„Space To Take Place” - unusual distinction for Krystyna Meissner

In October 2008, the Dutch Minister of European Affairs, Frans Timmermans, and  the Mayor of Amsterdam, Job Cohen, unveiled the work of art entitled "Space To Take Place" – a 100-metre long public bench designed by Claudia Linders of the famous Droog Design studio.

The bench is situated in Amsterdam, a city that symbolises openness and tolerance, in a beautiful place near Ij lake and a new-built Zeeburg district.

"Space To Take Place" is a double-function designe work. Firstly, it is a work of art, part of Amsterdam public space. At the same time, it is a gift from Dutch government to a thousand people particularly connected and apprecieated by the Netherlands. Thus, the benchhas been ‘virtually’ divided into a thousand parts, and a thousand „deeds of gift”have been drawn up.

The Executive and Artistic Director of Wroclawski Teatr Wspolczesny, Krystyna Meissner, was one of 12 Poles who were distinguished (among 100 Polish nominees), receiving a "deed of gift" as an expression of thanks for her contribution to Polish-Dutch cultural relations in general – and, in particular, for the contribution to the development and popularisation of European and Dutch theatre.

In this way, Mrs. Krystyna Meissner became a co-owner of a little part of Amsterdam near IJ lake, in the form of a reserved seat on a a 100-metre long public bench ;)

The official presentation of the "deeds of gift" took place on 3 April 2009, at the seat of the Dutch Embassy in Warsaw.