SIENIEWICZ Mariusz

Born on 3 August 1972 in Olsztyn; son of the construction worker Henryk Sieniewicz and the economist Danuta, née Sienkiewicz. He joined the Economics Technical School in Olsztyn in 1987, completing his advanced secondary education there in 1992. He made his debut in 1991 with the short story Łysość (Baldness), which appaeared in the literary-cultural periodical "Teraz my?" (no. 3), where he was also editor. He studied Polish philology at the Higher School of Education (WSP) in Olsztyn from 1992, before moving to the University of Warsaw (UW) for 1994/95. In 1995, together with Piotr Siwicki and Joanna Wilengowska, he co-founded and later edited (until 2009) the Olszytn-based literary-cultural periodical "Portret", where between 1995 and 2002 he published articles and interviews. He was also responsible for organizing happenings. In 1997, he graduated with a master's degree from WSP in Olsztyn and subsequently worked until 2005 as an assistant at the Chair of Contemporary Literature and at the Chair of Journalism and Social Communication at Olsztyn WSP (which in 1999 became the University of Warmia and Mazury (UWM). In 2000, he received a literary fellowship from the city of Olsztyn. In 2001, he was involved in the Tekstylia festival for young prose writers, which was held in Krakow. He produced shows for local radio stations: Ucho do wycierania Portretu [An ear for wiping Portret] for Polish Radio in Olsztyn and Kulturalne misie [Cultural Teddies] for the university radio station UWM FM. In 2004, he received a three-month international fellowship from the Villa Decius Association and the Polish Book Institute as part of the Homines Urbani project. His articles, reviews, column pieces, short stories and excerpts of novels appeared in periodicals and newspapers including: "Borussia" (intermittently 1995-99), "PAL Przegląd Artystyczno-Literacki" (1997-99), "Warmia i Mazury" (1999-2001), "FA-art" (2000-03), "Metropol" (2000-02), "Dekada Literacka" (2001, 2005, and 2009), "Gazeta Olsztyńska" (2003-04), "Krytyka Polityczna" (2004-05), "Gazeta Wyborcza" (2005, 2007, and 2010), "Twórczość" (2008), "Polityka" (2009-12, and 2014; including the regular column "Kawiarnia Literacka" [Literary Café]), "Śląskie Studia Polonistyczne" (2013), and "Znak" (2016). He also published in the Russian ("Zapad Rosii") and Lithuanian ("Kaunas") press. From September 2005 to July 2017, he worked at the Stefan Jaracz Theatre in Olsztyn as assistant programme manager. In 2007, he was one of the people behind the idea for the Demo-Ludy International Theatre Festival (later DEMOLUDY), which was organized by the theatre. In 2014/16, he was also artistic director of the theatre's Margines Stage. In 2006, he established the Perforacje literackie [Literary Perforations] series, which involved readings of texts at the Margines Stage of the Stefan Jaracz Theatre. In 2007, he joined the Polish Writers' Association (SPP). That year he also served on the programme council of the literary quarterly "Wyspa". In 2010, he launched a course in creative writing at the Krakow-based Fundacja Znaczy się (the i.e. Foundation). From September 2010 to January 2011, he was a member of the Council for Equal Treatment of Men and Women in Olsztyn. Nominated by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage, in 2011 he served as an expert on film scripts for the Polish Film Institute (PISF). In September 2017, he was appointed director of the Municipal Cultural Centre in Olsztyn. He is the recipient of several awards, including the "Best of the Best" award in the category of culture as part of the Prize of the Marshal of Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship in 2001, 2004 and 2008. He also received the President of the City of Olsztyn Prize in 2005. In 2004, he married the Polish studies and law graduate Małgorzata Grzymska; they have two daughters: Emilia (b. 2008) and Helena (b. 2010). He lives in Olsztyn.