Most of the following projects have been carried out in a synergic system of different locations. For the space analysis within the EU best practices research we focused on one of these spots. You can find the specific information in their dedicated PDF at the end of each project description.
To explore all the project's aspects and locations, download the complete publication in PDF here.
Pobiedna
Name of the project: Wolimierz Station
Name of the project in local language: Stacja Wolimierz
Time period: Since 1991
Keywords: Culture, Education, Sustainability and Ecology
In the past, there was a railway line in Pobiedna that reached Wolimierz. After the Second World War, the line was closed down and disassembled. However, the station and its surroundings remained and have become a cradle of initiatives in the village. The challenge was to create a friendly space for people looking for an alternative lifestyle in line with nature while tackling local issues as much as possible.
Biała Piska
Name of the project: Livable Street
Name of the project in local language: Żywa Ulica
Time period: 7/23/2021 & 09/21/2019
Keywords: Culture, Education
The Street project took place in a free parking area located in the centre of Biała Piska. The aim of the project was to make the residents of the town aware that it is possible to improve the quality of their surroundings. Moreover, it was aimed at proving that the place could function without cars. The idea was also to take culture to the streets and to conduct a survey to ask the residents about their ideas for interventions in the town and its surroundings.
Grójec
Name of the project: Grójec Free School
Name of the project in local language: Wolna Szkoła Grójec
Time period: Since 2013
Keywords: Culture, Education, Sustainability, Science
A group of people who cared about their nearest environment and ecological education established a private school called Grójec Free School. The initiative was launched by Fundacja Tropy Przyrody (Nature Trail Foundation), which organized Earth Day events in Grójec since 2013. The project tackled several challenges: introducing alternative education methods, supporting the development of local communities, creating forms of recreation, and running an educational workshop centre for the community.
Sejny
Name of the project: The Hidden Town
Name of the project in local language: Ukryte Miasto
Time period: From 2020 to 2021
Keywords: Culture, Education
In the past, Sejny was a multicultural settlement. This characteristic was very useful for the implementation of the Hidden Town project. Its aim was to discover the history of the town by the youngsters who listened to the personal stories of the elderly citizens. The stories were then used for creating a unique subjective map of the town, presenting important people and places from the past. Additionally, an installation representing the town was created, where each cubicle resembling a miniature flat was a visual reinterpretation of a story. Then, the installation was displayed in the White Synagogue.
Chełmek
Name of the project: Chełmek Factory
Name of the project in local language: Fabryka Chełmek
Time period: From 8/21/2020 to 11/30/2020
Keywords: Culture, Education, Industry
Chełmek Factory is a project that was implemented in a town where a former shoe factory existed. The factory was opened in the 1930s by Tomas Bata, a Czech industrialist. Unfortunately, it was closed in 2003. The main challenge of the project was to rediscover the forgotten history of Tomas Bata. The activities were designed to restore the identity of the inhabitants and show them the value of the history of their town.