http://dx.doi.org/10.18778/0867-5856.28.1.15 e-ISSN 2080-6922 ISSN 0867-5856 Tourism 2018, 28/1 Aleksandra Mroczek-Żulicka University of Lodz Faculty of Geographical Sciences Institute of Geography of the City and Turism Department of Geography of Recreation [email protected] CREATIVE AND ARTISTIC RECREATION 1 AND A CREATIVE APPROACH TO RECREATION ORGANIZATION: A CASE STUDY OF WI-MA CREATIVE INDUSTRIES ESTABLISHMENTS Abstract : Artistic recreation has been described in the literature for many years as one of its types. However, research into its meaning, or even motivation, is rarely undertaken. The author attempts to confront existing definitions of artistic recreation with changing trends in spending free time and types of recreational activity. She emphasizes the role of a creative approach to the organization of recreation as an opportunity for the better utilization of its potential to affect the development of the individual personality. To illustrate the values of artistic recreation and a creative approach to its organization, the author analyzes the case study of WI-MA Creative Industries Establishments. Keywords: recreation, creativity, creative recreation, artistic recreation, creative leisure, city of Lodz. 1. INTRODUCTION The prevalence of academic publications about physical for threats related to the shortening of the time for recre- recreation in relation to those describing other forms is ation in the modern world, and at the same time growing striking, especially in the Polish-language literature. creative needs. A multitude of initiatives observed by The author, noticing this asymmetry, has decided to the author in the urban space of Łódź that encourage reach for sources that expose values other than physical creative recreation, has become an incentive for explora- development in recreational activity. Another encourage- tion of the chosen subject. The aim of the article is to ment to address such an issue is the growing popularity illustrate, using the example of the WI-MA Creative of so-called ‘Leisure Studies’ inspired by foreign publica- Industries Establishments, a creative approach to the tions. In the Polish-language literature, the humanistic organization of recreation as an opportunity to more understanding of recreation is particularly strongly fully utilize the potential of recreational activity to affect emphasized by R. WINIARSKI (2011) where treating recre- personality development. ation as human activity serving to satisfy needs and aspirations is put forward, not only providing enter- tainment and opportunity to rest but also affects the 2. THE CONCEPT OF RECREATION personality. In the preface to his book, R. WINIARSKI emphasizes that recreation, treated today as a creative, and AND ARTISTIC RECREATION not only regenerative and compensatory activity, is the link connecting the productive necessity of work and the consump- In the Polish-language literature, the concept of recre- tion of leisure time (2011, p. 11). ation is most often described in the context of physical The author also faces the issue of defining creative activity. Despite the wide definition of recreation, many recreation and confronts known classifications with publications focus on terminology related to physical re- a wider understanding of the term ‘artistic’, often used creation (DEMEL & HUMEN 1970, WOLAŃSKA 1971, interchangeably with ‘creative’. The creative approach KWILECKA & BROŻEK 2007, SIWIŃSKI & PLUTA 2010, to the organization of recreation is seen as a remedy NAPIERAŁA & MUSZKIETA 2011). In colloquial language, 54 Tourism 201 8, 28/1 the concept of recreation is associated primarily with should be achievable and real. The authors also men- physical activity (KUNICKI 1997). However, the term tion the principle of socialization, understood as the ‘recreation’ comes from the Latin recreo , which means to need to fulfil, through recreation, educational and self- revive, renew, refine, recreate, and recreatio – recovery, educational functions (KWILECKA & BROŻEK 2007). regaining a healthy and strong condition (WINIARSKI According to S. TOCZEK -WERNER (2005) the most im- 2011). Therefore, its character not only refers to physical portant features of recreation are ease of reaching, activity. R. WINIARSKI (2011) emphasizes that in the chances to undertake in various places, flexibility in humanities recreation is treated as a human activity the application of rules and principles, accessibility for serving to satisfy needs and aspirations, which not only everyone, versatility and attractiveness. provides entertainment and rest, but also affects A wide classification of forms includes descrip- personality. According to the typology adopted here, tions and examples of artistic recreation. K. CZAJKOW - recreation can be divided into physical and mental. The SKI (1979) and I. KIEŁBASIEWICZ -DROZDOWSKA (2001) second category can include hobbies, tourism, cultural distinguished the following: physical (movement), and entertainment activities. There-fore, recreation is artistic, cultural and entertainment, recreation through undertaken in leisure time, and if it is performed social activity. Physical recreation is focused around voluntarily, it fulfils the need for rest, entertainment, activities under-taken for the purpose of leisure, enter- self-fulfilment and self-improvement. It can take the tainment and self-development. Artistic recreation, on form of outdoor or indoor recreation. It can be the other hand, takes the form of artistic expression in organized individually or institutionally (WINIARSKI the form of, for example, art, music, photography, 2011). Sometimes the definitions of recreation are modelling or DIY. Thanks to such forms, a sense of similar to classical definition of leisure time, covering beauty and aesthetics is shaped, and manual skills aspects of human life such as leisure, entertainment or are developed. In turn, thanks to forms of cultural and learning (e.g. self-education and amateur classes) entertainment recreation, cultural levels are raised, (NAPIERAŁA & MUSZKIETA 2011). T. WOLAŃSKA (1971), and they also serve the purpose of entertainment. Exam- however, claims that recreation cannot be realized ples include all cultural and artistic events, intel- without free time, recreation fills leisure time in lectual games, participation in cultural life for instance a socially and constructively acceptable way for the going to the cinema or theatre. Recreation through purpose of self-development. A popular definition of social activity is used to liberate organizational skills recreation is the one according to which it is under- and to share leisure time (CZAJKOWSKI 1979). In turn, stood as all activities undertaken for the regeneration, M. KWILECKA & Z. BROŻEK (2007) describe the impor- and manifests itself in participatipn in cultural enter- tance of artistic recreation which engages the creative tainment, sports or various forms of tourism – after side of the human personality, constituting a channel business or school hours, in addition to ordinary of emotional cleansing. According to M. NAPIERAŁA social and household duties (WARSZYŃSKA & JAC - & R. MUSZKIETA (2011), thanks to a combination of KOWSKI 1979). artistic and physical recreation, one can speak of a more The literature also lists basic, direct functions of complete formation of the human personality. recreation, which are at the same time criteria for its In the Polish-language literature a deficit can definition. M. KWILECKA & Z. BROŻEK (2007) list the be felt in research on artistic or creative recreation. following: leisure, free-time, health, play, socialization Analysing the literature, the author was unable to and compensatory-corrective activity. At the same time, find any contemporary work covering this issue. In it can fulfil a number of instrumental (indirect) functions: addition, the author used the Google Trends service cultural, ideological, economic, social, selective, adaptive, (https://trends.google.pl/, 13.11.2017) which provides integration or disintegration, systemic, creative, cathartic information on quantity, origin, time, main regions and stimulatory. The authors broadly describe recre- and queries entered into the Google search engine. ation in terms of its benefits for humans but also Thanks to this, it was possible to compare the fre- determine what constrains recreational behaviour. quency of artistic recreation, physical recreation and Recreation takes place only during leisure time, it is an recreation, during the last five years in Poland. In attractive, voluntary activity and can take any form Figure 1, a clear prevalence of queries for the term depending on individual preferences. Recreation should ‘recreation’ over its selected types can be seen. In serve relaxation and respect the individual and social turn, the number of artistic recreation searches was good, it must also fulfil the principle of egalitarianism. so low that it could not be displayed on the Google The principle of positive involvement (pleasure) is Trends site. also important. However, it should not interfere with In the foreign literature, the phenomenon of rec- work and readiness for it but should balance the effort reation is more often referred to as leisure activity connected with work instead. Objectives related to the (En. leisure, Fr. loisir ) and research in this area is called implementation of a chosen form of recreational activity leisure studies or leisure sciences (BACHVAROV & DZIEGIEĆ Articles 55 Fig.