Biuro no.19: Glossary of Institutions

The latest issue of “Biuro” magazine, conceived within the framework of the Common Aspirations Office programme, was devoted to cultural institutions.

This time the periodical, published by BWA Wrocław Galleries of Contemporary Art, had the form of a glossary consisting of over a hundred and twenty entries selected by a dozen or so people who had got on the train, travelled together and then spent two days in Wrocław arguing about key concerns for the future of the cultural community.  

The work on the publication began in Polish National Railways’ conference coach. The journey was symbolic – it represented movement forward and change necessary in thinking about cultural institutions, their purpose, accessibility, visibility and involvement in public matters, flexible forms and models of financing, acting and reacting to challenges that the cultural sector is facing: precarity, exclusion, crisis of authority, cultural education, and finally – necessity to adopt a responsible position on the threat of global climate change and its catastrophic consequences. Those were the subject matters discussed by the participants during the train journey. 

The glossary resulting from the discussion includes a catalogue of observations on the state of affairs, as well as suggestions for its change. It also features practical advice, guidelines and points for reflection aimed at all those interested in organizing and running events connected with art. 

The publication (in Polish) is distributed free of charge. For more detail, visit:

Editor-in-chief: Anna Mituś 

Issue editor: Maryna Tomaszewska 

Authors: 

Yuriy Biley, Maciej Bujko, Maja Demska, Dominika Drozdowska, Marta Gendera, Marek Krajewski, Marika Kuźmicz, Berenika Nikodemska, Marcin Polak, Arkadiusz Półtorak, Bartosz Przybył-Ołowski, Dawid Radziszewski, Katarzyna Roj, Jan Sowa, Joanna Stembalska, Joanna Synowiec, Ewa Tatar, Aleksy Wójtowicz, Szymon Żydek 

Editorial office: Patrycja Ścisłowska 

Graphic design: Renata Motyka 

Copy editing: Marcin Grabski (mesem.pl) 

Print: KID Sp. z o.o. 

Biuro – BWA Wrocław magazine 

Issue 19 (1/2021) 

ISSN 2081-2434 

The activity was part of the project Common Aspirations Office. Co-financed by the Ministry of Culture, National Heritage and Sport, Culture Promotion Fund. Co-financed by the Municipality of Wrocław.