Untitled - Narodowe Centrum Kultury

28
and Social Initiatives, Chamber Theatre of the of Friends of Art Association,
and Leaders and Fundraisers Association. Each partner
contributed their projects to create an attractive and coherent art
programme. Szczecin 2016 applied for a grant with the Ministry of
Culture and National Heritage, and Leaders and Fundraisers Association
coordinated the effort.
Long-term strategic partnerships may take the form of a union
of associations. Association Law requires that for such a union to be
formed there must be at least three associations. Other union members
may include other non-profit legal entities. Partnerships may
also remain informal, based solely on mutual trust.
from partnership to network
Basing the work of a cultural institution on the philosophy of partnerships
and project management is a natural step toward building
a network and federalising cultural actors within one area or industry.
Players sharing similar approaches form permanent partnerships.
Through daily cooperation they establish contacts, form
opinions, learn about their partners’ strengths and weaknesses as
well as about their work and communication styles. They readily
cooperate with similar, tried-and-tested organisations. Their partners
are the first candidates for members of a network and often
its co-founders.
why form partnerships of cultural actors
Culture has become a battlefield where organisations vie for funds
(mainly distributed by the central government and local authorities),
but also for ideas (the meaning of concepts associated with culture)
and audience.
Despite statutory independence, institutions controlled by local
governments often become tools used by officials to achieve ends
that are remote from how cultural practices have been understood so
far. They implement publicity strategies, organise sports and recreation
activities, produce city events and engage in propaganda campaigns
at the cost of culture animation, art education and the residents’
cultural needs.
A regional network of cultural actors can become a platform for
exchanging opinions and bring answers to the following questions:
How are cultural concepts and statutory tasks of cultural actors understood
What are operational models of these institutions Each
network ought to be a place where its members agree on the efficient
method of spreading this knowledge in communities and among
authorities.
development of expertise
Networking offers the chance to better share experiences, learn from
each other as well as exchange ideas and know-how. Meetings of network
members may include presentations of successful practices, institution
models and work methods. They may take the form of workshops,
work groups or seminars.
influence
By being part of a network, an institution has more bargaining power
in dealing with public authorities (operators, other local and central
government authorities). The joint stance of network participants is
worth more than a single opinion. The network – its management, to
be precise – may take the role of representing its members, becoming
their advocate. Networking also changes the attitude of cultural institutions
toward public authorities from a “gimme” mentality to a partnership
attitude and willingness to cooperate.
public image
Many directors who took part in the Cultural Centre+ Programme talked
about the power of the brand and how it did wonders for the image of
their organisations. Prominently featured information about the participation
of their centres in the programme often improved their perception
by local authorities and residents. Unsurprisingly, a strong network
brand improves the image of its member institutions. A favourable perception
of the brand rubs off on all network participants. The effect is
not immediate – it does not occur upon joining the network, but there
always comes a point when the move pays dividends.
new partnerships
It is not easy to find partners online for challenging cultural projects.
The main obstacle is mistrust. Online “tools” are impersonal, and to
build partnerships personal contacts are necessary. In a federation,
institutions may exchange recommendations on potential partners
and launch partnerships themselves.
synergy
Synergy makes it possible to achieve multiplied effects by skilfully integrating
different component parts into a whole. Participants in a regional
network of cultural actors can achieve more working together
than on their own. And it does not only apply to hosting a tour of a famous
band rather than a single concert. The idea of networks is to
look for initiatives that will create synergy.