2. Current cultural affairs
Poland
Last update: July, 2026
Poland’s accession to the European Union in 2004 and the growing availability of EU structural funds significantly accelerated the development of cultural infrastructure. During the years of the Civic Platform (Platforma Obywatelska) and Polish People’s Party (Polskie Stronnictwo Ludowe) coalition government (2007–2015), substantial investments were made in new cultural institutions and facilities, often co-financed by European funds. This period saw the construction of landmark buildings such as the new Mieczysław Karłowicz Philharmonic in Szczecin, alongside numerous museums, concert halls, and cultural centres across the country. The focus of cultural policy was placed on infrastructure development, cultural education, digitalisation programmes, and widening access to culture. At the same time, public debate increasingly addressed the socio-economic role of culture and cultural industries. However, despite large-scale investments, the government was criticised for insufficient attention to the precarious financial and professional situation of artists, which culminated in the first artists’ strike organised in 2012 under the slogan “A Day Without Art.”
Between 2015 and 2023, the parliamentary majority in Poland was held by the right-wing alliance “The United Right” (Zjednoczona Prawica), led by the political party Law and Justice (Prawo i Sprawiedliwość). Piotr Gliński served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Culture and National Heritage, and after 2020 as Minister of Culture, National Heritage and Sport. The priority framework of cultural policy during this period focused strongly on historically-oriented policies, including the preservation of monuments and the promotion of Polish history and identity, for example through the long-term programme commemorating the 100th anniversary of Polish independence. At the same time, the scope of state intervention in culture expanded to include cultural and creative industries such as video games, design and architecture.
During the public debate, representatives of the cultural sector accused the Minister of Culture of the interference in the internal affairs of public institutions, such as recruitment decisions and programming (conflicts arose surrounding such institutions as the Museum of the Second World War in Gdansk or the Polish Film Institute). Another strong criticism concerned the politicisation of the news broadcasted by public television.
Following the parliamentary elections of 15 October 2023, the United Right lost its parliamentary majority and a new coalition government led by Donald Tusk took office in December 2023. Since December 2023, the position of Minister of Culture and National Heritage has been held successively by Bartłomiej Sienkiewicz — a politician and former Minister of the Interior, Hanna Wróblewska — a cultural manager and art gallery director, and currently Marta Cienkowska — a public official involved in cultural development and cooperation with creative institutions.
In the field of culture, the new government declared a shift toward depoliticisation, greater transparency of decision-making processes, open competitions for directors of public cultural institutions, reform of ministerial grant programmes, broader dialogue with the cultural sector and renewed legislative work concerning the social security system for artists and cultural professionals.
After December 2023, the debate on public media intensified further. The new Minister of Culture replaced the management boards of public television, public radio and the Polish Press Agency (PAP), and placed public media companies into liquidation (see 2.4.3).
Since 2023, current cultural policy debates have focused on governance reforms, transparent recruitment procedures in public institutions, reform of the Minister’s grant programmes, legislative work concerning artists’ social security, implementation of internet royalties under the EU DSM framework, and the preparation of long-term strategic documents such as the Strategy for Culture 2050. Public support for cultural infrastructure has also continued through European Union funds as well as EEA and Norwegian financial. Since the end of 2023, there has been a broad replacement of directors of cultural institutions at both the national and local-government levels, while the government has more often than before declared and applied competitive selection procedures as a method for appointing new directors.
In 2025, the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage announced work on a long-term “Strategy for Culture 2050”, intended to become the first comprehensive strategic framework for the development of culture in Poland in several decades. According to the Ministry, the strategy is expected to address the long-term social, technological, territorial and economic challenges affecting the cultural sector, including demographic change, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, regional inequalities and sustainable development. As part of this process, the Ministry announced the establishment of a new Department of Analysis and Strategy responsible for coordinating strategic planning, cooperation with local governments and evidence-based cultural policy development.
The priorities presented by the Ministry after 2023 emphasise strengthening local and regional cultural institutions, improving access to culture outside major urban centres, supporting non-governmental organisations and continuing systemic legislative reforms concerning the status and social protection of artists and cultural professionals. The strategy also links culture more strongly with social cohesion, territorial development, media pluralism and democratic participation.
Last update: July, 2026
The article 6 of the Polish Constitution imposes an obligation on the State to provide all Polish citizens with equal access to cultural goods, as well as to provide its citizens abroad with help to maintain their relations with national cultural heritage. Furthermore, the article 73 of the Constitution guarantees Polish citizens the right to freedom of artistic expression, to conduct scientific research and publish its results, freedom of education and freedom to use cultural goods. The Constitution also guarantees freedom of conscience and freedom of speech.
After 2023, debates on cultural rights and ethics increasingly concerned not only artistic freedom and minority rights, but also institutional pluralism and the independence of public media. The reform of public media became one of the central cultural and political issues under the new government. es related to discrimination, representation of minorities and inclusiveness in public media and cultural institutions continue to remain an important part of debates concerning cultural rights and ethics in Poland.
There are several bodies involved in the protection of the freedom of artistic expression and more broadly the right to freedom of speech. The main one responsible for monitoring, diagnosing and preventing the abuse of these rights is the Polish Ombudsman – an independent central office of the Republic of Poland. The office is elected for the term of five years by an act of Sejm and accepted by the Senate. The ombudsman can serve up to two terms. Others include non-governmental organisations, such as the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, Amnesty International Poland, Stefan Batory Foundation or Press Freedom Monitoring Center.
The right to equal access to cultural goods in many cases is being exercised by local governments. According to Polish law, local authorities are obliged to organise and manage cultural activities in the form of creation of public cultural institutions, such as libraries and cultural centres.
Last update: July, 2026
The right to protect the intellectual and material benefits accruing from scientific, literary and artistic production is guaranteed by the Act of 4 February 1994 on copyright and related rights. The excise of these rights are entrusted to the collective management organisations, which in turn are regulated by the Act of 15 June 2018 on collective management of copyright and related rights. According to the information provided by the central government, currently there are 12 collective management organisations in Poland authorized by the Minister of Culture:
- KOPIPOL (creators of scientific and technical works)
- REPROPOL (press publishers)
- SAiW Copyright Polska (book publishers)
- SAWP (performers)
- SFP (filmmakers and audiovisual producers)
- STL (folklore creators)
- STOART (performers)
- ZAiKS (authors)
- ZASP (theater artists)
- ZPAF (photographers)
- ZPAP (visual artists)
- ZPAV (music and audiovisual producers)
A team of Creative Economy Research Centre of SWPS University led by prof. Dorota Ilczuk has been studying the situation of artists in Poland since 2012. These studies were aimed at diagnosing the specificity of the artists' labor market, analysing the professional situation of artists in Poland, exploring international experiences both in monitoring and analysing this area, and various forms of support provided to artists. It also was the first successful attempts in the history of post-war Poland to estimate the number of professionally active artists in Poland. Without knowing the size of the artistic milieu, it was impossible to calculate the costs of the planned support system for artists, and thus to introduce systemic changes in the cultural policy in Poland.
The research project was continued in subsequent years. In 2024, a second large-scale study entitled “Policzone i Policzeni 2024! Artyści, twórcy i wykonawcy w Polsce” (“Counted 2024! Artists, Creators and Performers in Poland”) provided updated data on the size, socio-economic situation and professional conditions of artists and creators in Poland. There are around 62 thousand people working in the following industries: music, architecture, visual arts, theatre, film, literature, dance, folk art, and interdisciplinary arts. The study confirmed the persistence of irregular income patterns, unstable employment conditions and limited access to social security mechanisms within the artistic sector. The updated research also reflected changes resulting from the post-pandemic cultural labour market and the growing diversification of artistic professions.
This state of affairs has been ignored in the public debate for many years, despite the artistic community’s attempt to draw attention to it (with for example the artists' protest ‘A Day Without Art’ in 2012). In 2017, at the National Conference for Culture (OKK), the debate about artist’s support began. The OKK Group of Experts was formed and they started to work on an Act on the Rights of the Professional Artist.
After 2023 elections, the government returned to legislative work on the social protection of artists and creators. However, the concept of the planned legislation has significantly changed in comparison with earlier proposals concerning the “status of the professional artist”. The new draft Act on Professional Artists, presented in 2026, focuses primarily on social and health insurance mechanisms rather than on establishing a broad artists support scheme The proposed system introduces a formal status of a professional artist and provides temporary subsidies to social and health insurance contributions for artists with low and irregular income. According to the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, the support mechanism is intended to supplement artists’ contributions up to the minimum threshold required for social insurance coverage in the national Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) system. The subsidy mechanism is addressed mainly to artists whose income remains below a specified percentage of the minimum wage and is intended to reduce structural barriers in access to pension, health and sickness insurance.
Digital policy and developments
According to the Report on Digitisation of Polish Cultural Resources (prepared for the Congress of Polish Culture 2009), the digital resources of state archives are calculated at approximately 3 million scans; libraries at 300 thousand library units (ca. 1915-1917 million scans); and museums at about 300 thousand reproductions.
After 2023, digital cultural policy increasingly focused on copyright regulation, online distribution of cultural content and the impact of artificial intelligence on the cultural and creative sectors. In 2025, provisions implementing the EU Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market (DSM Directive) entered into force in Poland, including mechanisms concerning internet royalties for creators and publishers. The reform aimed to strengthen the bargaining position of creators and media entities in relation to digital platforms and online content distributors.
At the same time, the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage restored the Copyright Law Forum as a platform for dialogue between public authorities, creators, collective management organisations and digital market actors. The Ministry also reactivated a specialised team for combating infringements of copyright and related rights. These activities increasingly address challenges connected with generative artificial intelligence, unauthorised online distribution of cultural content and the protection of creators’ income in the digital environment.
An important development in Polish digital and copyright policy was the long-awaited reform of the reprographic fee system (“blank media levy”). In 2025 and 2026, the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage initiated and finalised the process of updating the list of devices covered by reprographic fees for the first time in more than fifteen years. The reform replaced outdated devices such as VHS recorders, cassette tapes and fax machines with contemporary digital devices actually used for storing and copying cultural content, including smartphones, tablets, laptops and smart televisions. According to the Ministry and organisations representing creators, the reform was intended to adapt Polish copyright law to contemporary technological realities and strengthen compensation mechanisms for creators, performers and producers in connection with private copying. The updated system is also expected to increase revenues distributed through collective management organisations and improve the economic protection of creators in the digital environment.
Last update: July, 2026
According to the Report on Digitisation of Polish Cultural Resources (prepared for the Congress of Polish Culture 2009), the digital resources of state archives are calculated at approximately 3 million scans; libraries at 300 thousand library units (ca. 1915-1917 million scans); and museums at about 300 thousand reproductions.
After 2023, digital cultural policy increasingly focused on copyright regulation, online distribution of cultural content and the impact of artificial intelligence on the cultural and creative sectors. In 2025, provisions implementing the EU Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market (DSM Directive) entered into force in Poland, including mechanisms concerning internet royalties for creators and publishers. The reform aimed to strengthen the bargaining position of creators and media entities in relation to digital platforms and online content distributors.
At the same time, the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage restored the Copyright Law Forum as a platform for dialogue between public authorities, creators, collective management organisations and digital market actors. The Ministry also reactivated a specialised team for combating infringements of copyright and related rights. These activities increasingly address challenges connected with generative artificial intelligence, unauthorised online distribution of cultural content and the protection of creators’ income in the digital environment.
An important development in Polish digital and copyright policy was the long-awaited reform of the reprographic fee system (“blank media levy”). In 2025 and 2026, the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage initiated and finalised the process of updating the list of devices covered by reprographic fees for the first time in more than fifteen years. The reform replaced outdated devices such as VHS recorders, cassette tapes and fax machines with contemporary digital devices actually used for storing and copying cultural content, including smartphones, tablets, laptops and smart televisions. According to the Ministry and organisations representing creators, the reform was intended to adapt Polish copyright law to contemporary technological realities and strengthen compensation mechanisms for creators, performers and producers in connection with private copying. The updated system is also expected to increase revenues distributed through collective management organisations and improve the economic protection of creators in the digital environment.
Last update: July, 2026
Intercultural dialogue has become increasingly visible within cultural, educational and social policies in Poland, particularly in connection with migration processes, the growing cultural diversity of Polish cities and the consequences of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Although Poland still does not have a single comprehensive national strategy devoted exclusively to intercultural dialogue, many activities in this field are implemented through cultural, educational, integration and international cooperation programmes supported by public institutions, local governments and NGOs. Some of the activities in this field are covered by the 16 Euroregions.
The geopolitical situation after 2022 significantly affected some forms of cross-border and intercultural cooperation, especially those involving Belarusian and Russian partners. Contemporary intercultural cooperation frameworks increasingly emphasise democratic values, social resilience, support for refugees and cooperation within the European Union and Eastern Partnership contexts.
The activities in the scope of trans-national intercultural dialogue on the local level are partially covered by the Town-twinning programmes and municipality networks such as Eurocities or BaltMet.
Non-governmental organisations continue to play an important role in intercultural dialogue and integration activities, particularly at the local level. In recent years, NGOs and cultural institutions have increasingly organised projects supporting migrants, refugees, minorities and international cultural cooperation. Particular importance has been attached to initiatives supporting people displaced from Ukraine after 2022.
Various grant programmes are available to support cooperation with other countries (e.g. grants from the Polish-American Freedom Foundation or the Foundation for Polish-German Cooperation) and events promoting their culture. There are also events to support the social integration of migrants and festivals held to promote minority culture (e.g. Festival of Jewish Culture in Warsaw "Singer's Warsaw").
Wrocław became one of the most visible examples of local intercultural policy in Poland through the implementation of the Strategy for Intercultural Dialogue (2018-2022). In recent years, similar discussions concerning migration, integration and intercultural coexistence increasingly appeared in other large Polish cities, especially those experiencing significant demographic changes and increased international migration. The planned results of the implementation of this programme relate to the following areas:
- Education – increasing the level of knowledge and strengthening intercultural competences; Integration – building a sense of social belonging;
- Security – strengthening the safety of residents;
- Cooperation and communication – creation of cooperation platforms and strengthening of the communication process.
In contemporary Polish cultural policy debates, intercultural dialogue is increasingly linked with questions of migration, minority rights, democratic resilience, media literacy and social cohesion. Cultural institutions, schools and NGOs play an important role in creating spaces for dialogue, inclusion and participation in an increasingly diverse social environment.
Last update: July, 2026
Issues related to intercultural dialogue, diversity, migration and anti-discrimination education have become increasingly visible in Polish educational and cultural activities, although they are still implemented unevenly across the country. Such topics are addressed mainly through civic education, cultural education projects, NGO initiatives and local educational programmes rather than through a comprehensive national intercultural education policy.
In recent years, Polish society has become significantly more diverse due to increased international migration, especially following the large-scale arrival of refugees from Ukraine after 2022. As a result, questions related to intercultural competences, integration and cultural diversity became more important in schools, cultural institutions and local educational policies. Public debate increasingly emphasises the need to strengthen intercultural competences, media literacy, anti-discrimination education and critical thinking skills within the educational system, particularly in the context of migration, disinformation and digital communication environments. Some elements of intercultural education have been introduced into teaching programmes in the regions which have a significant number of students with origins other than Polish.
The question of interculturalism in arts and cultural education is pointedly connected with the issue of mobility. Schools and universities which participate in European programmes like Socrates, have made a notable contribution to the process of modernisation of Polish education. Activities concerning multilingualism, tolerance etc., as well as creative actions related to such issues become more and more popular among both students and teachers from all types of educational institutions.
Last update: July, 2026
The Polish audiovisual market model is based on three categories of broadcasting: public service broadcasters, licensing - social broadcasters, and licensing - commercial broadcasters.
The television market is divided between the public broadcaster TVP and two commercial television stations:
Polsat and TVN. Public television offers nationwide and regional programmes operating under the name TVP INFO (sixteen regional centres). Additionally, TVP offers five satellite channels: TVP Polonia (for Poles living abroad), TVP Kultura (culture channel), TVP Historia (history channel), TVP Sport (sports channel) and TVP HD. Other channels can be viewed only via the digital platforms and cable networks, so their range and influence is limited.
TVP Kultura was launched on 24th April 2005. It is aimed at the promotion of various cultural activities, including non-commercial artistic projects. The half of the channel's broadcast material is based on Polish Public Television's (TVP) archival programmes. The rest consists of programmes bought from foreign broadcasting companies.
Public radio and television are mainly financed from public funds (licence fees) and budget subsidies.
Advertising is an additional source of financing although some restrictions regarding public media are present.
The major responsibilities of the National Broadcasting Council are set out in the Broadcasting Act and are twofold: to award broadcasting frequencies to public radio and television stations and to share income from the license fees between different public broadcasters. The National Broadcasting Council is also obliged to design, in consultation with the Prime Minister, state policy in the field of broadcasting.
The issue of politicisation of public media became one of the central topics of public debate after the parliamentary elections of 2023. In December 2023, the new government replaced the management boards of Telewizja Polska (TVP), Polish Radio and the Polish Press Agency (PAP). Subsequently, the Minister of Culture, Bartłomiej Sienkiewicz, placed the public media companies into liquidation. According to the government, these actions were necessary to restore impartiality, pluralism, objectivity and professional standards in public broadcasting after years of political influence. However, the process triggered a major legal and political conflict with opposition parties and the National Broadcasting Council, which questioned the legality of the reforms and accused the government of exceeding its competences. The replacement of management boards and the liquidation of public media companies sparked a broader debate on the fragility of governance mechanisms designed to protect public media from political influence. The ongoing institutional and legal conflict also revealed deep political divisions concerning the understanding of media independence, public accountability and the role of the state in shaping the public sphere. As a result, the governance and future institutional model of public media remain subjects of ongoing political and legal dispute.
Despite the dynamic development of broadband infrastructure and Internet accessibility in recent years, Poland still faces the problem of digital exclusion, especially among elderly people, inhabitants of rural areas and groups with lower digital competences. Regional inequalities in access to high-quality digital infrastructure persist, although the gap between Poland and the EU average has significantly decreased due to large-scale investments supported by European funds and national digitalisation programmes. Current challenges concern not only infrastructure, but also the development of digital skills, media literacy and critical competences necessary for conscious and creative participation in digital culture and online communication. Media education remains an important issue, particularly in the context of disinformation, artificial intelligence and the growing role of digital platforms in cultural participation.
Last update: July, 2026
The official national language is Polish. The national interest in protecting the Polish language was expressed through the adoption of The Polish Language Act in 1999 (see also chapter 4.1.8).
The Polish education system guarantees the right to learn minority languages as mother tongues, since a Decree of the Ministry of National Education and Sport on 3 December 2002. Learning a minority language or being taught in a minority language is available at all levels of education and is organised by school directors at the request of parents or legal guardians of a pupil (for older youth - at the request of the student). A minimum of seven pupils is required at primary level to hold a class in a minority language, and fourteen students at secondary level. Minority language teaching is financed from the state budget. National and ethnic minorities and the Kashubian community benefit from increased educational subsidies in accordance with a Decree of the Minister of National Education and Sport from 21 December 2006, on the allocation of the overall education subsidy to local governments in 2007.
On 12 February 2009, Poland ratified the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. The Convention entered into force on 1st June 2009.
In recent years, questions concerning minority and regional languages have remained present in public debate, particularly in relation to the status of the Silesian language, the financing of minority-language education and the protection of cultural rights of national and ethnic minorities. Discussions concerning multilingual education and intercultural integration also intensified after 2022 in connection with increased migration and the arrival of refugees from Ukraine. Particular projects focused on sustaining minority traditions and languages are financially supported by the Ministry of Culture, for example the publication of periodicals.
Last update: July, 2026
According to the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE), Poland scored 57.8 points out of 100 in the Gender Equality Index 2025, ranking 19th among EU member states. Since 2015, Poland’s score increased by 7.4 points, including an increase of 5.9 points since 2020. The improvement was driven mainly by changes in the domains of power and money. Despite this progress, Poland still performs below the EU average, and the distance from the EU mean remains visible in several dimensions of gender equality.
The Constitution of the Republic of Poland treats equal rights of men and women and the prohibition of gender discrimination in Article 33.
At the national level, equality and anti-discrimination principles are regulated primarily through constitutional provisions, labour law and European Union legislation. In recent years, questions concerning gender equality, inclusiveness and anti-discrimination policies became more visible in public debate, including within the cultural and educational sectors.
The representation of women in political institutions and public administration has gradually increased in recent years, although gender imbalance remains visible in many decision-making structures. After the parliamentary elections of 2023, the participation of women in government and public institutions became more visible than in previous administrations. In the cultural sector, women increasingly occupy leadership positions in museums, cultural institutions, academia and the creative industries, although structural inequalities remain an important subject of debate.
There are no quota schemes and most cultural institutions are managed by men, which is in line with the general trend in Poland and in Europe. Among the lower rank cultural professions, although, there is a relatively high degree of feminisation.
Economic inequalities remain an important issue in Poland. The gender pay gap and differences in pension levels continue to affect women’s economic security, particularly in sectors characterised by unstable and project-based employment. According to recent EIGE data, the average pension received by men in Poland is approximately 15% higher than that received by women, although this gap has decreased by 5 percentage points since 2015. In the cultural and creative sectors, public debate increasingly concerns equal access to leadership positions, visibility of women artists and creators, work-life balance and protection against discrimination and harassment in cultural institutions.
Questions concerning women’s rights, reproductive rights and gender equality became highly visible in Polish public debate after 2020 and continue to influence social and cultural discussions. Cultural institutions, artists and NGOs frequently engage with themes related to equality, discrimination, identity and social justice through exhibitions, performances, educational projects and public debate
Last update: July, 2026
The Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage runs the "Accessible Culture" grant programme. The strategic goal of the programme is to support facilitating access to culture, aimed at a wide audience and favouring social integration. These activities should serve to achieve real, systemic and long-term effects in eliminating barriers to access to culture in the following dimensions: spatial, economic, socio-mental and competence, with particular emphasis on the needs of people from localities deprived of direct access to cultural goods and people with special needs, including disabled people.
Third sector organisations play a significant role in facilitating access to culture for disabled people. It is impossible to list all the events and organizations involved in facilitating access to culture for people with disabilities. Foundations such as the Foundation of Culture Without Barriers prepare and disseminate cultural events, texts, movies etc. to people with disabilities. Various cultural outings are organised by the No Barriers Foundation, which also checks the accessibility of cultural institutions for people with disabilities. The Full Culture Foundation is involved in organising events for people with disabilities, such as the Week of People With Disabilities, fairs and picnics.
Last update: July, 2026
There are thirteen national and ethnic minorities recognised by Polish law. They constitute between 3 and 4% of the Polish population. According to the Act on National and Ethnic Minorities and on the Regional Language, Poland officially recognises nine national minorities (Belarusian, Czech, Lithuanian, German, Armenian, Russian, Slovak, Ukrainian and Jewish minorities), four ethnic minorities (Karaim, Lemko, Roma and Tatar communities) and the Kashubian community using a regional language. In addition, some areas of Pomorskie voivoideship are inhabited by the Kashubian community, speaking the regional language. Polish law defines in detail the rights of national and ethnic minorities.
Article 35 of the Polish Constitution ensures that national and ethnic minorities retain freedom to practice their own traditions and customs, and to use their national language.
The National and Ethnic Minorities and Regional Languages Act was adopted by the Polish Parliament on 6th January 2005. This is the first legal document that gives a precise definition of national and ethnic minorities in Poland. This Act describes "national minorities" as those groups who identify themselves with an established country/nation i.e., Germans, Ukrainians, Jews etc. It also defines "ethnic minorities" as those who do not have their own country – those who are state-less such as the Roma people. Other points of the legal definition are common for both types of minorities.
Public debate concerning minority rights increasingly includes questions related to migration, integration and the status of newer migrant communities. Discussions concern the limits of the current legal framework, which is based primarily on historical minorities traditionally present on the territory of Poland. Since 2022, issues related to the integration of refugees and migrants, especially from Ukraine, became more visible in social, educational and cultural policies. After the outbreak of the war, Poland introduced a special law (“special act”) concerning Ukrainian citizens fleeing the war. It granted broad rights to people who arrived in Poland from February 24, 2022 onward.
The main rights included: i.e. legal stay in Poland without the immediate need to obtain a visa or residence permit and Issuance of a PESEL number with UKR status.
Since 2022, Poland has also introduced measures aimed at the cultural and social inclusion of Ukrainians who arrived because of the war.
These measures included:
- Access to Polish schools and universities for Ukrainian children and students.
- Additional Polish language classes and integration programs.
- Employment support and vocational training to help Ukrainians enter the labor market.
- Psychological and social assistance for families affected by the war.
- Support from local governments, NGOs, and community organizations for integration into local communities.
- Access to cultural institutions, libraries, sports activities, and community events.
- Programs encouraging cooperation between Polish and Ukrainian communities to reduce discrimination and social exclusion.
Many cities in Poland created multicultural initiatives, including:
- intercultural assistants in schools,
- information points in Ukrainian,
- integration centers,
- free legal and administrative assistance.
The European Union also financed projects supporting the long-term integration of Ukrainian refugees into education, employment, healthcare, and public life.
Although many support mechanisms remain in place, after 2025–2026 some emergency measures began transitioning into regular migration and integration policies.
The German minority continues to maintain parliamentary representation and minority communities remain active primarily through local governments, cultural organisations and educational institutions. Other communities have their representatives in local governments. In a few communes in various regions of the country, German and Lithuanian obtained a status of "auxiliary languages" and public information is published both in Polish and German or Lithuanian.
Questions concerning equality, discrimination and the rights of minorities and LGBTQ+ communities remain important elements of public debate in Poland. In recent years, many controversial anti-LGBT resolutions adopted by local governments were withdrawn or lost practical significance following criticism from courts, civil society organisations, European institutions and changes in local political priorities. Contemporary discussions increasingly focus on anti-discrimination standards, social inclusion and the role of cultural and educational institutions in promoting democratic values and diversity.
Last update: July, 2026
There are concrete examples of the societal impact of arts initiatives:
The współKongres Kultury (Co-Congress of Culture)
The współKongres Kultury (Co-Congress of Culture) was a large-scale Polish cultural policy forum and civic initiative launched in 2024 by representatives of the cultural sector together with public institutions, including the Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage. The congress brought together artists, cultural workers, NGOs, academics, local governments, and public institutions to discuss the future of culture in Poland and the broader societal role of the arts. The Culture Co-Congress brought together over 3,500 participants.
The initiative focused strongly on the societal impact of arts and culture, addressing issues such as social cohesion, democracy, inequality, migration, climate change, education, labor conditions in the cultural sector, and public participation in culture. One of its key ideas was that culture should not function on the margins of society, but rather play an active role in shaping civic life, wellbeing, and social imagination.
Dance Congress
The Dance Congress organised by the Institute of Music and Dance became one of the important platforms for dialogue within the Polish dance sector. The discussions concerned not only artistic development, but also cultural education, institutional support, working conditions and the visibility of dance within cultural policy. During the meeting, great emphasis was placed on the benefits of dance for society and on how to strengthen its presence, both in politics and cultural education, and in the everyday life of every human being. Recent debates in the dance sector increasingly concern accessibility, social inclusion, mental health, sustainable working conditions and the international mobility of artists and performers.
Forum Narodowego Obserwatorium Kultury (NOK)
The Forum of the National Observatory of Culture (Narodowe Obserwatorium Kultury – NOK) became an important platform for discussion on evidence-based cultural policy in Poland. It brings together researchers, cultural practitioners, local governments and public institutions to discuss issues such as cultural participation, access to culture, digital transformation, sustainability and the social conditions of cultural work. Recent discussions increasingly focused on the long-term development of the cultural sector, the impact of artificial intelligence and the role of research and data in shaping cultural policy and cultural institutions.
Last update: July, 2026
The issue of sustainable development in culture has gained greater importance in Polish cultural policy after 2023, especially in the context of infrastructure investments, climate policy and energy transformation. Although culture is still rarely treated as a fully autonomous pillar of sustainable development at the national strategic level, the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage increasingly links cultural policy with questions of accessibility, territorial cohesion, environmental responsibility and energy efficiency.
The document Poland 2030, Third Wave of Modernity: The 'Long-term National Development Strategy contains, admittedly, provisions on “strengthening the role of civic, cultural and media education, economic education and education for sustainable development in school, and stimulating cooperation between schools and external institutions, for example entrepreneurs, local government, culture institutions or NGO’s. Both the increase in employment and, once the macroeconomic conditions have been sorted out, economic growth and modernisation of the entire economy are the most important levers of Polish development, both in the long-term perspective until 2030 and in the medium term - until 2020”.
However, attempts to implement the provisions of the Agenda 21 for Culture are visible mainly in regional and local development programmes, and this is mostly at the level of large and medium-sized cities. Strategies in the field of culture are mainly executive documents for the activities of cultural institutions and support for local creators and artists, and rarely locate culture as the fourth pillar of sustainable local development. Regardless of public legal solutions, there are many grassroots initiatives taken by cultural institutions or non-governmental organisations aimed at implementing sustainable development goals by 2030.
These include, for example, the following:
- Poland's first carbon calculator, which makes it possible to estimate the impact of cultural institutions or events and compensate for the carbon footprint through offsets activities;
- The establishment of the Green Events standard;
- The creation of the Code of Responsible Festivals - organisers of festivals and events created a document promoting responsible relations with the environment, festival community and neighbours;
- Environmental declaration of the Coalition of Summer Literary Festivals;
- "Exchange waste for cultural excursions" - a nationwide campaign to exchange waste for tickets to cultural institutions.
After 2023, sustainable development objectives became more visible in public investment programmes addressed to the cultural sector. The Ministry of Culture and National Heritage reported significant infrastructure allocations through the European Funds for Infrastructure, Climate and Environment programme (FEnIKS) and the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (KPO). These investments include the modernisation of cultural infrastructure, improvement of energy efficiency in public cultural institutions, accessibility measures for people with disabilities and support for local cultural centres in smaller towns and rural areas. Sustainable development in culture is therefore increasingly connected with climate adaptation, reduction of energy consumption, territorial inclusion and equal access to cultural services.
Last update: July, 2026
European Capital of Culture
On June 21st 2011, Wrocław was appointed as the European Capital of Culture for 2016. Five cities took part in the final selection (Gdańsk, Katowice, Lublin, Warszawa and Wrocław). The competition provoked a nationwide debate on local cultural policies and their directions. It also forced candidate cities into long-term planning in the field of culture.
Polish Capital of Culture
Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of Poland launched the “Polish Capital of Culture” programme to support cultural development and strengthen the role of cities as local centres of social and artistic life. The initiative was created following the competition for the title of European Capital of Culture 2029 and aims to promote cities with ambitious cultural programmes and strong community engagement. The title has been awarded to cities such as Bielsko-Biała (2026), Katowice together with the GZM Metropolis (2027), and Kołobrzeg (2028). As part of the programme, these cities organise special artistic, educational, and social initiatives.
Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement
The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement provoked a heated discussion about copyright. Although Bogdan Zdrojewski, Minister of Culture and National Heritage, stated that ratification of ACTA by Poland will not influence the existing legal system, it was met with great reluctance. The probability of signing the agreement by the Polish government resulted in a strong social support for the Anonymous Group among Polish Internet users, who feared restrictions on freedom of expression and other rights guaranteed by the Constitution of the Republic of Poland. There have been cases of virtual attacks on governmental websites. Numerous protests took place, of which the largest was held in Krakow, with about 15 000 protesters. During the vote in the European Parliament on ACTA, all Polish MEPs present at the vote spoke against it.
Smartphones Taxation
In 2014, Polish artists proposed to producers of smartphones and tablets to introduce a tax on mobile devices. Their main slogan was "Do not kill us!". Collective Management Organisations of Copyright wanted to add the smartphones and tablets to the list of so-called "blank discs". These are the media devices in which price includes the fee, which goes to organisations of copyright administration. The idea has not been positively received neither by producers of electronics nor by the Ministry of Culture. However, in its communication the Ministry of Culture emphasised that the system of charges on blank discs and electronic devices needs to be updated. In 2020, the debate on "blank discs" was resumed due to the ongoing work on the act on the rights of the professional artist. The reprographic fee is supposed to be one of the ways of financing this project.
After 2023, the debate on the reprographic fee system returned as part of broader discussions on copyright reform, creators’ remuneration and the financing of social protection mechanisms for artists. In 2025 and 2026, the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage prepared and adopted a long-awaited amendment updating the list of devices covered by reprographic fees for the first time in more than fifteen years. The reform replaced outdated analogue technologies, such as VHS recorders and cassette tapes, with contemporary digital devices commonly used for storing and reproducing cultural content, including smartphones, tablets, laptops and smart televisions.