A HEALTHY WORKPLACE: UTOPIA OR GOAL?

Well-being workshops for people working in culture

What is it about?

Overwork, lack of satisfaction, low pay, constant rush, and multitasking—is this the daily reality for cultural sector professionals? During this four-hour workshop, participants will have the opportunity to explore the phenomenon of burnout in the cultural field—its causes, symptoms, and possible responses.

The workshop is grounded in the work of Christina Maslach—an American psychologist who was the first to define “burnout” as a social and physiological response to chronic emotional and physical stress. In the cultural sector—much like in education or healthcare—burnout is often linked to deep personal commitment to working with others, coupled with a lack of systemic support and insufficient resources to carry out that work.

The workshop will offer space for reflection as well as the exchange of practical strategies: How can we recognize signs of overload? How can we design well-being not as an add-on, but as a core part of professional practice? And how can we build work environments that don’t just survive—but truly allow people to thrive?

By whom?

Karolina Pluta – trainer, cultural workforce support specialist, coach, and performer. She leads workshops and creative processes, supporting teams in cultural institutions through burnout prevention and mediation work. She is a co-founder of the Association of Theatre Educators and the Culture Shock Foundation.

Who is it for?

• for people working in culture, arts education, and community engagement—both within institutions and in grassroots or nonprofit organizations.
• for those experiencing overload, burnout, loss of energy or motivation—but also for those who want to actively contribute to creating better working conditions in the cultural sector.
• The event has no age restrictions and requires no prior experience—just a willingness to pause, reflect, and engage in a conversation about change.

Registration: d.dziedzinska@centrumdialogu.com. Places are reserved on a first-come, first-served basis.

Why is it worth it?

Burnout is not a personal failure—it’s a symptom of systemic shortcomings. The workshop “Well-being in Cultural Work” offers tools to understand this process and identify its root causes. It teaches how to care for yourself—before it’s too late. It’s also a space for community—a chance to meet others facing similar challenges and who want to change their daily reality not just through “rest,” but through systemic action.
Utopia? Maybe.
But every change begins with a conversation that matters.

Availability

The Dialogue Center building is accessible for people with mobility impairments. It features wide, non-automatic entrance doors without thresholds and an accessible restroom. There is a large parking lot in front of the building, with designated parking spaces for people with disabilities. Assistance dogs and guide dogs are welcome inside the building and auditorium. The workshop room is located on the first floor, and the building is equipped with an elevator.

Parking entrance from Wojska Polskiego Street.
Nearby bus and tram stops: Wojska Polskiego/Centrum Dialogu, Wojska Polskiego/Sporna.

Photo

Karolina Pluta, photo. Mikołaj Starzyński

#BurnOut #Wypalenie #WellbeingWKulturze #WarsztatyTroski