Co-financed by the Greater Poland Voivodeship Government
Quarterly Gatherings
What are the Quarterly Gatherings?
Every three months, we come together at the Palace in Winna Góra—the home of the Organic Work Trail—to explore how the stories, values, and ideas of the Organic Work movement can inspire and inform the world we live in today.
What happens during the Quarterly Gatherings?
Inspiration
We revisit the lives and achievements of the people who shaped the Organic Work movement, treating them not simply as historical figures, but as sources of inspiration for the present day. Together, we explore new ways of telling their stories, reflect on the relevance of their ideas, and uncover lesser-known aspects of their lives and work.
Relevance
The principles at the heart of Organic Work—community engagement, grassroots education, equal opportunities, and a strong culture of work and responsibility—remain strikingly relevant today. During our meetings, we examine how these values can help us address contemporary challenges, from major social issues to the everyday realities of our own communities.
Learning and exchange
The Quarterly Gatherings bring together the diverse expertise of the Organic Work Trail community: educators, historians, regional researchers, cultural practitioners, social activists, entrepreneurs, and representatives of cultural institutions. Through workshops, conversations, and shared meals, participants gain new knowledge, develop practical skills, and exchange experiences. In the spirit of the Organic Work movement itself, we learn from one another, share our resources and expertise, and work collectively toward the common good.
Culture and art: what is their significance today?
Description: HISTORY: Although proponents of "organic work" during the era of the partitions focused more on the development of agriculture, industry, and education than on artistic endeavors, they also contributed to commemorating and popularizing Polish culture and art. They understood that intangible heritage is essential for building and sustaining a shared identity.
Edward Aleksander Raczyński amassed an impressive collection of Polish and foreign paintings, featuring works by artists such as Jan Matejko, Olga Boznańska, Jacek Malczewski, Stanisław Wyspiański, and Władysław Podkowiński. Much of the collection can still be viewed today in the art gallery built and opened to the public at the Rogalin Palace Museum.
Edward Raczyński founded the Raczyński Library in Poznań—the first building on Polish soil dedicated specifically to library purposes. Today, the institution not only houses literary collections, early printed books, and valuable manuscripts but also serves as a reading room and a venue for workshops and events, benefiting the residents of Poznań and the surrounding area.
The estate and cultural legacy of the Działyński family—comprising the Kórnik Library and the museum at Kórnik Castle—were donated in their entirety to the Polish nation, alongside the establishment of the Kórnik Foundation (*Fundacja Zakłady Kórnickie*) in 1924 by Jadwiga Zamoyska (née Działyńska) and her son Władysław Zamoyski. Now part of the Polish Academy of Sciences, the Castle continues the library, museum, and cultural activities originally initiated by the Działyński family.
CONTEMPORARY CONTEXT: Today, the realm of culture and art encompasses a wide range of media. It includes not only painting, sculpture, theater, and literature but also performance art, film, photography, multimedia arts, visual arts (video art), and sound art, as well as practices that combine scientific and artistic tools—co-creating, complementing, or reinforcing one another.
These forms enable the experience of emotions and foster reflection in ways that other tools cannot fully convey. Art can educate, shape social attitudes, and comment on reality, but it can also play a role in co-creating it.
During the workshops, we will consider why everyone—regardless of their interests—should educate themselves in the realms of culture and art. How can we learn to understand them, and where should we start if we want to get to know them better? What tools are currently available to facilitate these cultural and artistic encounters, and how can we derive pleasure from them?