Anna and Jerzy Starak are the owners of one of the largest and most significant private post-war art collections in Poland. For over 15 years, as patrons of the arts, they have actively supported cultural institutions and major artistic events. Since 2013, through the activities of Spectra Art Space by the Starak Family Foundation, they have patronised the exhibition programme at the Foundation’s Warsaw headquarters at 6 Bobrowiecka Street; to date, this has comprised more than 30 exhibitions of post-war Polish art. Since 2017, the Starak Family Foundation has regularly organised exhibitions of Polish art as part of the Venice Biennale, as a part of official programmer of collateral events.

All activities carried out since 2013 have gained recognition from the public, critics and the art community. They have made Spectra Art Space a recognisable, engaging and important venue, strongly identified with both the Starak Collection and its founders. The key mission of the foundation is to support and promote culture, with a particular focus on nurturing young, talented artists. It is with them in mind that the SOON_ project has been developed - a dynamic platform which is open to experiment for young, debuting artists, under 30. Presented works, in form or in content, take into account specific character of the Spectra building or the role it plays. Using a concept of popular contemporary site-specific trend supports the development of art in places not designed for it, but temporarily adapted for this purpose. Since 2013, over 85 artists took part in the project. In 2019, it further strengthened its educational mission by launching Spectra Edu, supporting students and teachers of public secondary art schools through the Spark Grant Programme.

In June 2024, in recognition of their contributions to strengthening and shaping the international presence of Polish art, their significant cultural patronage, and their support for young artists, Anna Woźniak-Starak and Jerzy Starak were honoured by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage, Hanna Wróblewska, with Poland’s highest cultural distinction – the Gold Medals for Merit to Culture “Gloria Artis”.

Starak Collection includes works by over 130 artists, including: Magdalena Abakanowicz, Zofia Artymowska, Jan Berdyszak, Tadeusz Brzozowski, Tomasz Ciecierski, Tadeusz Dominik, Edward Dwurnik, Jan Dobkowski, Wojciech Fangor, Stanisław Fijałkowski, Stefan Gierowski, Ryszard Grzyb, Władysław Hasior, Maria Jarema, Tadeusz Kantor, Katarzyna Kobro, Koji Kamoji, Łukasz Korolkiewicz, Paweł Kowalewski, Ewa Kuryluk, Danuta Lewandowska, Natalia LL, Igor Mitoraj, Jarosław Modzelewski, Jadwiga Maziarska, Jerzy Nowosielski, Roman Opałka, Włodzimierz Pawlak, Teresa Pągowska, Barbara Pniewska, Teresa Rudowicz, Jerzy Rosołowicz, Erna Rosenstein, Wilhelm Sasnal, Jadwiga Sawicka, Marek Sobczyk, Kajetan Sosnowski, Henryk Stażewski, Jonasz Stern, Alina Szapocznikow, Władysław Strzemiński, Franciszka Themerson, Jerzy Tchórzewski, Teresa Tyszkiewicz, Piotr Uklański, Ryszard Winiarski, Andrzej Wróblewski, Marian Warzecha, Ryszard Woźniak, Jerzy „Jurry” Zieliński.

During exhibitions Spectra Art Space is open to public daily from 10 am till 6 pm, on Wednesdays till 8 pm. Admission is free.

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