The International Biennale of Socio-Political Posters was initiated by the International Youth Meeting Centre in Oświęcim and the artist Paweł Warchoł. The idea behind the project was to organize a forum for an artistic exchange of views in Oświęcim on the most common problems of the contemporary world. The initiators of the project assumed that the "voice from Oświęcim" is better heard and more effectively gets into the public consciousness in today's information noise, and that many of the burning problems can be solved through a civic response to threats. The project has been carried out continuously since 2006, and each edition of the project meets with interest and lively reaction of many outstanding artists, representing different corners of the world. Artistic statements concern a whole range of issues: tolerance, ecology, equality, influence of politics on citizens' lives, problems of racism, violence, violation of the rights of children, women and minorities. Currently, our Biennale is one of the most important and prestigious projects of the IYMC, and Oświęcim has become one of the most recognizable hubs of Polish poster art during the 12 years of the project. Currently, there are almost 3 thousand posters in the IYMC collection.

So far, the exhibitions of the Biennale have been presented in: Oświęcim (IYMC), Cracow (Judaica Foundation - Center for Jewish Culture), Brussels (European Parliament), Strasbourg (European Parliament), Chełmek (Epicentrum Gallery), Opole (Central Museum of Prisoners of War), Kielce (Center for Patriotic and Civic Thought), Erfurt (Memorial and Educational Site Andreasstraße), Düsseldorf (Landtag of North Rhine-Westphalia), Cieszyn (Cieszyn Castle), Jaworzno (Theater of Arts), Bielsko-Biała (Victoria Kubisz’ Cultural Center), Dachau (KVD Gallery), Esch-sur-Alzette (National Resistance Museum), Bucharest (UNArte Gallery of the National University of Fine Arts),  Suczawa (Museum of Bukovina), Kiel (Landtag of Schleswig-Holstein), Hannover (New Town Hall), Stuttgart (Willi Bleicher House), Wałbrzych (Książ Castle), Szczecin (Mieczysław Karłowicz Philharmonic), Lviv (Regional Youth Library of the Mieczyslaw Karlowicz, Center of Metropolitan Andrew Sheptytskyi ), Wrocław (Academy of Fine Arts), Berlin (Ministry of Foreign Affairs), Wolfsburg (seat of IG Metall), Warsaw (Austrian Cultural Forum).

Long-term project partners are: The Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, City of Oświęcim, Oświęcim County, City of Dachau, Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Cracow, Consulate General of the Republic of Austria in Cracow, the Memorial Foundation for the victims of Auschwitz-Birkenau, AnStifter Foundation, the Academy of Fine Arts in Cracow, the Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice, University of Silesia in Katowice and the Association of Polish Artists.

Business partners: META Systemy magazynowania Sp. z o.o., RE-Bau Sp. z o.o., Ipsen Logistics Sp. z o.o., Würth Polska Sp. z o.o., Grupa Kęty S.A., Firma Inżynierska EnCo Sp. Jawna, OMAG Sp. z o.o., Austrotherm Sp. z o.o. , Plantpol Zaborze.

Technical details:

Each exhibition of the International Socio-Political Poster Biennale consists of about 80 70x100 cm posters framed behind plexiglass.

Our post-competition exhibitions from the 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th editions are currently available for rent. In special situations, other exhibitions may be made available. Please contact us for further informations.