On February 17, the Office of the Marshal of the Małopolska Region announced that Krzysztof Głuchowski was to be dismissed from the position of director of the Słowacki Theater in Krakow. The official reason is the alleged “violation of the provisions on the application of the Public Procurement Law” – the audit carried out in the theater was to reveal financial irregularities during one of the tenders. It is unofficially said that Głuchowski is inconvenient for PiS politicians in connection with the controversial staging of “Dziady” directed by Maja Kleczewska, or because he consented to a concert of Maria Peszek, critical of the ruling camp, being held in the theater.
Głuchowski: Over my dead body. Dziady will not come off the poster
When it was announced that Głuchowski was to be dismissed, theater employees and representatives of the theater community organized a protest. During the conference, Głuchowski emphasized: – It is not about my position, it is not about the stool, it is about the fact that we are witnessing how culture is dying. (…) It is about independence, freedom of art and freedom of artistic expression […]. I am not going to leave quietly, we will not give up until the very end – he promised. In the latest interview, he stressed that he was not going to bend. As long as he is the director, “Dziady” will be played:
To paraphrase the saying of Marshal Kozłowski, who said about Maria Peszek’s concert that over his body, it is also over my body. I must not be here. As long as I am the director of the theater, Dziady will not come off the poster.
– I know that it may be a loss, but at the moment there is a struggle for the most basic things: for freedom of culture, for freedom of expression, for freedom of speech. It is a very important fight and everyone should join it, not only the theater – continued Głuchowski. He also emphasized that the person who breaks the law is actually Marshal Witold Kozłowski. The director believes that the alleged inaccuracies are just a cover, for the marshal the real reason “are” Dziady “and the concert of Maria Peszek”.
On the radio, the director also explained that the inspection, which revealed the alleged financial irregularities, had been started after the premiere of Dziady, directed by Maja Kleczewska. MP Marek Sowa, during a press conference of opposition politicians who expressed support for the director of the theater, said that the scandal was started by curator Barbara Nowak: “The decision of the voivodeship board was launched by the voice of Barbara Nowak. This person sets the tone for what will happen. We regret that he has it influences the upbringing of our children, but we do not want it to also influence the cultural life of our country. Because art can be assessed in various ways, but art cannot be censored. “
What hurts curator Nowak in the new “Dziady”?
After the premiere of “Dziady” directed by Maja Kleczewska, the curator wrote on Twitter that “the performance does not fit in with the goals of the education system defined in article 1, points 1-3 of the Educational Law. I ADVISE against organizing school trips to the play” Dziady ” “at the J. Słowacki Theater”. The curator added that, in her opinion, it was shameful to use the work of the bard A. Mickiewicz for the purposes of the political struggle of the contemporary anti-government opposition with the Polish raison d’état.
The performance was also criticized by PiS politicians, incl. Przemysław Czarnek. The head of MEiN called the show “trash”, although he did not even watch it. Piotr Gliński, the minister of culture and national heritage, also did not see him, expressing his concern that the performance might “exceed the limits of acceptable controversy”. Ultimately, his ministry refused the Słowacki Theater further patronage, and thus deprived it of public subsidies. Since then, the facility has had major financial problems. There is a shortage of funds for new performances.
Theater employees Słowackiego wall behind the director
The theater staff wrote a letter to the voivodship marshal in defense of Gluchnowski. The letter was read at the press conference. In one of the fragments we read: “Krzysztof Głuchowski is in the middle of his second term. The theater under his management is successful in terms of artistic development, is undergoing renovation, is going through a difficult time of a pandemic, and all this is done with respect for workers’ rights, as well as in an atmosphere of mutual respect and understanding. Therefore, the information about the alleged plans to remove Director Głuchowski from his position raises our greatest concern. “
Andrzej Grabowski emphasized: “Due to my age, I have experienced many changes in management, but I have never met with the entire team defending the director. About half an hour ago we received an email saying that such a meeting would be held today. everyone who can, came to the theater. And see – we are not only here, who have just played the show “- the portal said
Before the board of the Małopolskie voivodship decides to dismiss Director Głuchowski, it will have to consult the minister of culture, as well as representatives of trade and creative unions. On this basis, it will make the final decision.
Source: Gazeta
Tristin is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his in-depth and engaging writing on sports. He currently works as a writer at 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the sports industry.
