The International Cultural Centre in Krakow was founded in 1991 under the auspices of the Conference for Security and Cooperation in Europe (the present-day OSCE) to promote international dialogue in relation to the protection of cultural heritage. The Centre today organises a large number of academic, educational and cultural events throughout the year. Its event debut was the very first European Month of Culture in 1992.
1 km2 of new space
The Centre, located on Rynek Glówny, the main market square of Krakow's UNESCO-listed old town, has been undergoing a comprehensive renovation programme since 1998. A €1.79 million grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway allows the centre to complete these works. The ongoing upgrade of the centre`s annex will create 975 square meters of new space, which will enable the Centre to expand its educational and research activities and also host exhibitions of larger artefacts and art installations. Additional exhibition room will be created by covering the area between the front building and the annex with a glass roof. A new lift will make the Centre accessible for the disabled.
Comprehensive outreach programme
The Centre is part of the Anna Lindh Euro-Mediterranean Foundation for the Dialogue between Cultures. It takes great pride in taking a broad approach to the field of culture, and integrates academic research, educational programmes and outreach activities such as art exhibitions and other cultural events. It organises international conferences and summer courses as well as post-graduate studies in cultural heritage management. The Centre has a separate gallery hosting art exhibitions, which attract a large number of tourists every year, as well as a publishing department that has published more than 150 exhibition catalogues, research papers and yearbooks, many of them bilingual.
The International Cultural Centre in Krakow is cooperating with the Norwegian Directorate of Cultural Heritage (Riksantikvaren) on a research project on the management of UNESCO-listed world heritage sites in Norway and Poland. The project is supported by a grant of PLN 550 000 from the EEA and Norway Grants' Polish Cultural Exchange Fund.
High concentration of EEA and Norway Grants projects
The Centre is literally situated a stone's throw from several other EEA and Norway Grants renovation and restoration projects. At the very same market square stands the Sukiennice, or the Medieval Cloth Hall, home of the Gallery of 19th century Polish Art of the National Museum in Krakow, which is undergoing a major upgrade thanks to €5.2 million in support from the Norway Grants. In the immediate vicinity one also finds the 3 buildings being renovated through the Jesuit Pearls project.
Photo: Royal Norwegian Embassy, Warsaw.