PiS, that is the Zjednoczona Prawica (United Right) introduced an anti-democratic model of culture. Stripping local and regional governments of public funds coming from taxation, it curbed their ability to finance local culture, while only offering subsidies and protection to those institutions and directors who proved a misguided loyalty to the right-wing government.

Those retaining independence were subjected to economic censorship and bullying at levels even as high as the programmes of the Ministry of Culture.

Public media were turned into loudhailers for party hatred and misguided ideals of patriotism, which were to be implemented by numerous newly established institutions run on huge budgets by directors installed on those cushy jobs through partisan connections.

The attempt to introduce Law on the Artist failed because, as the government believed, it could strengthen oppositional circles. Meanwhile, the spending on culture was pumped up by 100 percent to unprecedented levels.

Participants in the debate will discuss the ways to change the anti-democratic model of cultural management, so as to avoid repeating the mistake of excluding communities with different views.

Participants: Magdalena Sroka, Dominika Kawalerowicz, Katarzyna Janowska, Michał Merczyński, Paweł Potoroczyn

Host: Jacek Cieślak