Sources, spaces, resilience. Wrocław at the 6th Kulturforum in Berlin
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From 3 to 5 July, representatives from the cultural communities of Berlin, Wrocław and Poznań met at the Europäische Akademie Berlin during the sixth edition of the Kulturforum. The three days of study visits, discussions and presentations were held under the motto ‘Ressourcen – Räume – Resilienz’, meaning ‘Resources – Spaces – Resilience’.
Kulturforum is a platform for exchanging experiences among people working in the fields of art, culture, education, and the media in partner cities. The project grew out of a network of contacts built around Kulturzug – the Culture Train, launched in 2016 as part of Wrocław’s European Capital of Culture celebrations. For ten years, the connection between Berlin and Wrocław has been not only a means of transport but also a mobile space for concerts, discussions, workshops and Polish-German exchange. The five previous editions of Kulturforum have developed this collaboration, enabling those involved in the cultural sector to present projects, exchange experiences and forge contacts across borders.
The sixth edition focused on the question of how culture can strengthen social resilience in times of change, respond to the needs of residents, and support the open and participatory shaping of urban space. Wrocław was represented at the Berlin meeting by Aleksandra Pierścińska-Lichwa, Deputy Director of the Office for International Cooperation at Wrocław City Council; Jutrzenka Duchowska and Kuba Żary from the Wrocław Institute of Culture; and individuals selected through an open call: Igor Patryas (Krupa Art Foundation), Kalina Radomska (the Brednie collective), Kamil Kawalec (the ‘Zakład’ magazine), Klaudia Juzyszyn (the Wrocław Contemporary Museum) and Przemysław Furdak (the Układ Formalny Theatre). The diverse composition of the delegation made it possible to present the perspectives of not only institutions but also independent organisations and artistic collectives.
Culture from different perspectives
The Kulturforum programme combined an exploration of Berlin’s cultural practices with a presentation of the experiences of the three cities and a discussion on potential areas of cooperation. On the very first evening, participants were able to explore art that exists outside the walls of institutions by attending selected events at the 48 Stunden Neukölln festival – one of Berlin’s largest independently organised festivals taking place in the eponymous district.
An important part of the meeting was Saturday’s study visits, during which Berlin served as a starting point for discussions on institutional transformation, the city’s collective memory, public art and local spaces for dialogue. One group visited Fotografiska, housed in the former Tacheles art centre, and the Flussbad Berlin project, which is linked to the idea of reopening the river for the benefit of the city’s residents. Another group took part in guided tours of the Jewish Museum and the Urban Nation Museum‘s anniversary exhibition, where they explored the relationships between architecture, history and urban art. The third tour took the form of a walk and discussions at the Zur schwankenden Weltkugel bookshop and the Kulturbrauerei complex. Its theme was places of literature and neighbourhood culture as spaces for debate, responding to social and political changes. All groups then met at the Pilecki Institute for a discussion on ways of linking history with reflections on the present and the future.
The insights gained from the city were contrasted with a broader reflection on the role of culture in the development of contemporary metropolises during an open meeting held at the Europäische Akademie Berlin. The introductory lecture was delivered by Bernd M. Scherer, a philosopher and long-standing director of the Haus der Kulturen der Welt – and it focused on international cooperation as a resource for cities, a tool not only for the exchange of knowledge but also for developing new ways of responding to crises and social change. Matthias Lilienthal – a dramaturg and theatre maker who took over as artistic director of the Berliner Volksbühne in 2026 – discussed Berlin’s transformations and possible contemporary theatre responses with the participants. A further session, focusing on the role of art outside the realm of the media and digital representations, was presented by political scientist and philosopher Bartosz Hordecki from Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań. The programme was rounded off artistically by a meet-the-author session with the German-Polish writer Dorota Danielewicz and a concert by the Berlin-based Palestinian singer Rashy Nahas.
Sharing experiences, forming connections
Presentations of projects from Wrocław, Berlin and Poznań were also a key element of the forum. Representatives from the three cities outlined their activities, the working methods they employ and the challenges specific to their local cultural scenes. This ‘pitching’ format not only allowed participants to learn about specific projects, but also to quickly identify common themes and potential areas for collaboration. The Berlin meeting culminated in a discussion on Sunday, during which participants summarised the key takeaways from the visits, lectures and presentations. This session also had a very concrete and practical dimension: it served as a platform for exchanging ideas, seeking partners and preliminary planning of joint activities between organisations and individuals from Berlin, Wrocław and Poznań.
The Berlin meeting marked the start of an exchange process – its continuation is also planned in Wrocław and Poznań. Kulturforum thus remains not only a place for presenting completed projects, but above all a space for building relationships from which further joint activities can emerge.
The meeting was hosted by the Europäische Akademie Berlin, with the Jeżyckie Centrum Kultury acting as the co-organiser from Poznań. The Wrocław City Council and the Wrocław Institute of Culture were responsible for co-organising the event on the Wrocław side. The project was carried out with the support of the Berlin Senate Chancellery.
