What is the attitude of major Łódź cultural institutions’  representatives towards the attempts to win the title of the European Capital of Culture in 2016? In their opinion, what are the advantages and disadvantages of these activities? These two questions have been answered by Sławomir Fijałkowski, the chairman of Media Klaster; Mariusz Jachimek, the PR & Marketing Manager of the EC-1 project; Andrzej Sułek, the director of A. Rubinstein’s Concert Hall in Łódź; and Jarosław Suchan, the director of Łódź Art Museum.

Łódź is trying to win the European Capital of Culture 2016 title. How important for you are the present activities aimed at winning the title? What are their positive sides from the point of view of institutions like those you are representing?

Sławomir Fijałkowski, Media Klaster: This interrelation is hard to assess. Media Klaster is an opportunity for businesses, whereas ECC 2016 focuses more on PR for the city and region, strictly related to building an image of the city attractive for tourists. Łódź should be viewed as a city you can always come to so as to spend time in a nice and cultural way. There is a number of contact points between actions undertaken by Media Klaster and activities aimed at winning the ECC 2016 title. On the one hand, we need to create the basis for creative, culturally attractive undertakings through, for instance, communication and data transfer. On the other hand, which is related more to the industry of culture, an important common denominator appears in creativity and artistic actions in the area of TV productions, events and multimedia. From this standpoint, Łódź attempts to win the ECC 2016 title are definitely significant. They can activate the discovery of new forms and contents which are vital for building the image of our city as a modern and creative place on the map of Europe.


Mariusz Jachimek, EC-1: We see all culture related activities in terms of something good for our project – we need to remember that culture will take up as much as 30 hectares of the New Łódź Center. The special Culture Zone will include several buildings with head-offices of institutions, associations and foundations carrying our cultural projects.  All the activities, aimed at Łódź winning the ECC 2016 title, result also in the fact that they themselves and Łódź as a city are widely discussed. It is a very positive aspect. This aspect is crucially important for us, too – it is much easier to promote an art based project in a city that does its best to develop culture.

Andrzej Sułek, A. Rubinstein’s Concert Hall: Łódź attempts should be viewed in terms of a long-term goal determining cultural policies of the local government. We have a friendly climate for cultural initiatives, with Łódź Concert Hall becoming one of the places needed to reach the goal.  It is one of these rare moments when the importance of culture is rising, becoming a priority issue on the authorities’ agenda. For us it is both a test and inspiration. The most significant advantage resulting from Łódź attempts to win the ECC 2016 title is the mobilization of art circles and the change of thinking patterns in regard to the role of culture in life of a city. The project publicity motivates Łódź residents to be active in cultural projects.

Jarosław Suchan, Art Museum: The Art Museum, with its unusual history, great collections and international prestige, is definitely one of the most important trumpets for the city. Provided that we support its development, the museum will surely pay us back, reinforcing the position of the city in its attempts to win the ECC 2016 title.


Are there any disadvantages of the attempts?

Sławomir Fijałkowski, Media Klaster: I must say I can’t see any right now. One might be afraid, though, that there will be people trying to benefit from the privileged position in executing the ECC 2016 projects. We all know the funds are limited. I think public spending on best ideas should be much more discussed.

Mariusz Jachimek, EC-1: At first there was no coordination with our institution, but the situation is much better now.

Andrzej Sułek, A. Rubinstein’s Concert Hall: It’s hard to talk about faults of such actions. Right now we are waiting for the strategy to which we will be able to refer. Such a strategy will allow for performing coherent actions by different institutions and circles involved in the cultural life of the city. We hope it’s created really soon.

Do you think Łódź has a chance to win the title?

Sławomir Fijałkowski, Media Klaster: If we didn’t, our attempts would make no sense. There is a number of epoch-making projects, such as the construction of a new cultural center for Łódź - Special EC1 Art Zone  - which can bring invaluable benefits for the city, helping us a lot in this competition. Łódź is a very attractive place in the center of Poland. The history of this great town is based on multi-cultural activities.  It boasts of film, music, artistic, and avant-garde traditions incomparable with other Polish cities. I think we are just unable to sell it properly. I hope that our attempts to win the ECC 2016 title will put in order and classify the most attractive axioms of our city and region, which, in the future, will influence the identification of the residents. I hope the residents of Łódź will finally be proud of where they live.

Mariusz Jachimek, EC-1: Of course Łódź has a chance to win the title. It’s not going to be easy, particularly with all the competitors at our heels. I think we are all able to notice the positive change in regard to the number and quality of cultural events in Łódź. If we manage to retain this new tendency and think about all the events related to EC1, the New Center of Łódź (particularly the Special Art Zone, Energopolis or the Festival-Congress Center), we will definitely witness a very interesting ECC 2016 race. Moreover, I think that all the candidates appreciate the essence of competition itself. Obviously, it is quite important which city will win the ECC 2016 title, but equally significant is the fact that all institutions, projects and events, taking place until the verdict is announced, will surely increase the cultural quality of Łódź residents’ lives.

Andrzej Sułek, A. Rubinstein’s Concert Hall: Absolutely. Łódź is the best candidate.

Jarosław Suchan, Art Museum: I strongly believe Łódź stands a great chance of winning the ECC title. It is a city with a great potential, full of exceptional cultural heritage. It is an incomparable, avant-garde and multi-cultural place. The most important creators of constructivist avant-garde were working here: Władysław Strzemiñski and Katarzyna Kobro. Here’s where the Film Form Workshop came into being, a place bringing together pioneers of new media art. Here’s where the most interesting artistic counter-culture was growing in the 1980s. It was also in Łódź where one of the most important artistic events in the 1980s took place – the Construction in Process (1981), and finally, it was in Łódź where one of the first modern art museums (our Art Museum) was born. Our great history constitutes tremendous symbolic capital. If we manage it correctly, we can really gain a lot. Łódź is exceptionally energetic, we must use this energy in a proper way – the way our avant-garde ancestors did – and we will be the cultural capital of Europe. Not only in 2016.


Museum of Art ms2


What sort of influence can the ECC 2016 attempts exert on your institutions?

Mariusz Jachimek, EC-1: As I mentioned earlier, I think it’s a two way process. The actions aimed at winning the title are surely positively influencing our project, but also our activeness regarding the Special Culture Zone as part of the New Center of Łódź will make some impression on the Łódź title attempts.

Andrzej Sułek, A. Rubinstein’s Concert Hall: This good climate, that I’ve mentioned, and our mutual goal let us think about the Concert Hall in terms of an institution characterized by European artistic dimensions. Besides, when creating ECC cultural projects, we must think long-term, we must picture our victory bearing fruit long after 2016. We have a chance of a lifetime to plan special events which will increase our chances to win the title, and which will be remembered for a very long period of time.
Is it possible for the attempts to win the title to influence the development of institutions and companies belonging to Klaster?

Sławomir Fijałkowski, Media Klaster: I think that most companies and institutions working in the culture industry can see quite clearly the benefits of taking part in the ECC 2016 competition. Klaster members get provided with all the information they need with regards to possibilities offered by Klaster, and they show their interest themselves. As always, we need new ideas all the time. Klaster is an opportunity, ECC 2016 a challenge. If we manage to identify real customer needs and company benefits – such as: own undertakings, new media projects, new jobs – we can expect a very interesting symbiosis of a fantastic idea with purposeful, successful and innovative activities.