Gdynia, November 2014 – June 2015
meetings | collection of memoirs | creative thinking workshops | walk | urban game
One of the youngest cities in Poland – Gdynia – was established thanks to thousands of people who went there from all over Poland in order to write history – their own and that of this place. With the citizens in mind, their children and grandchildren, the Emigration Museum in Gdynia has created a project entitled “Ladies, Gentlemen, and the Town”. We encourage the citizens of Gdynia of 55 years of age and above to recall the family stories related to their settlement in Gdynia, the changes they witnessed in the urban space over the years, and the everyday life of the city. Owing to their memories and memorabilia, we shall rediscover the unique history of the city. We’ll be awaiting for your applications until November 25!
We invite everyone to participate in an undertaking, which will remind us how important it is to create and uphold ties, to enjoy sharing, and to exchange skills. We encourage you to take part in it with your friends or alone – at the beginning we shall all get to know each other through games and integration time. During the workshops with the Loesje group, where we shall share our thoughts and create a foundation for creative thinking, we will establish keywords and short texts that will be later used in the urban game. During the “Suitcase full of dreams, events, and incidents” meetings, we shall experience the force of singular memories and learn that just around the corner there are people whose separate stories make up for the unusual tale of Gdynia’s colorful past. With the help of an experienced script-writer, we will design our very own urban game. During a walk, we shall establish its route by choosing the places that are important to us. All that will be left will be to bring it together and have a lot of fun. We shall invite whole families from Gdynia to take part in it with us – the vivid memories and stories, told within the urban space of the city, will become a source of knowledge and inspiration for generations to come.
The meetings will take place twice a month (on average) from November 2014 to June 2015. The specific dates will be consulted with the participants.
“Ladies, Gentlemen, and the Town” forms part of our volunteering program “Culturally [Co-] Operative” – a project of a cross-generational cooperation in a modern cultural institution.
MEETINGS
The activities will make use of various methods focused on activation and integration. First and most importantly, we are going to have a lot of fun – it is the source of culture after all. During the meetings we will:
- –Get to know each other and establish a harmonious group ready for discoveries
- –Take care of communication between all the participants and learn how to exchange ideas in unconventional ways
- –Learn more about our preferences about working in a group
Leaders:
Władysława Andrzejewska-Kessler – citizen of Gdynia, also closely attached to Sopot and Gdańsk. Animator in the project “Ladies, Gentlemen, and the Town”. A 60 year old fascinated with art and history. Participant of “30+ Academy” and of the University of the Third Age. Active volunteer – participated in a dozen or so Tricity cultural projects, also as co-leader.
Agata Zielińska – coordinator of the volunteering program at the Emigration Museum in Gdynia. Graduate of Polish Studies at the University of Warsaw, currently studying Political Science at Collegium Civitas in Warsaw, specializing in “Management of the development of local communities.” Trainer of soft skills.
SUITCASE FULL OF DREAMS, EVENTS, AND INCIDENTS – collection of memories
A series of three meetings, during which we shall learn that relaying one’s memories at the same time helps the formation of identity and also uphold it. Stories of the participants will reveal the fates of the individual families which settled down in Gdynia . These stories will be complemented by family memorabilia – time machines containing memories about close relatives.
Leaders:
Anna Dąbrowska – Cultural Animator of the Association of Creative Initiatives “ę”, who supports projects centered around identity, history related work, and postwar emigrations. Chairman of Homo Faber Association from Lublin. Graduated from Human Rights School of Helsinki Foundation of Human Rights and The Institute of Law Studies of the Polish Academy of Sciences, as well as completed the trainer program of the NGO Trainers Association.
Władysława Andrzejewska-Kessler, Agata Zielińska
CREATIVE THINKING WORKSHOP
Loesje is an international organization which consists of local groups. These groups express their opinions and teach courageous creative thinking through their activities in public space, posters, and inspiring publications. During the workshop based on Loesje’s techniques we shall establish keywords related to the told stories and use them during our urban game.
Leaders:
Loesje – is a group of people active all over the world and – at the same time – a character they have created to inspire people. Loesje is engaged in initiatives promoting freedom of speech, tolerance, and creativity. They conduct trainings, international exchanges, and workshops centered on creative writing. The Warsaw branch of Loesje constitutes one of the activities of Arteria Art Foundation [pol. Fundacja Sztuki Arteria – trans.].
URBAN GAME INSIDE OUT
The project will end with the urban game prepared by participants – we shall write its script based on subjective memories. During our walk, we will try to imagine how the surroundings we all know are converted into its board. We will prepare surprises and quizzes that players of all ages can tackle. We’ll know the city inside out, discover its hidden qualities, and engage our imagination to create a one-of-a-kind, unique urban game prepared with active input of the citizens.
Leader:
Piotr Szulc – graduate of philosophy at the University of Gdańsk, founder and director of Science Fiction and Fantasy Club “GANDALF”, journalist of Tricity’s cultural guide-book TIK [pol. Trójmiejski Informator Kulturalny – trans.]. Script writer for urban games such as “Detective in a museum”, “Train to Sensation”, “Find Kiepura in Gdynia”. Conducts workshops on scriptwriting at the Polish-Japanese Academy of Information Technology in Gdańsk. Scriptwriter and co-creator of the urban project “Comic Book in City – city in comic book: a comic book guide to Lower Town”. Laureate of literary and comic competitions.
The project has been co-financed by the “Seniors in Action” program of the Polish-American Freedom Foundation and the Creative Initiatives Association “ę”.
More information:
Agata Zielińska, Władysława Andrzejewska-Kessler
Tel.: +48 728 733 449
