About the program
Theater-Migration-Climate is the summer performative school of Strefa WolnoSłowa, designed for people working at the intersection of art and social practice who are interested in developing their creative work in the fields of migration and climate. It is a five-day programme of seminars and workshops led by researchers and practitioners who use theatrical tools to create spaces of encounter for communities of diverse cultural backgrounds.
The programme aims to inspire reflection on contemporary narratives of migration — including those shaped by environmental change.
The programme is divided into a seminar section and a practical section. Throughout the workshops, participants will explore artistic tools and methods for working with communities, while also sharing their own experiences and inspirations.
Leaders:
Mimi Sheller - dean of The Global School at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (USA), formerly Professor of Sociology at Drexel University and founding director of the New Mobilities Research and Policy Center. One of the leading theorists of mobility studies, with a focus on the postcolonial Caribbean.
Pierluigi Musarò - professor at the University of Bologna, also affiliated with the University of Melbourne, LSE, NYU, and Monash University. Researcher in media, migration, borders, and human rights. President of YODA, founder of the IT.A.CÀ Migrants and Travellers Festival, and co-founder of Reimagining Mobilities.
Przemysław Wielgosz - journalist, editor-in-chief of the Polish edition of Le Monde diplomatique, and author of books on globalisation, capitalism, and inequality. Curator of public programmes on people’s history, ecology, and future economies.
Pendar Contro Vento - an artistic collective from Bologna formed by Sara
Pour and Pietro Floridia, working across theatre, visual arts, and socially engaged practices. Their work explores memory, migration, identity, and contemporary social tensions. Sara Pour in an Iranian visual artist based in Bologna, illustrator, scenographer, and workshop leader working internationally. Her practice combines memory, symbolism, and social critique. Pietro Floridia is a playwright and director, founder of Teatro dell’Argine and Cantieri Meticci. His work combines poetry, epic storytelling, and social engagement, often drawing on participants’ biographies.
Piotr Morawski - cultural scholar, historian of culture, and researcher of theatre and performance. Author of books on theatre history and contemporary performance. Editor of Dialog, dramaturg, and lecturer.
Alicja Borkowska - co-founder of Strefa WolnoSłowa, director, and cultural animator specialising in creative work with multicultural groups. She curates participatory artistic processes - locally and internationally, has led artistic work in Italy, France, Iran, Bolivia, and Palestine.
Natalia Lis - artist working across performance, choreography, film, and audiovisual installation. She has worked in Spain and Portugal and presented films at international festivals. Co-creator of the artistic duo SAMAMBAIA.
Pavel Tavares - Brazilian filmmaker and audiovisual artist working across documentary, essay film, and installation. His practice focuses on borders, migration, and time. He also leads artistic projects with migrants and marginalised communities.
Łukasz Wójcicki - performance artist, choreographer, and artistic researcher. His work explores body politics, social choreography, ecology, and decolonisation. He has long collaborated with Strefa WolnoSłowa as performer and educator.
When and where?
30 June – 4 July 2026, 3.00 pm – 8.00 pm
Kaliska 8/10
How to apply?
Participation in the programme is free of charge, but places are limited.
We invite applications from those who can commit to attending all days of the programme and are proficient in Polish and English – seminars and workshops will be held in both languages, without interpretation.
Applications will be accepted until 8 June; the list of accepted participants will be announced on 12 June.
It's Going to Get Warmer performance
The school will conclude with a collective performative walk as part of Strefa WolnoSłowa’s performance It’s Going to Get Warmer.
In the face of rising temperatures - of waters, the planet, the atmosphere, and social moods - the performance looks at both small and large acts of resistance, drawing from experiences of confronting oppression, discrimination, and erasure. It is a story of everyday struggle, a practice of sensitivity and attentiveness, as well as a reflection on how our actions - or lack of action, help shape reality. Through a collage of visual and performative experiences, it invites participants to reflect together on entrenched ways of thinking about rights and divisions which, although often inadequate, continue to shape how we perceive the world.
Colophone
The programme is part of the following projects:
‘Archive of Destruction’, co-funded by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage from the Culture Promotion Fund – a state-funded special-purpose fund
The Strefy WolnoSłowej Centre for Cultural and Artistic Activities – Kaliska 8/10’, co-funded by the City of Warsaw
