TheFailure of the Nonexistent? A Collectively Managed Feminist Cultural Institution as Exemplified by Teatr Dramatyczny in Warsaw

The collective management of Teatr Dramatyczny in Warsaw – as a feminist cultural institution co-directed by the Dramatyczny Collective – under the leadership of Monika Strzępka was an unprecedented phenomenon in Poland. Based on media reports, supplemented by insights from Iga Dzieciuchowicz’s book Teatr. Rodzina patologiczna, this article explores the reasons behind the project’s failure. The theoretical framework is provided by Thomas Schmidt’s concept of the ‘ethical theatre.’ The author attempts to reconstruct a hypothetical picture of the transformation process within the theatre and the challenges that emerged, highlighting, among other issues, the absence of formal legal status for the Collective, hierarchical management practices, and crisis-driven responses. Both internal and external factors – from resistance to change to media backlash – are considered. While Strzępka’s programme aligned with the principles of an ethical, participatory cultural institution, its implementation diverged from its original ideals. The article also invites reflection on the practical and legislative possibilities for collective management of public theatres.