BIO

Grażyna Kulczyk is a renowned entrepreneur and patron of the arts who has been one of Poland’s most successful businesswoman for over four decades. Her remarkable career spans various sectors and has significantly impacted Poland’s post-communist economic transformation. Together with her late husband Jan, Grażyna formed the “Wonder Team,” which after the economic system change played a crucial role in restructuring, building, and expanding various industrial sectors in Poland, including automotive, brewing, and infrastructure. Separate from the family business, she started and grew her own progressive ventures in manufacturing , distribution and construction industries.

In 2004, after many years of running activities in art and philanthropy, Grażyna Kulczyk established her cultural flagship venture, the Art Stations Foundation. This institution became Poland’s largest non- governmental cultural organization, founding and running nearly 1,500 cultural and educational projects.

The foundation was housed in the carefully restored and expanded Stary Browar (Old Brewery) in Poznań, Poland—an 8-hectare post-industrial complex that became one of Europe’s first and most important shopping and cultural centers, receiving numerous Polish and international awards. This resulted in her being invited as an expert to development projects that combine business and cultural functions in Europe and the USA.
In December 2018, after 3 years of meticulous restoration and extension of former medieval monastery, Grażyna opened the Muzeum Susch in the Swiss Alps, which quickly gained recognition as one of Switzerland’s most important museum institutions. The museum is known for its dedication to rewriting art history to give a voice to overlooked or misread avant-garde women artists. The foundation’s activities also include research and residency programs such, focusing on matrilineage research and excellence in writing.

Grażyna Kulczyk’s interests extend beyond art and business. She funds pioneering tech ventures addressing systemic global issues, fostering entrepreneurship among women and promoting equal representation of women in STEM and other male-dominated industries.

Her contributions to the art world have been significant, having held positions as a member of the International Council and REEAC at Tate Modern (2012 2018) and the first European board member of the Modern Women’s Fund Committee at the Museum of Modern Art, New York. Her achievements have earned her notable recognition, including being named European Cultural Investor of the Year 2019, being awarded the World Woman Hero in Art & Philanthropy prize at the 2024 World Economic Forum in Davos, and repeatedly being listed as one of the „200 Top Collectors” in the world by ARTnews.

Grażyna Kulczyk’s career exemplifies a remarkable blend of business acumen, cultural patronage, and social advocacy, making her a prominent figure in both the Polish and international scenes.