37th Feminist Seminar (Fem Sem)

37th Feminist Seminar (Fem Sem) “De-Learning. Creative and Collective Educational Practices”

June 28th 2026 (Sunday), 12:15 p.m. – 03:15 p.m.
Arsenal Gallery in Białystok
Mickiewicza 2, Białystok
free admission

IN-PERSON EVENT
The meeting will be held in Polish and English, simultaneous interpreting available on site at the Gallery.

ONLINE
The Seminar will be streamed live (interpreting unavailable) on the Gallery’s Facebook page.
LINK: https://fb.me/e/7bHmiXsmn

Most of us tend to associate the term “education” with hierarchical relations, “conveying knowledge”, and rigid sets of rules and principles. Formal intramural education is further linked to socialisation – preparing young people for a life in society to strictly defined cultural and social standards.

That, however, does not need to be the norm. Our communities have begun developing a growing number of educational initiatives – propositions of alternative approaches to teaching, positing a shared process of creating knowledge rather than “conveying” it, combined with reflection on what is recognised as knowledge, and who makes such decisions. These are grassroot initiatives, born of local community needs, commitment and passions – they offer flexible work forms, an individual approach to students, and foundations for building interpersonal relations. A growing number of art-based teaching projects have been evolving as well, all affording space for the free expression of individualism and self-improvement through diverse creative activities. Contemporary educational practices are by no means limited to activities involving children and young people only; many are based on intergenerational campaigns, participants representing different experiences and needs working together with intent to learn and “de-learn” as a community, moving away from the previously common patriarchal mentoring model.

Co-financed by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage from the Culture Promotion Fund