Saturday, November 9, 2013

Anna Danilewicz comes from North-Eastern Poland, from Białystok. She is a head of the Department of Education and Organization of Exhibitions in the Army Museum in Bialystok. Previously she worked in the Drama Theatre and for the biggest newspaper in Podlasie region (GazetaWspolczesna) as a journalist. Besides official positions, she has cooperated with plenty of associations and independent projects:

- as a coach – during the summer theatrical workshops for youths in editions 2009, 2010, 2011 in a section of journalism and writing about the theatre; she was also one of workshop leaders in International Borderland Summer School in Krasnogruda (2012, 2013) and in Visegrad Summer School (2013)
- as a coordinator of interdisciplinary projects – she can list as the most exciting ones: Cultural Bridges, Bialystok CALM: Life Mission, HIT History and Theatre, Backpack History. All projects were realised in cooperation between various cultural and social institutions and non-government organizations, like: ENGRAM Association (dance, street art), Salesian Mission Centre, Centre of Emergency Care and Education, Drama Theatre, Theatre of Kolegtyw Association and in partnerships with independent artist (break dancer, graffiters, actors, singers, directors, graphic designers, film-makers).
- as a journalist – she still cooperates with some media.

She graduated from Bialystok University (MA in Polish Philology with educational specialization) and she has continued professional development through the series of trainings, such as: European Diploma in Cultural Project Management (2011-2012), International Seminary for Cultural Operators (2011, certificated consultant for strategic planning) and other related to free licences, copyrights, Creative Commons, open culture & education. Recently – she is a fellow of the Scholarship of the Minister of Culture in the field of cultural management.

Her current cultural obsessions are connected with three areas: accessibility, openness and participatory approach. She endeavours to create new ways of communication with participants of cultural actions, on the base of local community oriented projects. One of the main ways of implementation that she sees the cultural education, understood as an education for culture, not about culture.

In Tbilisi, in collaboration with GeoAIR Ana implemented a workshop called - Participation VS Participatory: city dwellers and urban interventions. 

Participatory - this could be just another trendy word or idea. These days, artists, activists and cultural managers often refer to it. However, there often seems to be confusion on whether a project is done about or with communities. Ever wondered what the difference is between participation & participatory? This workshop brought together people interested in participatory cultural projects, especially in urban realms (case studied - Tbilisi) and discussed what is “participatory” and why it might be important. Interactive activities were followed by presentations of guest speakers (Tamara Bokuchava, Katharina Stadler, Lela Ninoshvili) and the approach was discussed in relation with their projects as well. In the end, participants summed up ideas and came up with their own participatory project proposals concerning urban sphere. 

Anna Danilewicz’s visit was implemented under the scholarship from the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, Poland.

This workshop was realised in the frame of the EU project SPACES.

This project was funded by the European Union through the Eastern Partnership Culture Programme.