Association, school, cooperative: the polyphony of the Węgajty Theatre

Abstract

The text presents the process of transformation of the organizational structure of the Węgajty Theatre and the related reformation of the group dynamics and methods of creative work. In the group’s complex organizational history, the turning point was the loss of permanent institutional support in 2011. After twenty-five years of work under the auspices of various cultural institutions in Olsztyn, the Węgajty Theatre was forced to function as a non-governmental organization. The text shows the impact of the grant system on the Theatre's activities and its strategies developed for conducting artistic work. Węgajty's most crucial activity, if the group is considered as a formation project, is the work of the Other Theatre School. The original form of artistic education is combined at the School with a return to socially engaged issues. The text also presents the pros and cons of a social cooperative created at the Węgajty Theatre to stabilize its financial situation