Date: 25-27 September 2022
Place: Online and physical at The Baltic Sea Cultural Centre in Gdańsk, Poland
The final part of our international project “Creative Waves – Baltic Sisterhood for Change” will gather international experts that will discuss about female entrepreneurship and the importance of building supportive environments. The focus will be on practical aspects of turning passion into profession and consider how to use sisterhood, empathy and solidarity to strengthen society. Traditionally female activities (e.g. embroidery, jewellery making, herbalism) and their role in community building will serve as a point of departure for our meetings.
The event will conclude “Creative Waves – Baltic Sisterhood for Change”, the project co-organised in four countries of the Baltic Sea Region. As part of the project, experts in the field of new media and cultural activity taught women e.g. effective public presentation of one’s work and methods of professional use of digital tools for the development and sale of products. “Creative Waves” aimed at promoting female entrepreneurship, strengthening importance of active women in their environment and on the Internet, and at removing barriers between traditionally female activities and new technologies.
“Talks to Empower” is a three-day series of meetings and accompanying events: presentations, shows and workshops that will take place at the Baltic Sea Cultural Center in Gdańsk. On September 26th, the morning session held in English will be available online.
P R O G R A M M E
September 25th (Sunday)
14.00–18.00 “Make or Buy: Crafts on Display” – afternoon with crafts(and)women
Coordination: Agnieszka Domańska, Katarzyna Szewciów (BSCC)
During the Sunday warm-up we will meet artists and craftswomen from Pomorskie, Warmia and Mazury regions (Poland) and from Sweden. In the historic Old Town Hall they will present their creations and invite you to a series of micro-workshops and shows. This vibrant crafts fair will give everyone an opportunity to buy and/or try to make beautiful products of your own.
Participants: Ilona Dzierzęcka (Brushes with Love), Beata Grudziecka (Ceramika Malborska), Natalia Kovalyshyna (Ukrainian embroidery), Katarzyna Magierowska (with the team of The Culture Centre in Kwidzyn; embroidery from the Powiśle region), Olena Melnyk (brooches), Beata Nawrocka, Halina Rosa (halinarosadesign.se), Marta Shurpakova (punch needle), Magdalena Tkaczyk (Tkaczykowa), Wiesława Tokarska (jewlery), Natalia Załęska-Pyć (Płonka Podleśna).
The members of the Lalkowy and Zgorzałe Women’s Associations will take care of tasty food.
18.00-19.30 “How Passion Has Changed My Life?” – discussion with craftswomen
Participants: among others Katarzyna Magierowska (Kwidzyn/Poland), Beata Nawrocka (Sweden), Halina Rosa (Sweden), Wiesława Tokarska (Sweden), Lucyna Wachnicka (Sweden), Beata Grudziecka (Malbork/Poland)
Moderator: Magda Świerszczyńska-Dolot (Audionomia Foundation)
September 26th (Monday)
Morning session (10.00-13.00) will be held in English . The session will be streamed online (available only in English, on Intercult’s FB ).
10.00-10.05 Welcome by Renata Malcer-Dymarska, the BSCC Deputy Director
10.05-10.20 Introduction to “Creative Waves” project idea and main outcomes by CW Leader, Iwona Preis (Intercult Productions, Stockholm)
“Creative Waves” involves creative and social activities of women, facilitating their way into the digital world. The project supports networking of women and helps them to present their creations more efficiently by means of digital tools. “Creative Waves” project is aimed at showing the role of women in the process of strengthening social bonds and building more resilient communities.
10.20-11.15 “Creative Community Building upon Balticness: Role of Tradition and New Approaches” – panel discussion on Baltic Sea identity
Participants: Aline Mayr (Project Coordinator for Regional Identity – Council of the Baltic Sea States), Magda Leszczyna-Rzucidło (PA Tourism – EUSBSR), Paulina Siegień (expert advisor in YoPeNET project, PhD student at the University of Gdańsk)
Moderator: Krystyna Wróblewska (Euroregion Baltic)
Is there a common Baltic Sea identity, common Baltic features we can find in the BSR traditions, cultures, ways of seeing the world and life, ways we react to various phenomena? Does intangible cultural heritage play a role in building Balticness and community? Do we identify with the Baltic Sea and the region or are we indifferent to it? Are we building a kind of Balticness now with the new policies and approach?
11.15-11.30 Coffee break
11.30-13.00 “Empowered and Creative Women in the Modern World” – panel discussion
Participants: Iwona Preis (Intercult Productions, Stockholm), Marion Ründal (Estonian Women’s Studies and Resource Centre ENUT, Tallinn)
Moderator: Agata Bachórz, PhD (University of Gdańsk)
What should we do to make women stronger, more confident and satisfied with their own achievements? What should be done to make the world more open to women? How to encourage them to develop and demonstrate their talents and to be fully active? Can activities in the cultural sector, including traditional craftsmanship, help in gaining self-confidence and success? Can our hobby activities strengthen the social relationships we create and lay the foundations for civil society? What is sisterhood today?
13.00-14.00 Lunch break
Afternoon session will be held in Polish (interpretation into English will be available).
14.00-15.15 “Creative Waves: Baltic Sisterhood for Change” – presentations of main conclusions, learnings, ideas for the future
The project partners and participants will present the CW project main developments, outcomes and conclusions.
14.00– 14.20 Iwona Preis (Intercult Productions, Stockholm)
14.20–14.40 Magdalena Zakrzewska-Duda, Agnieszka Domańska (Baltic Sea Cultural Center in Gdańsk)
14.40–15.00 Krystyna Wróblewska (Euroregion Baltic) and activities held in Kaliningrad during the first part of the project
15.00–15.15 Discussion with participation of the Culture Centre in Kwidzyn (BSCC project partner) and participants of the Swedish project
Moderator: Magdalena Zakrzewska-Duda (BSCC)
15.15-15.30 Coffee break
15.30-16.15 “Women Empowerment: Social Relations in Local Communities” – panel discussion
Participants: Małgorzata Grochowska (Wiem i Umiem Foundation –Ambassadors of the Pomorskie Culture initiative), Sylwia Piechowska (herbalist and Ambassador of the Pomorskie Culture 2021), Maria Bernolak-Szczypior (Craftgen: Intergenerational Crafts Against Inequality project), Dorota Majkowska-Szajer (Etnographic Museum in Kraków – POWERBANK/power of women project), Michalina Pączkowska (biologist, marine ecologist, main “mermaid” in the “Underwater – under water, above water” initiative)
Moderator: Krystyna Wróblewska (Euroregion Baltic)
Empowering women results in a more complete, healthy and resilient society. Representatives of projects and initiatives operating in the field will share their experience and suggest solutions.
September 27th (Tuesday)
Session will be held in Polish.
10.00-10.30 “Design Thinking – Tools to Create and Implement New Solutions in the Context of Traditional Craft” – presentation by Dorota Madej (online presence)
Dorota Madej – social researcher, cultural manager and service designer. As an adviser and trainer she’s implementing Apple educational solutions in schools. For many years she has been supporting students, teachers and school management to introduce technology to the educational system.
10.30-11.30 “Digital Craftswomen Academy” – short overview by creators of Oplotki.pl followed by a Q&A session
OPLOTKI is a project initiated and led by Agnieszka Gaczkowska – architect, craftswoman, entrepreneur and business mentor. It is a space created for craftspersons and crafts enthusiasts who can develop here not only their technical and artistic skills, but also business competences.
11.30-11.45 Coffee break
11.45-13.00 “Women Empowerment Through Entrepreneurship” – panel discussion using fashion as an example
Participants: Halina Rosa (The DESIGNER Magazine, Sweden), Mona Rena Górska (MONA RENA Studio), Kamila Froelke (Wedding Gowns by Kamila Froelke)
Moderator: Anna Maria Miller (Dare IT mentoring programme’s coordinator)
Representatives of several creative initiatives operating in the fashion sector will share with us experience on how to empower women to enter business and how business can help in empowering women. They will also present some solutions and ideas leading to the greener and healthier world.
17.00-19.00 “Powiśle Region and Ukraine Embroidered” – workshops vol. 2
Workshop will be lead by Natalia Kovalishyna (Ukrainian embroidery) and Katarzyna Magierowska (Powiśle Region embroidery).
The event is held as a final part of the international project “Creative Waves – Baltic Sisterhood for Change”.
Project partners: Baltic Sea Cultural Centre in Gdańsk (Poland), Euroregion Baltic, Estonian Women Studies and Research Centre ENUT (Estonia), and in the first half of the project Team of Women Activists from Kaliningrad Region (Russian Federation).
Project Leader: Intercult (Sweden).
The project is co-financed by the Council of the Baltic Sea States Project Support Facility.
