Katarzyna Wielga-Skolimowska – Artistic Director of the German Federal Cultural Foundation

For many people, the appointment of Katarzyna Wielga-Skolimowska to the post of Artistic Director of the German Federal Cultural Foundation came as a surprise. However, anyone who has followed her achievements in the cultural sector in recent years will be aware of her wide range of skills. Claudia Roth, the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media, made particular mention of this in her press release in mid-2022, in which she announced the unanimous vote in favour of Katarzyna Wielga-Skolimowska as Artistic Director of the Cultural Foundation: “With Katarzyna Wielga-Skolimowska, the German Federal Cultural Foundation now has a culture manager on board with international experience and high-level curatorial skills.”[1] Roth added that Wielga-Skolimowska had “impressed the selection committee with her broad knowledge of cultural production in a very wide range of cultural spaces and sectors.”[2] She continued that she had demonstrated a “deeply rooted, empathetic affection for the artists involved”.[3]

Wielga-Skolimowska took over the role from Hortensia Völckers, who had headed the German Federal Cultural Foundation for 20 years since its inception in 2002, and who is considered to be one of the most influential players in the German cultural scene. Over its two decades of existence, the German Federal Cultural Foundation, which is based in Halle, has funded 4,000 projects. Its annual budget of around 40 million Euros is provided by the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media. The institutions and activities funded by the Foundation include the most important cultural events in the country, such as the Berlin Biennale, the Berliner Theatertreffen, the Transmediale, and the Ensemble Modern. The Foundation employs around 60 staff.

For curator Katarzyna Wielga-Skolimowska, Germany is just one stop along her career path – though it has been the longest so far. She was born in Warsaw in 1976, and took a degree in theatre studies, first in Warsaw and then in Berlin. After graduating, she worked at the Adam Mickiewicz Institute (Instytut Adama Mickiewicza), whose mission is to raise awareness of Polish culture throughout the world and to promote collaboration with international institutions.

One important project at that time was the “Polish Year” in Israel (2008–2009), which coincided with the celebrations to mark the 60th anniversary of the creation of the State of Israel. Wielga-Skolimowska moved to Israel for three years to build bridges between Polish and Israeli artists and cultural institutions. Looking back, she regards her work during this period as an important stage in her professional career. “I believe that my strength is bringing people together and then [...] seeing where their own strengths lie and how they can be used productively”[4], she explained in an interview for the rbb radio3 podcast. She was particularly successful at bringing artists together through study trips for groups and individuals. In total, there were 180 study trips during the Polish Year in Israel. In some cases, the artists who took part have remained in contact to this day.