The article focuses on participation in local culture from a lesser-studied perspective of foreign nationals residing in Polish cities, drawing on a case study of Kraków. In the first part of the article, the authors outline the context of the migration transition in Poland, meaning the passage between a country of net emigration towards a country of net immigration, which has dynamically changed the urban landscape. Next, the results of an exploratory study on foreign residents’ attitudes and experiences of culture in the public sphere in Kraków are presented, which are the testing ground for the analysis of the changing nature of engagement at the local level. This study points to several conclusions for further analysis, namely the overwhelmingly positive evaluation of the cultural sphere by foreign nationals, the potential for social anchoring through this sphere, and the new narratives of local identity that are emerging as a result.

Knowledge of the language of the host country plays a strategical role in the integration process of migrant communities. Language as a component of the culture constitutes a natural acting space for the entities belonging to the cultural sector, in particular for those engaging in non-formal education. Teaching Polish as a second language has a relatively short history in terms of teaching methods as well as organisation of the teaching process itself. Taking into consideration the current migrant situation, the engagement of different organisations into the teaching process becomes of particular importance. The aim of the article is to discuss the role which can be played by the Polish cultural institutions in the integration process through establishing the language and communication accessibility as well as active linguistic and cultural support for children and teens with the migration background. The case study for this article is Poznań and Poznań Heritage Center, local cultural institution, whose main purpose is to popularise, interpret and protect the (cultural) heritage of Poznań through creating a (linguistically) accessible cultural programme and adjusting it to the current needs of the audience.

The humanitarian crisis that we have witnessed here in Poland since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has stirred up a discussion on how to reach out to people who have fled their homeland and how to provide assistance through cultural institutions. The phenomenon of migration is not new, but the recent conflict escalation in Ukraine and the resulting influx of vulnerable people in large numbers in a short period of time have been a catalyst for many initiatives. This is a new situation for Poland; as the country was not prepared for it on many levels, including competence training for the outreach workers. After the initial efforts of providing relief we are at the crossroads and we need to ask some fundamental questions. How can we, as a cultural institution contribute towards international audiences participating in our cultural scene and, ultimately, fostering their integration into our society? What do museums need to do in order for these processes to be initiated at all? How can museums and cultural institutions assist in initiating and supporting these processes? What experiences does the Museum of Warsaw have in working with an international audience?

The author of the text analyzes attitudes, programs and current initiatives based on her own experience of working in a cultural institution as well as looks at them from the perspective of initiators and partners of such processes at the Museum of Warsaw. The article will also address the course of such process. The author, looking for inspiration at the institutions with more experience in this type of activities, completed an internship at the Framer Framed organization in Amsterdam (as part of the Erasmus+ program). The Amsterdam perspective will also be discussed in the article.