Graphics: Klaudia Borawiak
Can theatre, improvisation, and stand-up comedy support the social reintegration of people deprived of liberty? What cultural education tools help build relationships, develop social competencies, and strengthen a sense of agency? These are some of the questions that will be explored by participants in the project “No One Is Left Behind – A Creative Meeting of Theatre Practitioners Working in Prisons”, implemented by Fundacja Dom Kultury in cooperation with partners from Poland, Italy, and Ireland.
The project is addressed to cultural and educational officers of the Polish Prison Service working in correctional facilities within the Warsaw District. Its aim is to strengthen the competencies of professionals responsible for cultural education in prisons, facilitate the exchange of experience between practitioners from different countries, and develop new approaches to using artistic activities in the social reintegration of incarcerated people.
The two-day training event will take place in Warsaw on 23–24 September 2026. The project is implemented in partnership with the Polish Prison Service and involves organisations and institutions with extensive experience in using culture and the arts for educational and social purposes: Nowy Teatr, Klub Komediowy, the Kobietostan Association, and the Italian organisation CCO – Crisi come Opportunità, which has many years of experience in cultural education programmes within juvenile correctional institutions.
The first day of the training will take place at Klub Komediowy and will focus on the use of stand-up comedy, improvisation, and humour as tools for educational and social work. Participants will learn basic stand-up techniques, develop communication skills, explore ways of building relationships with audiences, and prepare their own short stage performances. The day will conclude with a collective performance created by the participants.
The second day will be held at Nowy Teatr. The programme will include workshops led by educators from Nowy Teatr, the Kobietostan Association, and the Italian organisation CCO. The sessions will focus on the use of theatre and paratheatrical methods in work with people living in conditions of isolation, as well as on methods of fostering engagement, cooperation, and dialogue through artistic practice.
An important part of the project will be the panel discussion “The Role of Cultural Education in the Social Reintegration of Incarcerated People.” Educators representing partner organisations, cultural institutions, and the Prison Service will be invited to participate. The discussion will focus on the importance of cultural education in preparing incarcerated people for their return to society, as well as on opportunities for strengthening cooperation between cultural institutions, non-governmental organisations, and correctional facilities.
One of the key outcomes of the project will be the development of a practical toolkit for Prison Service cultural educators. The publication will include descriptions of methods, examples of good practice, and inspiration for implementing theatre-based, artistic, and educational activities within correctional institutions.
The project has an international character and is based on the belief that access to culture and participation in artistic activities can play an important role in the process of social reintegration. The meeting will provide an opportunity to exchange experience, build lasting partnerships, and jointly develop new approaches supporting the work of educators and cultural officers working in correctional environments.
Funding
The project “No One Is Left Behind – A Creative Meeting of Theatre Practitioners Working in Prisons” has been funded from the state budget through resources allocated by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage under the National Centre for Culture’s SYNERGIE Programme, 2026 Edition.
