The Institute of Music and Dance (IMiT) was established on 1 October 2010 by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage. It operates as a state-run cultural institution. The Institute’s basic mission is to support the development of music and dance culture in Poland.
The IMiT runs residency, artistic, research, publishing and grant programmes designed for the Polish music and dance communities, implemented via competition formula. It also administers Ministry programmes. The Institute runs a wide range of educational activities, including both original IMiT programmes (Thought in Motion, a nationwide dance education programme for children, youth and intergenerational groups) and projects run directly by the Institute and addressed to the youth (Philharmonic. Caution, it draws you in!) and senior citizens (Philharmonic for Seniors).
The Institute also studies the condition of dance and music communities; presents reports and postulates to the Minister, providing expertise; handles documentation and archives; commissions research; encourages quality improvement in music and dance education; supports cultural institutions and non-governmental organisations; initiates celebrations of anniversaries of important events in the history and development of dance and music; and coordinates the activities of cultural institutions.
The IMiT participates in the exchange of information and experience between Polish and international professional organizations. It runs or co-runs numerous websites, including the Polish artistic dance website/database (ww.taniecpolska.pl) and, together with the Polish Composers' Union (ZKP), a website/database of the Polish Music Information Centre (www.polmic.pl), as well as websites dedicated to Polish instruments (www.instrumenty.edu.pl) and to traditional, national and historical dances (www.tance.edu.pl), a database of artists and works created within the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage programme Composing Commissions (www.zamowieniakompozytorskie.pl), the Kolberg Academy website (www.akademiakolberga.pl), a website dedicated to traditional music (www.muzykatradycyjna.pl), and the websites of the Witold Lutosławski Society (www.lutoslawski.org.pl) and the Oskar Kolberg Institute (www.oskarkolberg.pl).
The Institute actively supports the development of professional music and dance communities in Poland, organising the Polish Music Convention and the Dance Congress which provide ample space for exchange of experiences and self-reflection, as well as running conferences, workshops and training for dance and music professionals. It also develops publicly available special reports and expert opinions, and runs a programme assisting dance artists in acquiring new professional qualifications.
The IMiT is also the main organiser of important cultural events across Poland, such as the biennial Polish Dance Platform, the annual Coryphée of Polish Music award, and two competitions that are held alternately, the Young Musician of the Year and the Young Dancer of the Year.
In 2013, the Institute served as the celebration office of the Witold Lutosławski Year; in 2014, of the Oskar Kolberg Year; and in 2016 and 2017, it runs the celebration office of the Feliks Nowowiejski Year. At Ministry request, the IMiT also co-organises the Oskar Kolberg Award for Merits to Folk Culture.
On 12 May 2021 the Institute of Music and Dance changed its name to the National Institute of Music and Dance. This change was due to efforts to emphasize the state-owned nature of the institution which has been supporting the Polish world of dance and music for over 10 years.
updated: 2021 (Agnieszka Cieślak)
