About the publication cycle
The cycle of publications is a collection of texts showing the scientific, academic and artistic perspective on the methodology of the activities carried out by the Jubilo Foundation in the field of theatre in prison and its project “Unlocking” in cooperation with the Grotowski Institute. It is the first step within the framework of extensive research documenting and analyzing the course of the theatrical and rehabilitation process undertaken together with a group of inmates in Penitentiary N. 1 in Wrocław.

The presented texts were created as part of this year’s edition of the “Unlocking” project, which received funding from the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage from the Culture Promotion Fund and from the Wrocław Municipality.


Publication program:
21.12.2020, h. 19:00 – Why do we need theater in prison? Reflections on my meeting with the Jubilo Foundation, author of the text: Magdalena Mosteanu (academic teacher, PhD student at the University of Reading)

22.12.2020, h. 19:00 – You are someone’s son, author of the text: Martina Storani (academic teacher, PhD student at Universita’ La Sapienza di Roma)

23.12.2020, h. 19:00 – The Mark of Cain, author of the text: Martyna Dębowska (Jubilo Foundation, Collective Kobietostan)

About „Unlocking”
The “Unlocking” project is a continuation of the theatrical project, which has been carried out for seven years by the Jubilo Foundation in cooperation with the Grotowski Institute. The overall objective of the project is to strengthen and increase the potential of entities active in the cultural and social sector, carrying out theatrical activities in excluded environments, including prisons, in particular through direct educational experience and knowledge exchange. The project promotes broadly understood access and participation in culture, active re-socialization through art and fight against stereotypes and social exclusion.


Biographies of the authors:

Magdalena Mosteanu, doctoral student and lecturer at the University of Reading (United Kingdom), researcher of intercultural theatre with education in the fields of theatre anthropology, actor training and cooperative theatre. Particularly interested in intercultural phenomena and migration, qualitative research and applied theatre. Since 2014 she has lived in London where she graduated from MA in Collaborative Theatre Making (Coventry University, 2017). She is the author of the research project Easy As Pie, which anaglises theatre methods, storytelling and mindfulness as forms of social research, and co-author of the research project Arrival Lounge by Peeling Onions with Granny. Before leaving Poland, between 2011-2014 Magdalena worked as an assistant director and actress at the Powszechny Theatre in Radom, the Polish Theatre in Warsaw, the Baltic Opera in Gdańsk and the Wybrzeże Theatre in Gdańsk.

Martina Storani, academic teacher, doctoral student at the Universita La Sapienza di Roma. Martina began her studies in Literature, Music and Performing at the University of Macerata, obtaining a Bachelor degree in 2011. She obtained a Master Degree with honors in Theatre Performance at the University Sapienza of Rome in 2015. During the studies she approached the world of Social Theatre, particularly Prison Theatre. The thesis dealed with the pioneering theatre experience with ex-prisoner actors conducted in Rome by the director Valentina Esposito. Since 2014 started a collaboration with the cultural association Fort Apache, Cinema Teatro, founded by Esposito. In 2018 started a collaboration with Diego Pileggi and Fundacja Jubilo.

Martyna Dębowska, a literary expert, playwright and author. Her research interests include literature theory, broadly understood feminist and gender criticism and contemporary French philosophy. Professionally manager and theatre producer. Since 2018, she has been cooperating with Jubilo Foundation in Wrocław, where she coordinates theatrical projects against social exclusion, including “Unlocking”, project which has been carried out for many years with inmates of the Penitentiary No. 1 of Wrocław, in cooperation with the Grotowski Institute. Martyna was also responsible for the production of the play “Cain”, which premiered in March 2019, and for the dramaturgy for the play “On the Other Side: Concert for Piano and Silence”. (Premiered in December 2019 at the Grotowski Institute). Since 2019 she has been a member of Kolektyw Kobietostan.

The cycle of publications is part of the project Unlocking, co-financed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage from the Culture Promotion Fund and by the City of Wrocław.