Europa Nostra Heritage Hub for Central and Eastern Europe in Kraków is a regional centre of Europa Nostra, a pan-European federation of organisations involved in the protection, management, and promotion of cultural and natural heritage in forty European countries. It is run by one of the oldest non-governmental organisations in Poland, the Society of Friends of Kraków History and Heritage (Towarzystwo Miłośników Historii i Zabytków Krakowa), member of Europa Nostra since 1990. The hub operates as a think-tank, an observatory, and a laboratory.
As a platform, we strengthen the voice of NGOs from Central and Eastern Europe in shaping European heritage policy.
We facilitate cooperation between civic organisations and heritage institutions in the region.
We increase the visibility of activities supporting heritage in the region.
We deal with various aspects of cultural and natural heritage, both in and away from cities, through major projects and small initiatives.
Vice-president of Europa Nostra since 2018. Polish Art Historian and Economist, Professor of Humanities, a member of the Polish Academy of Arts and Sciences. He is the founder of the International Cultural Centre in Krakow, and was its director since its inception in 1991 until 2018. He is the head of the Department of Economic and Social History and the UNESCO Chair for Heritage and Urban Studies at the Kraków University of Economics.
He specializes in urban studies, social and art history, as well as the theory and protection of cultural heritage. Between 2016 and 2017 he was the President of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee.
He is a member of many organizations and associations including The Society of Friends of Kraków History and Heritage he is a current president. He is the author of over 400 academic works, including a number of books published in many languages.
Head of the Europa Nostra Heritage Hub for Central and Eastern Europe, Assistant Professor at the Institute of European Studies, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, and founding Director for Programming in the Toy Museum in Krakow. Previously worked at various positions at the International Cultural Centre in Krakow (2005–2020).
She graduated in art history (2005) as well as journalism and communication at the Jagiellonian University (2007), received a doctorate in museum studies (2012). Her current research project is “Participation and the Post-Museum”. She created “Atlas of Museum Participation”. Author of four books, including two published in English, “Museums and Centers of Contemporary Art in Central Europe after 1989” (Routledge, 2020) and “Art Museums in Australia” (Jagiellonian University Press, 2017), co-author of Europa Nostra report „Cultural Heritage Counts for Europe” and co-editor of “The Power of Heritage. Socio-Economic Examples from Central Europe” (with Joanna Sanetra-Szeliga, International Cultural Centre, 2017).
She worked in the editorial team of the “Architektura & Biznes” magazine (2019-2022), was a member of the editorial office of the “HERITO” quarterly and the local editor of “RIHA Journal” – an international scientific journal in art history (2010–2016). Member of International Council of Museums (ICOM) and International Association of Art Critics (AICA). Fellow in the Australian Institute of Art History, University of Melbourne (2014/2015) and at the University of Cambridge (2013).
Deputy Head of the Europa Nostra Heritage Hub for Central and Eastern Europe, Adjunct Professor at the Institute of Spatial Development and Urban Studies (UNESCO Chair in Heritage and Urban Studies) at the University of Economics in Krakow and a consultant at the Center for Culture Statistics at the Statistical Office in Krakow.
She is a graduate of the University of Economics, where in 2017 she defended her doctoral dissertation on the role of culture in urban development, based on the case study of the competition for the title of the European Capital of Culture 2016 in Poland. She has experience in working in public administration (Department of European Affairs at the Ministry of Culture), the cultural sector (Institute of European Heritage in the International Cultural Center in Krakow) and cooperation with the non-governmental sector (as the Polish coordinator of the Anna Lindh Euro-Mediterranean Foundation for Dialogue).
She conducts research on the socio-economic potential of culture in urban development, the use of cultural heritage in innovation and diplomacy processes, the impact of mega-events on historic cities and the historic cities’ resilience. She is an author and editor of publications on the role of culture in local development, cultural policy, European Capitals of Culture and intercultural dialogue.
Specialist in Europa Nostra Heritage Hub for Central and Eastern Europe, expert on heritage and interculturality at the ARTS Foundation (the Małopolska coordinator of the European Heritage Days), ambassador of community archives of the Centre of Community Archives. A long-term academic lecturer (Jagiellonian University, Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University).
She graduated in international cultural studies (2007) and ethnology (2013) at the Jagiellonian University. Laureate of the 11th edition of the National Centre for Culture Poland Competition for the best doctoral dissertation in the field of cultural sciences. Certified mediator (since 2022). She is an author of numerous scientific and popular science publications, including two books: “Festum folkloricum” (National Centre for Culture, 2016) and “Handmade in Wiśniowa” (with Agnieszka Dudek, The Polish Ethnological Society Press, 2019). Originator and co-creator of the EtnoStoria crowdsourcing mobile application for bottom-up digitisation and storytelling of heritage (ARTS Foundation, 2022). She has professional experience in the field of scientific research and teaching (Institute of Culture, Institute of Intercultural Studies at the Jagiellonian University, Department of Culture Management at the Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University), in the cultural sector (the National Ethnographic Museum in Warsaw), and in the non-governmental sector (i.a. organisations accredited to provide advisory services to the Committee of the UNESCO 2003 Convention).
She specialises in critical heritage studies with particular emphasis on intangible heritage, minority and intercultural heritage, ethnomarketing, digital heritage, community archives and bottom-up digitisation as well as performance studies, festival studies and intercultural relations. She worked in the editorial team of the “Etnografia Nowa – The New Ethnography” journal (2018– 2019) and in the editorial consultancy board of “Mabini Review” (2017–2020), currently she is a member of the scientific council of “Łódzkie Ethnographic Studies” journal. Member of Association of Critical Heritage Studies (ACHS), Intangible Heritage Researchers Network, Heritage Research Hub, Europeana Network Association (ENA), EASA Applied Anthropology Network.
Administrative Manager in the Europa Nostra Heritage Hub for Central and Eastern Europe, and Office Manager in the Society of Friends of Krakow History and Heritage (since 2016). He graduated in history (2016) from the Pedagogical University of Krakow, earned a doctorate in humanities (2022). His research interests revolve around issues related to historical demography, genealogy and social history.
Administrative Assistant in the Europa Nostra Heritage Hub for Central and Eastern Europe, and Office Assistant in the Society of Friends of Krakow History and Heritage (since 2022). Student of the last year of archivistics, documentation management and info brokering at the Pedagogical University of Krakow. She is the president of the Student Scientific Club of the Institute of History and Archivistics. Her research interests are social archives and oral history.
Europa Nostra Heritage Hub for Central and Eastern Europe is operated by the Society of Friends of Kraków History and Heritage (Towarzystwo Miłośników Historii i Zabytków Krakowa).
The Society established in 1897 is one of the oldest non-governmental organisations in Poland. Focusing around its address at ul. Św. Jana 12 (previously at the headquarters of the National Archives at ul. Sienna 16) the most outstanding experts on the history of Krakow and, speaking today’s language, city activists, the Society over the decades has had a real impact on the appearance of Krakow on the one hand, and on the perception and knowledge of the city on the other. As a member of Europa Nostra, the Society is actively involved in shaping the European, civic model of thinking about heritage. The Society is the oldest Polish member of this international organisation, and the president, Professor Jacek Purchla is also its vice president.
The Society is located in a historic tenement house – kamienica Krauzowska – at ul. Św. Jana 12, in the heart of the World Heritage listed centre of Krakow. The house was buit in 14th century in Gothic style. Its name comes from Krzysztof Krauze, city councilor who owned it in the 17th century. His efforts resulted in placing the eagle in the coat of arms of Kraków. The founding member of the Society, Klemens Bąkowski, who died in 1938, bequeathed the tenement house to the Society in his will. The Society regained the rights to it after the war in 1947, and its seat has been located here since 1972 (previously it functioned in the building of the Archives of Historical Records of the City of Krakow at ul. Sienna 16).
Hub’s activities are conducted in two representative rooms on the first floor, which in 2022 regained their former splendour after major conservation works that lasted several years.
