Key Data on the State of Culture in Poland
The report “Assessment of the State of Culture in Poland 2026” prepared in collaboration with experts, aims to present the latest data on the state of culture in Poland, as well as new phenomena and trends, while also offering a reflection on the changes needed in this field. The urgent need to compile up-to-date knowledge on the cultural sector into a single document arose in connection with work on a strategy for the development of culture and its various areas. The document, produced as part of the activities of the National Observatory of Culture (NOK), highlights the return of audiences, the sector’s enormous social and economic potential, as well as the legal and organizational challenges requiring modernization.
In addition to the ICC, 12 state and sector-specific cultural institutions were invited to contribute to the report, including the National Institute of Museums, the National Heritage Institute, the Zbigniew Raszewski Theatre Institute, the Fryderyk Chopin Institute, the National Institute of Music and Dance, the National Library, the Book Institute, the Ujazdowski Castle Centre for Contemporary Art, the Polish Film Institute, the Creative Industries Institute and the Adam Mickiewicz Institute.
For the first time, a single study has compiled and integrated unique data held by specialized national institutes—ranging from museums, theater, and music, through the book market, heritage, cinema and the visual arts, to dance, the creative industries, and the presence of Polish culture abroad.
ICC on the Potential of Cultural Heritage
ICC prepared the section of the report titled “Polish Cultural Heritage in Dialogue with Poland’s Neighbors and the World”. It was authored by Agata Wąsowska-Pawlik, Dr. Michał Wiśniewski and Ewa Wojtoń. In their analysis, they noted that promoting Polish cultural heritage abroad is a vital national interest. They emphasized the importance of tangible heritage as one of the main reasons for visiting specific countries or places, as well as a space for dialogue and image-building. In the article, they presented the most important institutional initiatives through which the cultural heritage sector’s potential for promoting Poland can be better harnessed. They devoted particular attention to tangible heritage as the primary tool for tourism development, as well as to initiatives in the field of historical policy at the international level.
Key Initiatives Related to the Study and Promotion of Cultural Heritage
An article prepared by the International Cultural Centre highlights the importance of numerous Polish and European initiatives that could be utilized more effectively in promoting and researching Polish cultural heritage. Among others, it mentions the UNESCO World Heritage List of cultural and natural sites, the “Memory of the World” program, sites honored with the European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards, involvement in the European Museum Forum, the Council of Europe’s cultural routes, the concept of the European Capital of Culture, and the activities of national cultural institutions engaged in promoting cultural heritage abroad and in fostering dialogue on heritage and history. Among them were, for example, the Adam Mickiewicz Institute, the National Centre for Culture, the European Network Remembrance and Solidarity, the POLONIKA National Institute of Polish Cultural Heritage Abroad, the Mieroszewski Centre and the ICC itself.
Recommendations prepared by the ICC team
Among the ICC team’s recommendations regarding state policy on cultural heritage were, among others, systemic support for sites inscribed on UNESCO lists or the “Memory of the World” program, and encouraging Polish cultural institutions to engage in international cooperation, including with regard to shaping narratives and policies concerning memory. Our experts also emphasized the need to create joint platforms for establishing international cooperation in the implementation of research and outreach projects.
Agata Wąsowska-Pawlik, Ewa Wojtoń and Dr. Michał Wiśniewski also highlighted the need for greater engagement and active participation by Polish experts in the work of international organizations active in the field of cultural heritage, such as UNESCO, ICOMOS, ICOM, the European Museum Forum, NEMO and Europa Nostra. They also cited the development of standardized guides and websites dedicated to various areas of tangible and intangible heritage in Poland as an important element.
The ICC’s Cooperation with Organizations Dedicated to World Heritage
The International Cultural Centre actively contributes to the international debate on cultural heritage by combining academic research with institutional practice. Our institution is an associate member of Europa Nostra. In 1995, the ICC organised the Europa Nostra Congress, which took place in Central Europe for the first time following the political changes; between 2013 and 2015, the ICC, under the auspices of Europa Nostra, co-authored the report “Cultural Heritage Counts for Europe”; and between 2019 and 2021, it co-developed the ILUCIDARE project. The ICC is also a partner in European Heritage Hub project. Representatives of our institution are actively involved in the organisation’s activities.