Culture on a Par with Security: Poland and France Sign Agreement on 2027 Cultural Season at Gdańsk Summit

During the first-ever Poland–France summit in Gdańsk, an agreement was signed between the Institut Français, the Adam Mickiewicz Institute, and the Polish Institute in Paris on the organisation of the France–Poland Season 2027 (Saison Pologne–France 2027). Culture emerged as one of the key topics alongside defence, security, and energy cooperation—pillars of a new phase in relations between Warsaw and Paris.

The agreement was signed on behalf of Poland by Olga Wysocka, Director of the Adam Mickiewicz Institute, and Małgorzata Grąbczewska, Director of the Polish Institute in Paris, and on behalf of France by Eva Nguyen Binh, President of the Institut Français. The ceremony took place in the presence of Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and French President Emmanuel Macron, as well as Poland’s Minister of Culture and National Heritage Marta Cienkowska and France’s Minister of Culture Catherine Pégard.

The France–Poland Season 2027 will serve as a platform for building lasting relationships between people and institutions, while showcasing the most compelling developments in both countries’ cultural landscapes.

“Culture strengthens democracy, improves the quality of public debate, and fosters intergenerational dialogue,” said Marta Cienkowska during a conversation with Catherine Pégard. “Young audiences play a particularly important role in this process—their energy, sensitivity, and ability to create new forms of cultural participation,” she added.

Culture Among the Three Key Pillars of Poland–France Cooperation

The Gdańsk summit—the first since the signing of the treaty on enhanced cooperation and friendship in Nancy on 9 May 2025—marks another step forward in Polish–French relations. In practical terms, it strengthens cooperation across three key areas. Alongside defence and security, as well as energy, culture emerged as one of the central themes of the meeting.

“Our presence at the Gdańsk summit highlights the strategic role culture can play today in building an international community—and, by extension, resilience and strength. I am very pleased that culture is not treated as an add-on; it is as important as missiles and nuclear energy,” said Olga Wysocka, Director of the Adam Mickiewicz Institute.

A First-of-its-Kind Season

The France–Poland Season 2027, scheduled to open in the second half of February 2027, will feature a programme of events taking place simultaneously in both countries for the first time.

The initiative has clearly defined objectives. At a time when societies are increasingly experiencing polarisation, isolation, and the fragmentation of shared experience, the Season aims to create a space for genuine encounters—bringing people together to experience culture collectively and regain a sense of agency.

“The Season will showcase, on an ambitious scale, the strength of dialogue between our cultures and the shared foundation of European values. It will also provide a space for active co-creation, where artists and audiences become equal participants, jointly shaping and experiencing this unique event,” said Małgorzata Grąbczewska, Director of the Polish Institute in Paris.

The project also aims to reshape perceptions of Poland and France—presenting both countries as open, diverse, modern, and ready to collaborate. Culture is positioned here as a tangible tool of influence—soft power—and as a space for dialogue, relationship-building, and community. Through culture, it is possible to strengthen democracy, resilience, and the quality of public debate.

Young Audiences and Lasting Partnerships at the Core

The Season will be aimed at a broad audience, with a particular focus on younger generations, whom organisers intend to actively engage and invite to participate in the programme. Equally important will be fostering long-term relationships between creative communities in both countries—not only through exchange, but above all through joint projects and a commitment to sustained collaboration.

The programme will be structured around four thematic strands: democratic imagination and new solidarity; Europe as a shared space; agency in the age of algorithms; and the shared heritage and future of Poland and France. Events will take place both in major cities and across regions, with the active involvement of local governments, partner cities, and local initiatives.

The France–Poland Season 2027 is intended not only to present culture but to serve as a catalyst for action and a platform for collaboration—demonstrating that culture is becoming one of the key instruments in building a European community.

Organisation

The programme in France will be delivered by the Adam Mickiewicz Institute in cooperation with the Polish Institute in Paris. Events in Poland will be organised by the Institut Français in partnership with the French Embassy in Poland. The Season is made possible through the involvement of the French Ministry of Culture and the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, as well as Poland’s Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.