The participation of foreign residents in local culture : a case study of Kraków

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.