premiere of the reportage and urban integration at the Tło Gallery in Katowice

The audio reportage, “City-feeling,” is an audio portrait of social and cultural activists in Silesia. The experience of the pandemic, the ongoing war in Ukraine, and the experience of non-war, provokes a redefinition of culture in times of constant crises. Its new face is presented by friendly collectives, grassroots neighborhood initiatives, and non-governmental organizations.

Outside of the institutional context, they build the region’s identity, explore its identity, create spaces for local artists, and meet the district’s expectations. The participants emphasize that they are not concerned with their own interests, but with serving as a backdrop—a sense of the city. In this approach, there is no competition, because the goal is shared: locality, agency, and ultimately—change. Participants in the reportage include the “Pralnia” collective, the Kurka Wodna Association, the Tło Gallery collective, the Antyrama Foundation, and the Space for the Development of Local Initiatives – Szałfynster “Szał.”

Below, I recall the collective listening session at the Tło Gallery. Thank you all so much for showing up in such large numbers, both with your ears and feet. For the party, the conversations, and the postings on the neighborhood noticeboard. Below, I’ve listed the city’s desires and requests, expressed in marker. What will become of them?

“IMMEDIATELY NEEDED:

• a place where young people (school kids?) can hang out [FREE],
• I need a place free from the police,
• a party to dance to something more experimental than the current club scene in the city,
• bookings (of musicians) from abroad,
• there are no club cafes (culture-creating gastropubs; places to hold a concert),
• community-based, grassroots activity, we don’t organize enough, we’ve given everything to institutions,
• art galleries (we want more!),
• activism! People don’t want to protest, many things are apolitical,
• cultural continuity!
• a chronicle of Silesian industrialism,
• events during the week, not just on weekends,
• cafes (right now) to click on,
• empathy and honesty – cooperation
• POLAND??
• the power of the provinces!”