The Bielsko Artistic Association Grodzki Theatre organized their second RESTORE round table in cooperation with the Municipal Public Library in Zdunska Wola (central Poland). The Library was responsible for recruiting participants and thanks to their vast contacts with relevant stakeholders, 34 persons participated in the event on May 11, 2022: https://bibliotekazdwola.pl/debata/ Participants included representatives of the municipal authorities together with the City Mayor and employees of the Social Policy Department, the director of the local Cultural Centre, Occupational Therapy Workshop staff, representatives of the NGO sector, art instructors and academics from the University of Lodz.
The debate on the recognition of the Social Theatre Operator as a distinct professional profile in Poland was conducted by Malgorzata Starzynska-Majsak, PhD in Theatre Studies. It was centered around the needs of the socially engaged art institutions and individuals, especially in the context of educational and training opportunities available for STOs nowadays. Many debaters were emphasizing the crucial role of experience in the daily work of STOs, gained not only through studies but most of all through job shadowing, internships and participation in various kinds of workshops. Also, the importance of cross-sectoral cooperation was mentioned as a way to solve the problems with financing culture.
The debate was preceded by the presentation of a short puppet play performed by visually impaired persons as an example of art supporting social change and integration. This performance was prepared as part of another Erasmus+ project run by Teatr Grodzki with a view to promote the use of arts and creativity in adult education: “STEP UP PROJECT
Establishment of a transnational network of adult education providers for the promotion of social inclusion of vulnerable groups” https://www.stepupart.eu/
Moreover, the Library held a presentation with lots of images of their rich cultural program for blind people.