The Art of Engagement Conference

Organizers: Institute of Sociology of the University of Szczecin TRAFO Trafostacja Sztuki w Szczecin Polish Sociological Society

Can artistic activity change the world, and if so, under what conditions? We invite you to a nationwide scientific conference dedicated to art, which responds to and participates in the crises of modernity. The program included speeches by representatives of a dozen universities and cultural institutions from Poland and abroad. We will talk about social memory and counter-monuments, about the climate crisis and non-human actors, about the limits and pitfalls of artistic engagement. We will also look at art in the digital space, from Eurovision to the metaverse and Instagram, and grassroots urban practices, artivism and art as a tool of care and social change.