministry and the NGOs as well as judgement of legal acts important for NGOs operating in the cultural sector. The Council also prepares the proposals for the use of European Funds in the culture sector. The representativeness and transparency of the Council have nevertheless remained subjects of criticism among parts of the NGO sector and independent cultural communities. Debates continue regarding the need for broader representation of smaller organisations, interdisciplinary initiatives, research institutions and grassroots cultural actors in advisory and consultation processes. Questions concerning transparency, accessibility of decision-making and equal participation remain important issues in discussions on cultural governance in Poland.
Many non-governmental organisations and institutions act for the benefit of local societies. They aim at increasing the level of participation in culture and activation of citizens through raising awareness and knowledge as well as supporting creativity. The examples below show the diversity of the actions.
Advocacy groups
There are multiple advocacy groups functioning in Poland, e.g.: Polish Filmmakers’ Association; Polish Music
Council; Polish Composers’ Union; Polish Performing Artists’ Union; Polish Visual Artists’ Union; Polish Folk
Artists’ Association; Polish Writers’ Union; The Authors’ Society; Music Export Poland; and the Coalition of the Summer Literary Festivals. Their main purpose is to associate artists, authors and creators of different professions, to take care of their interests, promote their branches and manage copyright issues.
In the 2020s, advocacy organisations increasingly engaged in debates concerning copyright reform, artificial intelligence, streaming platforms, reprographic fees and the social protection of artists and creators. Professional associations and collective management organisations became important participants in legislative discussions related to the implementation of the EU Digital Single Market Directive and the development of the new social security system for artists.
Social Dialogue Commissions for Culture at the municipal/communal (gmina) levels
The Social Dialogue or Culture Commissions are created by non-governmental organisations and the local authorities as part of the “Cooperation Programme”. The role of the Commissions is to act as an initiating and advisory body for local authorities as well as opinion making for major legal acts considering the functioning of NGOs, setting up action programme priorities of collaboration between the NGOs and the local authorities and nomination of councils’ experts responsible for decisions of grants giving bodies on the local level.
At the local level, social dialogue mechanisms increasingly support participatory cultural governance, cooperation between public institutions and NGOs, and the co-creation of local cultural development strategies. In many cities, these structures also became platforms for discussions concerning accessibility, sustainability, cultural inclusion and the role of culture in local democratic participation.
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