This historical fort had been adapted to the needs of a cultural centre that moved here on January 5th, 2000 from a pavilion rented from a housing cooperative. The centre was granted the status of an independent institution on June 1st, 1971. In 1982 it was named after distinguished Polish poet Julian Tuwim. In 1994 the Krakow Municipality passed a decision allocating a land plot with the historical 'Krzesławice' Fort 49 to the Centre. In November 1995, the fort was entered to the official register of historical sites. Four-year-long renovation works that followed were supervised by the Centre's director. The Centre's basic offer includes about 80 interest groups attended by nearly 1000 people. Very popular are artistic classes in visual arts, weaving, macramé, dancing, theatre and music. A long-lived success of the Centre is the 'Takt' Ballroom Dancing Club. Its members take part in numerous big and small dancing tournaments. Every year for the past 15 years the Club has organised the 'Spring' Dancing Tournament (Turniej Taneczny 'Wiosna'), in which about 200 couples representing dancing clubs from all over southern and central Poland compete. In 2001, upon the invitation from the Polish Embassy in Budapest, the Takt's couples added splendour to the 'Polonia Ball' held there. Examples of musical and vocal programmes are the band Carpe Diem and the Children's Group 'Śpiewanki', winner of countless musical competitions and festivals. A highlight of the theatrical offer is the Młodzieżowa Grupa Teatralna (Youth Theatrical Ensemble), which, over the past season, staged two plays, Sophocles' Antigone and Moliére's The Bourgeois Gentleman. Among the educational and social programmes, the most popular are computer classes and journalistic workshops. Special care is provided for children and teenagers form pathological families, inclusive of 'Support Clubs' for high-risk families, the social and therapeutic group Hades, and the 'Dexterous Hands Club', i.e. decorative fabrics classes for young people with impaired hearing. The European Club operating by the Youth Culture Centre cooperates with youth centres in Germany, France and Great Britain and organises, among other projects, foreign exchange programmes for children and youth. A lot of effort is made to promote recreation and tourism. The Julian Tuwim Centre is involved in the promotion of a new historical route connecting the surviving fortifications of the Krakow Fortress. The facilities of 'Krzesławice' Fort 49 are the basis for 'live history lessons' organised for school students. The Centre holds a lot of popular cyclical events, such as the 'Trzeźwymi Bądźcie' (Be Sober), Małopolska arts competition addressed to children and teenagers, or the ecological tournament 'You Have Been Entrusted With the Garden Earth. Administer it Wisely'. Also, addressed to the youngest residents of Krakow, the 'Santa Works' project is held, in which Krakow celebrities (actors and politicians) distribute presents to kids. In 2001 the Youth Salon project was started; it is intended to promote talented young singers and actors. The fort's climate has wonderfully enhanced some patriotic and historical shows, for example 'Tribute to Marshal Piłsudski,' 'The Fort Opening Ceremony' (both stylistically evocative of the turn of the 19th and 20th century), or theatre plays. In addition, social events are organised for the local community: musical feasts, or sports and recreation picnics.
