Arts & International Affairs: Vol. 4, No. 2, Autumn 2019 | Page 27

ARTS & INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
If this was the case, these inequalities could be counteracted�and this is the role of
public authorities.
6. The city is a cultural and business metropolis; however, critics point out that culture
is often commercialised and instrumentalised in these plans. How would you respond to
that criticism?
First and foremost, continental Europe is characterised by public cultural patronage.
Second, cultural institutions retain their freedom and artistic independence. My experience
tells me that if these two conditions are met, the claims of commercialisation can
be refuted. However, I would like to add that I see nothing wrong with commercial entertainment.
This is a need that can and should be satisfied.
Yet what drives development in both personal and social terms is high culture, which,
on the one hand, should be subsidised and, on the other, which I tend to emphasise,
should remain free and independent. Freedom and independence of artistic expression
are, therefore, an essential part of my answer to this question. Life, of course, brings all
kinds of tension with it. The paradigm of artistic freedom is, however, a principle that
must not be disregarded.
I have had an occasion to experience it strongly and let us say in a “vibrant” style annually
on the 1 st of May at Wroclaw Market Square when several thousand guitarists were
performing together the Jimmy Hendrix’s “Hey Joe” piece. Recently, the number of guitarists
performing on acoustic and electric instruments was almost 8,000. By the way,
the student and youth culture are quite significant elements of the Wroclaw panorama.
We are both young and academic city. Young people are both customers and creative
participants of culture. Thus, the programme of the European Capital of Culture actively,
please note: actively! involved several tens of thousands of pupils from Wroclaw schools.
7. How is Wroclaw going to survive given the current Polish cultural policy, which does
not seem to be very open?
The policy implemented by the Polish government is flawed and even harmful in many
areas, including, among others, its anti-European dynamic, which involves invoking resentment.
In addition, the said policy is very archaic in nature. One could even say that
it is fit for the nineteenth century in a sense�however, that is a hardly positive assessment.
It is both national and bilateral. It does not understand supranational trends and
networking, which are far more important than bilateral relations. The historical and
cultural policies pursued by the Polish government are backwards, often simply false or
filled with lies.
If the political independence of local authorities is maintained, local cultural institutions
will be able to enjoy autonomy and freedom. However, if the freedom of culture and
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