Ośrodek Kultury "Górna"

Górna Art Centre is a place that is very operative in cultural life of Lodz since thirty years. We have many different activities intended for people of different age. We offer art, music, vocal, theatre activities, as well as vocal and music competitions, concerts and artistic presentations. We also run Active Senior Centre. We specialize in authorial programmes in the field of cultural education and culture animation. The place has an enormous culture-making potential, which dynamically evolves. The name of the Centre is derived from the district in which it was situated. During the last three years this community centre became a recognisable institution and well known not only by the habitants of the district but also the whole City of Lodz. Thanks to the hard work of Górna Art Centre workers the programme offer is still developing. Instructors and animators are still looking for the new challenges, ideas and projects, which helps arousing the interest in culture and art, promoting creative activity. Permanent activities are art classes for children, theatre classes for youths, guitar classes, song studio – individual singing lessons, Chess Club, Song and Dance Ensemble „Akcent”. What is more there are various presentations, concerts and theatre shows. In the period of spring and summer we provide our cultural activity also in the park encompassing our building, where we organize family picnics and artistic events. The important fact is that the building of Górna Art Centre is villa of Otto Haesler raised in 1898. Otto Haesler was a German businessman . After II World War Haessler came back to Germany. The building is a characteristic example of Lodz post-industrial residence. It's inscribed to the Register of Objects of Cultural Heritage and stands for a testimony od Lodz industrial, textile and multicultural past. Successors of Haessler decided to transfer the rights to the building to the City of Łódź under the condition it will serve as a cultural and social place. Górna Art Centre operates mainly in the Górna district of Lodz, where it is situated. This particular district of our town is very neglected in the architectural and social means. It's one of the biggest poverty enclave in the city. Therefore it is hard to promote culture here. Through the prophylactic activities (i.e. „Our streets” project), cooperation with street-workers, schools, kindergartens and youth community centres we are trying to face the most deficient and socially excluded groups. Having the notion of the district where we work, we enable kids, youths, seniors to participate in the free-of-charge activities or that the payment is low. In view of our developing offer and attractiveness of events and activities organised, more often the inhabitants of Lodz enjoy it. Programme activities of our Centre oscillate between two strategic courses. One is work at the roots, social and cultural activation of socially disadvantaged groups. The second is offering the modern forms of participating in culture, enriching the offer with attractive events for the people who eagerly participate in cultural events and those looking for modern forms of with culture. Górna Art Centre has a rich programme offer in culture and cultural education. Every year our centre gathers around 18 000 participants.