Art and Culture

Art and Culture - A green city has a greater number of art galleries than shopping malls and provides more opportunities for active creativity than for passive observation and consumption.

A vibrant cultural life makes a city attractive, integrates its citizens and draws in visitors. That is why art and culture is one of the best investments into a city’s sustainable development – a green investment which provides returns in the form of growing social capital and economic development.The city’s authorities should therefore pay no less attention to cultural politics than to infrastructural investments.

The cultural attractions on offer in an open city should be diverse in form and content so as to meet varied tastes and needs. A variety of cultural events: ambitious high-culture and popular mass culture events, grassroots initiatives and prestigious international festivals create cultural diversity making the city vibrant with life.

It is also important that the authorities of the green city protect artistic freedom of speech. Art should not be censored or aligned with the current political agenda or adjusted to the tastes of those in power.

Artistic activities in the city play another important role: they are a tool for breaking down social barriers, fighting xenophobia and homophobia and preventing social disparity. Graffiti workshops, low cost theatre tickets for the unemployed and theatre plays involving homeless persons as actors are examples of activities which would allow for the inclusion of those normally excluded from society.

Did You Know?
Le Madame gallery, one of Warsaw’s most active centres for independent art as well as political and civic activity, was closed down in 2006 by the then President of Warsaw and current President of Poland, Lech Kaczynski. Regular events included meetings organised by feminist and anti-war groups, debates organised by the Green party and theatre plays touching on the issues of minority groups. It is unclear which of these activities were found most offensive by the right wing authorities. The building’s brutal eviction was preceded by a sit-down protest involving hundreds of people and lasting several days. The protest was supported by artists, politicians and non-governmental organisations. The actor John Malkovich also visited Le Madame and supported the protest.