Who are we?
Centrum Cyfrowe (the Digital Center) functions within the Projekt: Polska Foundation as an autonomous unit that focuses upon issues related to the functioning of digital technologies within the Polish society, with a focus upon a digital civic society. Igor Ostrowski and Alek Tarkowski founded the Center in 2010.
We function as a hybrid between a think tank and an activist organization. Due to our strong emphasis upon education, awareness raising and outreach as tools for change, we often think of ourselves as a "think and teach" tank. We are the first organization of such kind, dealing with digital issues in Poland.
We are working for social progress by the means of digital technologies. Our main interest lies in institutional change and we function as a center of competence and a support unit for other organizations - as they implement digital technologies into their projects, workflows and organizational culture. Our focus is upon uses of these technologies that support new forms of communication and engagement. We help organizations build new, digital bridges between themselves and citizens.
Our work is centered upon issues related to open production and sharing of knowledge and creative works in the fields of education, science and culture. While these are not typically seen as key areas of civic engagement, we see them as crucial to modern societies, where knowledge and its transfer plays such a crucial role. We thus treat cultural or educational activity as a form of civic engagement. All of our projects share a common attribute – openness, which means accessibility and the freedom to use and re-use resources, sharing of knowledge and promoting cooperation.
What do we do? - policy work
Our policy work focuses on three areas: open government - a transformative concept of an open public administration; openness of resources as basis for engagement - with particular focus upon education and science, as well as public resources; and copyright - as a key mechanism regulation communication and exchange of knowledge in the society.
We furthermore remain active in other policy areas related to digital technologies, including digital inclusion, digital education, or regulation of digital technologies.
What do we do? - activism
Our activism focuses upon working with public institutions and non-governmental organizations, which we educate and train on issues related to openness and copyright. We promote the concept of an "open nongovernmental organizations" and provide trainings for educators, scientists, cultural workers and activists. Our additional work concerns broadly understood digital education and skills, as well as digital inclusion.
Our research team has over the last of three years conducted a series of studies on cultural and social aspects of digital technologies. Our most important study, "Circulations of culture", concerned informal cultural content circulations in Poland. We strive to combine our research with policy work (where it serves as evidence for policy choices) and advice for institutions.
