Honorary patronage of the project titled “Inclusive Contemporary Music – Concerts in Prison: Minister of Culture and National Heritage
Honorary patronage of the Honorary patronage of the project titled “Inclusive Contemporary Music – Concerts in Prison: Director General of the Prison Service
Graphics: Klaudia Borawiak
Film production: Izabela Smyk
Inclusive Contemporary Music – Concerts in Prison
In the centenary year of Morton Feldman’s birth, his music was performed in a Polish prison for the first time. It was an unprecedented and courageous undertaking that brought contemporary music into a place where it is rarely heard, creating a unique opportunity to encounter world-class art.
Over two days, the community hall of the Warsaw Grochów Remand Prison was transformed into a concert venue. More than 200 incarcerated participants attended eight performances of Crippled Symmetry (1983). Women took part on the first day, men on the second. This format allowed each group to focus fully on the music and actively engage in the event.
The performances were given by Ewa Liebchen (flutes), Emilia Karolina Sitarz (keyboard instruments), and Magdalena Kordylasińska-Pękala (percussion) – acclaimed performers of contemporary music. For the musicians themselves, performing in a prison was an exceptional experience. They all described it as one of the most moving moments of their artistic careers.
Each concert was preceded by a short introduction to Morton Feldman’s work. Participants learned about the composer, his unique musical language, and ways of listening to this demanding composition. As a result, the concerts became an accessible and engaging experience rather than something unfamiliar or intimidating. For most participants, it was their first opportunity to hear contemporary music performed live.
An integral part of the project was the creation of graphic scores. Participants translated their impressions of the music into images, lines, colours, and symbols, producing personal visual interpretations of the piece. The works they created revealed the many different ways music can be experienced and understood.
The concerts were attended by representatives of the Ministry of Justice and senior officials of the Polish Prison Service. Their presence highlighted the importance of cultural education as part of the social reintegration process and the value of cooperation between public institutions and non-governmental organisations.
The project was made possible through the commitment of many people. For the musicians, the team of Fundacja Dom Kultury, and the staff of the Warsaw Grochów Remand Prison, these two days were not only the result of intensive preparation but also a powerful shared experience that demonstrated how art can reach places where it is least expected.
We invite you to explore the photo galleries, watch the video, and listen to the podcasts created as part of the project. They offer a chance to revisit this remarkable event, which introduced Morton Feldman’s music into a prison for the very first time, and to discover the story behind this unique initiative.
The project Contemporary Inclusive Music – Concerts in Prison was funded by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage under the Accessible Culture programme, financed by the Culture Promotion Fund – a state special-purpose fund. The project was carried out in partnership with the Warsaw Grochów Remand Prison and the District Inspectorate of the Prison Service in Warsaw.
Podcasts
Contemporary Inclusive Music – Concerts in Prison
Podcast 1
Author: Mariana Krill
A conversation about the role of culture and education in prisons, and why access to the arts should include people with limited access to culture, including those deprived of their liberty.
The podcast refers to the project Contemporary Inclusive Music – Concerts in Prison, carried out on 7–8 May 2026 at the Warsaw Grochów Remand Prison. As part of the project, four performances of Morton Feldman’s Crippled Symmetry were presented by Ewa Liebchen, Emilia Karolina Sitarz, and Magdalena Kordylasińska-Pękala. The concerts were accompanied by introductions to the composer’s work and by graphic score workshops for participants.
The project was implemented with funding from the Minister of Culture and National Heritage under the Accessible Culture programme, financed by the Culture Promotion Fund – a state special-purpose fund.
Produced by: Fundacja Dom Kultury, 2026
Project partners: Warsaw Grochów Remand Prison and the District Inspectorate of the Prison Service in Warsaw.
Contemporary Inclusive Music – Concerts in Prison
Podcast 2
Author: Mariana Krill
A conversation about the exceptional event of presenting Morton Feldman’s Crippled Symmetry in the year marking the centenary of the composer’s birth at the Warsaw Grochów Remand Prison. For the first time, Feldman’s music was performed in a Polish prison, where more than 200 incarcerated participants attended four concerts, discovering contemporary music and learning new ways of listening.
The podcast refers to the project Contemporary Inclusive Music – Concerts in Prison, carried out on 7–8 May 2026. The concerts were performed by Ewa Liebchen, Emilia Karolina Sitarz, and Magdalena Kordylasińska-Pękala. The events also included introductions to the composer’s work and graphic score workshops for participants.
The project was implemented with funding from the Minister of Culture and National Heritage under the Accessible Culture programme, financed by the Culture Promotion Fund – a state special-purpose fund.
Produced by: Fundacja Dom Kultury, 2026
Project partners: Warsaw Grochów Remand Prison and the District Inspectorate of the Prison Service in Warsaw.
The 2026 project was co-funded by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage from the Culture Promotion Fund.
