- Projects
The “Spaces of Art – Dance” Programme is a nationwide support system for the dance community, based on four complementary pillars: artistic, educational, social, and health-promoting. It is addressed to independent artists working in the field of dance, including interdisciplinary creators.
The aim of the programme is to provide access to infrastructure conducive to creative work as well as research and production processes, and to strengthen relationships between artists, cultural institutions, and local communities. It contributes to building regional dance ecosystems and to the professionalisation of the sector.
The programme has been operating since 2020. It is carried out in the most culturally active centres across Poland. During this time, dozens of institutions and NGOs have taken part as programme operators or partners. However, this edition is special:
For the first time in the history of the Programme, it will be implemented in a three-year cycle, in 2026–2028, which will enable more stable operations for the Operators. “The decision to continue and extend the Programme was made on the basis of positive evaluation results and in response to the needs expressed by the dance community,” says Joanna Szymajda, Director of the National Institute of Music and Dance.
In 2025, through an open call for Operators to implement the Spaces of Art – Dance Programme in 2026–2028, the following were selected:
Kielce Dance Theatre
Art of Dance Development Foundation, Białystok Puppet Theatre, Białystok Cultural Centre
KTO Theatre in Krakow
Institute of Urban Culture in Gdańsk, Gdańsk Archipelago of Culture
Bytom Dance and Movement Theatre Rozbark
The selected Operators will carry out tasks aligned with the Programme’s objectives, including announcing open calls, organising artistic and educational events, conducting artistic residencies, and implementing social and health-promoting activities.
The regulations define the rules of participation in the Programme, the procedure for implementing tasks, the responsibilities of the Operators, and the method of conducting calls and selecting projects for implementation within the Programme.
Project title: 5th AKTOMAR – Interuniversity Performance Showcase
Implementation period: 01.10.2025 – 28.02.2026
Project description:
AKTOMAR is dedicated to students of art universities in Poland who study in studios where programmes related to action art, performance art, audio art, and performative practices are carried out. The main objective of AKTOMAR is to review achievements in teaching at Polish art universities and to raise the level of education in the field of performative arts and meta-theatrical practices.
In its concept, AKTOMAR refers to the tradition of student showcases during which the work of young creators engaged in performative arts, at the beginning of their artistic path, is presented. The idea of the showcase is to create a recognisable experimental platform on the cultural map of Poland that will also stimulate the integration of the academic, theatrical, and local communities. AKTOMAR is intended to facilitate connections and cooperation between venues, artists, curators, institutions, and other independent entities operating in the field of performative arts.
Task title: 5th AKTOMAR – Interuniversity Performance Showcase
Programme: GRANTY/NIMiT/2025. Programme supporting the activities of cultural sector entities and creative industries to stimulate their development.
Amount of funding: PLN 120,000.00
Total project value: PLN 160,100.00
Date of signing the funding agreement: 17.09.2025
Co-financed by the European Union – NextGenerationEU.
Project title: Premiere of the performance “CAFÉ LUNA”
Implementation period: 02.06.2025 – 28.02.2026
Project description:
“Café Luna” is a spoken-word and musical, comic-lyrical story about the search for love. This timeless, almost clichéd theme is presented here in an unconventional way – in a queer, camp atmosphere inspired by the early work of the renowned Spanish film director Pedro Almodóvar. All the songs incorporated into the storyline come from his films; Polish lyrics were written to the original melodies (they are not translations of the original versions).
Task title: Premiere of the performance “CAFÉ LUNA”
Programme: GRANTY/NIMiT/2025. Programme supporting the activities of cultural sector entities and creative industries to stimulate their development.
Amount of funding: PLN 196,429.91
Total project value: PLN 245,537.39
Date of signing the funding agreement: 18.09.2025
Co-financed by the European Union – NextGenerationEU.
Project title: Purchase of equipment and furnishings for the needs of KTO Theatre’s activities
Implementation period: 20 May – 31 December 2025
Project description:
As part of the project, the following equipment and furnishings were purchased: an induction loop system, sound equipment, a dual-channel wireless microphone system, single-channel wireless microphones, a multimedia projector, tablets for multimedia operation, and multimedia software.
Co-financed by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage as part of the National Centre for Culture programme: Cultural Infrastructure.
Task title: Purchase of equipment and furnishings for the needs of KTO Theatre’s activities
Programme: Cultural Infrastructure
Amount of funding: PLN 214,500.00
Total project value: PLN 289,023.21
Date of signing the funding agreement: 05.09.2025
Co-financed by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage from the Culture Promotion Fund.
Project title: “Dream of Podgórze”
Implementation period: 15 May – 31 October 2025
Project description:
“Dream of Podgórze” is a spoken-word and musical outdoor performance prepared by the artists of KTO Theatre. On stage, the audience could see: Katarzyna Chlebny, Grzegorz Łukawski, Jacek Strama, Karolina Daniec-Franczyk, Nina Potapowicz, Grażyna Srebrny-Rosa and Bartek Cieniawa. The songs for the performance were written by Andrzej Sikorowski, who also performed two of them. During the event, the audience could also hear the band Asy z Rękawki and the Auxilium Chamber Choir. The outdoor performance marking the 110th anniversary of the incorporation of Podgórze into Krakow took place on 26 September at 7:00 p.m. at Podgórski Market Square. Admission was free for all.
Co-financed by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage as part of the National Centre for Culture programme: Culture – Interventions. 2025 Edition.
Programme title:
Culture – Interventions. 2025 Edition
Amount of funding: PLN 79,000.00
Total project value: PLN 149,000.00
Date of signing the funding agreement: 07.10.2025
Summer at the Theatre is a programme of the Zbigniew Raszewski Theatre Institute in Warsaw financed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage. Its aim is to popularise theatre pedagogy. The programme consists of: a grant competition for the implementation of two-week artistic workshops for children and young people, training in the field of theatre pedagogy, and touring artistic-educational projects presented in a circus tent.
As part of the Summer at the Theatre programme, tours of performances presented in a circus tent are organised in small towns in Poland. In 2025, we reached places that not only do not have a theatre, but often do not even have a hall where a performance can be staged. We visited small towns in three voivodeships (Małopolskie, Lubuskie and Kujawsko-Pomorskie), where we presented 15 performances. The tours were accompanied by educational activities for children and workshops for employees of cultural centres.
Implementation period: June – August 2025.
Project Name: Peregrinus at Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2025
Implementation Period: August 7–11, 2025
Task Description: Participation of KTO Theatre in The Edinburgh Festival Fringe
Co-financed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage from the Culture Promotion Fund – a state targeted fund.
Program Name:
Promotion of Polish Culture Abroad
Funding Amount: PLN 180,000
Project Name: aKTOmaR — 4th Edition of the Interuniversity Performance Art Review
Implementation Period: January 21–23, 2025
Task Description:
The 4th edition of aKTOmaR, the Interuniversity Performance Art Review, will take place from January 21 to 24, 2025, at KTO Theatre in Kraków. aKTOmaR is the only event in Poland dedicated to students of art universities offering programs related to action art, performance art, spatial practices, and moving image. The event aims to foster exchange and confrontation of students’ skills and teaching methods of academic lecturers.
aKTOmaR continues the tradition of student reviews showcasing the work of young creators — debutants and interdisciplinary artists working in performative arts at the beginning of their artistic journey. The review’s goal is to create a recognizable experimental platform on the Polish cultural map that integrates the academic, theatrical, and local communities.
aKTOmaR serves to establish cooperation between schools, artists, curators, and other entities involved in performance art.
Co-financed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage from the Culture Promotion Fund — a state targeted fund.
Funding for the project is provided from the resources managed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.
Program Name:
Artistic Education 2025
Funding Amount: PLN 77,400.00
Total Project Value: PLN 104,150
Date of Agreement Signature for Financing or Co-financing:
March 17, 2025
Project Name: TEATR POLSKA
Program Name: Teatr Polska
Implementation Period: September 1 – November 30, 2023
Project Aim:
The aim of TEATR POLSKA is to facilitate access to the best theatrical performances by Polish theatres for residents of towns without institutional theatres. The program promotes theatrical art and works to reduce economic barriers to theatre access, especially in locations distant from major theatrical centers.
As part of the project, KTO Theatre will present the play ARCADIA, directed by Jerzy Zoń, with choreography by Eryk Makohon, in the following cities:
Jastrzębie-Zdrój | September 15 | Municipal Cultural Center
Wodzisław Śląski | September 17 | Nasz Wodzisław Association
Ełk | November 3 | Ełk Cultural Center
Bieruń | November 18 | Bieruń Cultural Center
Pawłowice | November 19 | Pawłowice Community Cultural Center
Nowy Sącz | November 24 | Małopolska Cultural Center SOKÓŁ in Nowy Sącz
Czechowice-Dziedzice | November 25 | Municipal Cultural House in Czechowice-Dziedzice
Limanowa | November 26 | Limanowa Cultural House
The TEATR POLSKA program has been organized since 2009 by the Zbigniew Raszewski Theatre Institute.
Co-financed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.
Project: ICEBREAKING
Programme: Visegrad Grants
Dates: 15.07 – 31.12.2023
Four partners to produce a street performance act focusing on closing the distance between V4 citizens and Ukrainian refugees. ICEBREAKING will be an original physical-visual expression of social inclusion that tells stories of people living in mixed communities through theatre. A theatre that breaks down the prejudices, portrays the benefits of global coexistence and gets people closer together.
As part of the project, workshops integrating Polish and Ukrainian citizens will be held on August 17-20, 2023 at the KTO Theatre.
More information >>> link
The project is co-financed by the Governments of Czechia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia through Visegrad Grants from International Visegrad Fund. The mission of the fund is to advance ideas for sustainable regional cooperation in Central Europe.
- The Fragrance of Time ONLINE, FITS Sibiu International Theatre Festival, Rumunia
Project: The Fragrance of Time – performance recording and promotion on the Internet.
Programme: Promotion of Polish culture abroad
Dates: 15.09.2020 – 28.12.2020
Online broadcast of the KTO Theatre’s iconic performance The Fragrance the Time at the Sibiu International Theatre Festival, ROMANIA.
This year’s edition of one of the most significant European theatre festivals is a review of emblematic performances in the world’s theatre of the last three decades. The transmission of The Fragrance the Time as part of this unique festival edition will present the show to a wider audience creating new opportunities for international artistic collaboration.
Co-financed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.
- Study visit of the KTO Theatre in Norway
Project: Study visit of the KTO Theatre in Norway – meeting with the Four Shades of Theatre project partners
Programme: Culture Programme within the EEA Grants for 2014-2021
Outcome 2 Access to arts and culture improved
Bilateral Cooperation Fund – visit of Polish institution representatives to Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein
Dates: until 10.2021
The purpose of the study visit is to establish cooperation with Norwegian artistic and educational institutions in the field of performing arts, dance, visual arts, as well as broadly understood arts education, and to prepare for the Four Shades of Theatre project. The study visit will last 3 days; we will meet with five institutions in Norway.
Funded by the Ministry of Culture, National Heritage and Sport and the EEA Grants for 2014-2021.
Project: Four Shades of Theatre
Programme: Culture Programme within the EEA Grants for 2014-2021
Outcome 2 Access to arts and culture improved
Dates: 01.02.2021 – 31.10.2022
The Four Shades of Theatre project aims to expand and strengthen the cultural offer of the KTO Theatre, which will move into its new home in 2021. The new building opens up a wide range of possibilities for creating a modern cultural space, corresponding to contemporary European trends in cultural activity in the area of performing arts and arts education.
Within the Four Shades of Theatre project we will prepare four intertwining cycles oscillating around various theatrical forms and touching on four topics related to the condition and problems of the contemporary world:
- Theatre of the roots – folklore, ethnotheatre
- Theatre without words – integration with people with disabilities
- Performance – body and ecology
- Open theatre – new technologies, new media
Funded by the Ministry of Culture, National Heritage and Sport and the EEA Grants for 2014-2021.
