Creativity, Well-being and Neighborhood

Over the past two years, we have been implementing a project at the Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice, led by the Goethe Institute in Warsaw and the Bęc Zmiana Foundation – the Happiness Research Laboratory. Life after Comfort-Centered Concerns. […] As a grassroots team of designers, artists, and students, we established the Happiness Office – a space for activities focused on mental well-being and strengthening social relationships.

[…] The project's implementation made us realize how important actions aimed at mutual care, understanding, and respect are in today's times. We introduced small changes and interventions, but what was important was that we changed our perspective, our perception of the space around us, and listened to the needs of others. The actions undertaken were prototypical in nature, using existing resources and low-budget solutions. We chose activities that helped restore our sense of agency and that of the local community, provided motivation to care for ourselves and others, and provided reasons for pride and joy.