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Polish culture ministry accused of favoritism

18.03.2025 16:55
A 150,000 PLN grant awarded by Poland’s Ministry of Culture to a close associate of Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski has triggered a public outcry, with critics accusing the ministry of favoritism and neglecting key music festivals.
Polands Minister of Culture and National Heritage, Hanna Wróblewska, before a government meeting at the Prime Ministers Chancellery in Warsaw on March 18, 2025.
Poland’s Minister of Culture and National Heritage, Hanna Wróblewska, before a government meeting at the Prime Minister’s Chancellery in Warsaw on March 18, 2025.Photo: PAP/Piotr Nowak

According to Gazeta Wyborcza, the 150,000 PLN (35,850 EUR or 39,140.78 USD) grant given to Stanisław Trzciński, a close associate of Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski, has ignited a scandal.

The grant was awarded for a 6-episode podcast (25,000 PLN per episode, or approximately 5,975 EUR or 6,523 USD), but critics point out that it highlights broader issues within the Ministry of Culture’s funding process.

Many important music festivals, such as the Avant Art Festival, Sanatorium Dźwięku, and Jazz Jantar, were left without support.

The ministry has been accused of disregarding its own guidelines, unfairly allocating funds, and neglecting alternative, avant-garde, and experimental music events.

Jędrzej Słodkowski: 320 tys. zł dla "kolegi Trzaskowskiego"? Wcale nie na tym polega skandal w dotacjach na muzykę. ?...

Opublikowany przez Gazeta Wyborcza Poniedziałek, 17 marca 2025

6-episode podcast grant sparks debate over ministry's funding choices

Michał Janczura, a journalist from Wirtualna Polska, was the first to report on the issue regarding the Ministry of Culture's MUZYKA 2025 competition via X (formerly Twitter).

He argued that the state-funded grant seems disproportionate to the effort required, as such a podcast could be produced in just a few hours, or at most, two days.

Additionally, the company that received the grant has no experience in podcast production, and although its CEO has an impressive CV, they have little to no significant achievements in this field.

Janczura also highlighted that the company's website lacks any information on previous podcast productions.

(m p)

Source: IAR/Gazeta Wyborcza/X/@jan_czura