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Drawing on six years of experience running the Wena Grant Program, whose main goal is to support the development of arts education, the Starak Family Foundation launched a pilot program called Wena Graficzna Masters in 2024.

 

 

The creative process had its origins in the implementation of educational and artistic projects awarded in the “Wena” Grant Program competitions. The overarching goal of the pilot program was to showcase the beauty of graphic art by selected students of art high schools who are particularly talented and plan to pursue a career in graphic design.

 

 

The Foundation recognized and invited three art high schools to participate in the project: the State High School of Fine Arts in Częstochowa, the State High School of Fine Arts in Krosno, and the High School of Fine Arts in Gronów Górny, winners of the “Wena” Grant Program Competitions, who carried out educational and artistic projects in line with the themes of each edition of the Competition: “8th edition of the social campaign Culture Doesn't Hurt. Me+You=Us!” in Częstochowa, “The Art of Communication” in Krosno, and “The Art of Communication” in Gronów Górny. “Wena” Grant Program, who carried out educational and artistic projects in line with the themes of each edition of the Competition: “8th edition of the social campaign Culture Doesn't Hurt. Me+You=Us!” in Częstochowa, “Why Do We Need This Whole Movie?” in Gronów Górny, and “Small Things?” in Krosno.

 

 

 

 

The 8th edition of the social campaign Culture Doesn't Hurt. Me+You=Us! in Częstochowa

 

 

 

 

The 8th edition of the social campaign Culture Doesn't Hurt. Me+You=Us! in Częstochowa

 

 

 

 

“Why do we need this whole movie?” in Gronowo Górne

 

 

 

“Why do we need this whole movie?” in Gronowo Górne

 

 

 

 

“Why do we need this whole movie?” in Gronowo Górne

 

 

 

 

“Small things?” in Krosno

 

 

 

 

“Small things?” in Krosno

 

 

 

 

“Small things?” in Krosno

 

 

The jury of the “Wena” Grant Program recognized the above concepts, which go beyond the basic school curriculum, for their innovation, high educational and artistic level, and social impact. The common denominator of the awarded projects, in terms of their material effect, was the outstanding work created in digital or workshop graphic design studios.

 

 

 

Why is graphic design included in the Foundation's educational program? In the visual arts, everything starts with a line, with graphic design. This statement refers to the key role of graphic design in the creative process, from the initial idea to the final product, from logo design to the creation of comprehensive visual identities, websites, and animations.

 

 

Workshop graphics is one of the basic subjects taught at graphic arts departments in universities specializing in the visual arts.

 

 

 

Printmaking plays a creative, educational, social, and sometimes even therapeutic role. In the context of art, it allows artists to create unique, handmade works using traditional printing techniques, shaping aesthetics and introducing new ideas. In education, it develops manual skills and an understanding of the creative process. In social activities, it facilitates visual communication in campaigns. Thanks to the possibility of reproducing works, it is a tool for social commentary, says Katarzyna Swoińska, head of the art section and teacher of design basics at LSP in Gronowo Górne.

 

 

The following people participated in the pilot program over the course of two years.

Students

PLSP Częstochowa: Kinga Gruca, Katarzyna Karpowicz, Maja Mazur, Natalia Wewióra, Natalia Piotrowska

LSP Gronowo Górne: Maria Wiśniewska, Maja Lubner, Barbara Jankowska, Emilia Kapłon, Blanka Siagło, Oliwia Kiedrowska, Maja Zasada, Kalina Reuschel, Oliwia Wypych, Zuzanna Pacholska, Wiktoria Przychodzień, Natalia Buczkowska, Alicja Ścigaj, Karolina Horoszko

PLSP Krosno: Jagoda Szerląg, Jagoda Tomkowicz, Maja Korzeniowska, Liliana Gnap, Emilia Balawajder, Julia Nogal, Dagmara Oryszczak, Katarzyna Kociuba, Julia Klaus, Martyna Frodyma, Martyna Gurgacz, Jadwiga Władyka, Maria Rymar

Staff

Elżbieta Siwik, Agnieszka Tyrman – PLSP Częstochowa

Katarzyna Swoińska, Roma Jaruszewska – LSP Gronowo Górne

Joanna Topolska-Uliasz – PLSP Krosno

Miroslav Capovčák, artist, graphic designer – Slovakia

 

 

The pilot program began with a graphic design workshop on May 22-24, 2024, at the PLSP in Częstochowa. The young people created artistic posters responding to the slogan of the 9th social campaign by Częstochowa artist KULTURA NIE BOLI! LOKALNIE! NIE GLOBALNIE! (Culture Doesn't Hurt! Locally! Not Globally!).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posters created by students of the PLSP in Częstochowa during previous editions of the campaign, under the supervision and guidance of experienced graphic design teachers: Elżbieta Siwik and Agnieszka Tyrman, are presented at a permanent exhibition at the “Wena” Gallery of the Starak Family Foundation at 8 Bobrowiecka Street in Warsaw, dedicated to the art of the youngest.

 

On October 15-18, 2024, the second stage of “Wena Graficzna Masters” was hosted by the Secondary School of Fine Arts in Gronów Górny. Workshops for students entitled “A Postcard from a Journey” were conducted by Katarzyna Swoińska and Janusz Kozak.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The students and their guardians had the opportunity to explore the city by following the curatorial Spatial Forms Trail, attend a lecture on retrowersion, and visit the El Gallery. Joint discussions about art, sharing experiences and personal views of the world became the impetus for creating artistic travel cards using the techniques of flat printing (silkscreen) and intaglio printing (etching) combined with flat printing (offset).

 

Wiesława Giedrojć, Member of the Board of the Starak Family Foundation, summed up the next stage of the project by saying: We saw sparks of enthusiasm in the eyes of the students and teachers. The young people found the right staff for their work, and the teachers guided the students through the workshop process, providing valuable feedback.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

During the lecture part of the ceremony summarizing the Gronowo stage, Prof. Bogna Łakomska, PhD, Head of the Department of Art History and Theory at the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdańsk, gave a lecture on her research on "Animal motifs in Chinese art".

 

 

 

The next “Wena Graficzna Masters” meeting took place in May 2025 at the Faculty of Graphic Arts of the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw. The students learned about typesetting, took part in lectures on typography, and designed a joint zine, which is currently on display at a temporary exhibition at the Academic Design Center in Łódź.

 

 

 

 

 

The next meeting of “Wena Graficzna Masters” took place in May 2025 at the Faculty of Graphic Arts of the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw. The students learned about typesetting, attended lectures on typography, and designed a joint zine, which is currently on display at a temporary exhibition at the Academic Design Center in Łódź.

 

 

The pilot program ended with workshops held on October 21-24, 2025, and the “Wena Graficzna Masters” exhibition at the Academic Design Center in Łódź. The workshops, whose aim was to create graphic works, resulted in many discoveries and the development of individual skills.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Congratulations to the students and teachers involved! The exhibition, created by art school students using the resources of the machine park and consulting with experts from the Academic Design Center in Łódź, summarizes the two-year pilot program “Wena Graficzna Masters” and showcases the beauty of graphic design in its entirety!

We invite you to visit the exhibition at the Academic Design Center in Księży Młyn, which is open until November 16, 2025.