During the recruitment process for the first edition of the program, the organizers received almost 2,800 applications, which immediately signaled that there is a need to create local cultural initiatives in Poland. Initially, it was planned to award 100 grants, but the substantive level of the submitted projects and their scale resulted in the list of winners expanding to 185 items. Many of these projects are implemented in towns where culture has previously been available to a limited extent. Children and teenagers have the opportunity to participate in professional artistic workshops, performances and film classes for the first time. Institutions that previously did not have the resources to develop their offer invite creators, instructors and educators to cooperate.
Who can take part?
In the recruitment for the second edition of Kulturalny ORLEN, local cultural institutions, foundations, associations and organizations working with children and youth, such as: community centers, youth palaces, after-school work centers, Jordanian gardens and artistic centers, can apply for funding. The focus is primarily on activating young people and enabling them to have contact with culture from an early age. Applications for the second edition of the program will be accepted until March 6, 2026. Then the application verification process will begin. The list of beneficiaries is planned to be announced on June 30, 2026. The implementation of projects supported under the second edition will start on September 1, 2026.
What can the grant be used for?
Financing may include conducting workshops, remuneration of instructors and animators, event preparation, documentary recordings, purchase of artistic materials and tools, room rental, event production and technical support. Funds may also be spent on audio description, sign language translation, preparation of content for people with disabilities, and the purchase of sensory aids. The organizers want culture to be accessible to everyone, regardless of barriers or restrictions.
We believe that place of residence should not limit access to culture. Thanks to our programs, we really invest in the development of young people, giving them space to build self-confidence, passion and social relationships. This is exactly how we understand the energy of tomorrow.
– emphasizes Sylwia Snopkiewicz, executive director for ORLEN sponsorship. The grant may also cover the costs of transporting participants and promoting projects.
Program mission: Culture as a tool to connect people
The idea of Cultural ORLEN is based on the belief that culture is one of the key foundations for building a local community. The program is intended to promote values related to dialogue, cooperation and sensitivity to the needs of other people. Culture can be entertainment, but it is also an important tool for personal development that strengthens the sense of identity and builds openness.
In a period when school pressure, social media and isolation often disturb emotional balance, cultural activities can become a space for creativity and relationship building for children and young people. Workshops, artistic classes and work with instructors allow children to develop their imagination and teach cooperation. The program also promotes generational integration. In many towns, it is senior instructors, experienced animators and local artists who become mentors for young people, passing on knowledge and developing their passions.
Real examples show how the program works
One of the most beautiful examples of such action from the first edition of the program is Bezmiechowa Dolna – a small village in the Bieszczady Mountains. – Thanks to the ORLEN Cultural program, we were able to offer something new: art and theater workshops for children from rural areas – says Maria Petka-Fundanicz, director of the Public Library in Lesko. Artistic workshops, a trip to the play “The Little Match Girl” and a meeting with actor Artur Barciś were a great experience for the young people and a lifelong inspiration. Another place where the program brought great results was the Museum of Kashubian-Pomeranian Writing and Music in Wejherowo. A series of theater workshops were organized there, in which children created their own etudes, prepared scripts and learned the secrets of creating a show. – We wanted to meet the needs of the local community and move away from the image of an institution addressed only to specialists or enthusiasts. We wanted to be open to residents across generations and invite children to cooperate, as they bring a lot of positive energy – explains Izabela Bukowska, curator of the museum. In Kluczbork, the CERAMOMIASTO project was created – a unique initiative in which children created ceramic elements intended to decorate urban space. – Ceramic classes made us realize how much potential lies in children. It is a place that not only develops manual skills and imagination, but above all builds the feeling that their actions have real significance – emphasizes Jarosław Paluch, director of the local Cultural Center. – Participants felt proud knowing that their works would be part of murals and installations in the city center – he adds. The ORLEN Cultural Program was held under the honorary patronage of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage and the Minister of Education. Its organizers are ORLEN and the ORLEN Foundation. Ignacy Łukasiewicz. All information is available on the website.
The material partner is ORLEN
