Warsaw-based curator Ika Sienkiewicz is the director of the a-i-r laboratory at the Center for Contemporary Art at the Ujazdowski Castle in Warsaw. The CCA, founded in 1989, is the first center for multi-disciplinary art in Poland, and is considered one of the vibrant institutions of its kind in Europe. The center hosts a variety of cultural events, including art exhibitions, musical performances, and avant-garde film screenings. Besides supporting Polish artists while abroad, the center also maintains an active archive documenting contemporary art production.
In 2002, the art-in-residence laboratory for visiting artists was established at the CCA with Sienkiewicz as its director. The residency hosts digital media artists as well as artists working in public spaces. Past residents include the Swiss video producers and directors Frederic Moser& Philippe Schwinger, and the multi-disciplinary artist Ellen Harvey, among others. The exchange has opened up the dialogue between Polish artists and their contemporaries abroad.