In 1862, Jan Matejko painted "Portrait of Zdzisław and Bolesław Włodek as Children." 152 years later, the canvas was sold for PLN 1.32 million. But it's not just old paintings that sell well – Banksy's "Game Changer" (2020) was purchased in March for almost £17 million. What is the phenomenon of art investment? This is what participants of Impact'21 in May will discuss. Investing in art is timeless. While the value of money rises and falls, paintings can generate significant profits because art itself is a universal value. Investing in artists' works is the most secure capital investment, not just for the profit itself. By buying a painting, we acquire something unique, one-of-a-kind. The majority of art sold by auction houses falls under the category of young and contemporary art. According to the Artinfo.pl report, the Polish auction market in 2020 – during the pandemic – achieved a record result of PLN 380 million, which is almost 30% more than the previous year. And according to forecasts, these parameters are expected to grow. Interestingly, three-quarters of the market is dominated by the largest auction houses: Desa Unicum, Polswiss Art, and Agra-Art. This will be discussed at Impact by Rafał Kamecki, the president of Artinfo.pl. He will also detail the results of the art market during the coronavirus epidemic. Kamecki will also answer the question: what art generates the most profit in Poland? We can give you a sneak peek. According to him, prices for works by old masters like Malczewski and Matejko, and classics of contemporary art such as Abakanowicz, Fangor, Nowosielski, Kantor, and Stażewski, are rising fastest. Why? Kamecki explains that in times of crisis, art of the highest artistic quality, usually the best works from an artist's oeuvre, always sells better. The price can indeed be staggering, as the most expensive painting in 2020 at Desa Unicum sold for PLN 7.3 million! The question arises: where do people get so much money for such expensive works? Well, it's not just private individuals investing in art. Increasingly, contemporary patrons of art are institutions and corporations – for example, The ING Polish Art Foundation. Today, this foundation owns about 200 works of art, and its activities support over 90 young Polish artists. Additionally, it prepares 1500 art university students for the challenging profession of an artist. Why is activity in the auction and art environment so important for a bank? According to Kamila Bondar, president of the foundation and a guest at Impact, art draws attention to problems that are not visible in everyday life, so for socially engaged institutions, patronizing artists should be a natural direction. The collection of paintings owned by ING is not housed in a dedicated gallery but among printers and phones, in the bank's offices – where people are who don't have time to rush to museums. This does not mean, however, that they are insensitive. The works purchased by The ING Polish Art Foundation do not only serve to decorate and fill space. They remind us of important matters: Agata Ingarden's installation prompts reflection on the future of the Earth, Łukasz Jastrubczak's painting "Hologram" sparks discussion about changes in the financial sector, and Jadwiga Sawicka's works have even been used as recruitment tools during job interviews. According to its mission, the Foundation only purchases works by living artists created after 1990. One such young artist whose works are sold in auction houses for several thousand zlotys is Łukasz Patelczyk. It would take a long time to list his awards and exhibitions – but you should know that Patelczyk took first place in "Kompas Młodej Sztuki" (Young Art Compass) 2020, a ranking of the most promising artists under 35. He graduated in painting from the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdańsk. A characteristic feature of Patelczyk's work is the depiction of nature, interfered with by humans, through the application of various geometric shapes onto night sky landscapes. The artist is currently creating another original cycle, "Glass," in which he applies translucent "glasses" over traditionally painted landscapes, altering their colors. As a special guest at Impact'21, he will share his artistic perspective with us. Companies can use art not only as a means to achieve financial benefits. Art branding is increasingly being used, which is the promotion of a brand through broadly understood art: painting, visual arts, street art, photography, film, architecture, design, or music. The phenomenon of art branding occurs worldwide and helps in building brand identity strategies. This collaboration between artists and business people has been known since the Renaissance, and over time it evolves, adapting to current needs. It brings benefits to both parties. Thanks to this arrangement, a company's image gains significance, and it is perceived as innovative, open, and creative. Collaboration with artists during advertising campaigns also leads to higher sales results and brand recognition. Magdalena Kąkolewska, president of the Artystyczna Podróż Hestii foundation, who observes, supports, and rewards young creators at the beginning of their artistic careers, will talk about art branding at the May event. The pandemic showed how much we need art. As soon as restrictions were eased and museums and galleries reopened, Poles flocked to admire the works within them. But even during lockdowns, artists create their works. At the end of March 2020, Michał Borowik, recognized as the youngest art collector in Poland, initiated a nationwide social campaign Polish Art NOW!, whose mission is to support domestic creators during the pandemic. The artist sends a description, price, and photo of the artwork via email, which is then presented on social media, and interested buyers, after verification, are directed to the author. The entire income is passed on to the creator. The activities of Polish Art Now! are voluntary, and the initiative is based on trust. Michał Borowik wanted to help artists left to their own devices during the pandemic – and it is precisely about helping creators that he will speak at Impact. In times of crisis and lockdown, everything became more digital, which art has not escaped either. In March 2021, Christie's auction house sold Beeple's graphic collection for nearly $70 million. Perhaps there would have been no sensation if it weren't for the fact that it was a digital file, accompanied by an NFT (non-fungible token), i.e., a separate computer record that guarantees the customer receives the original file, not a copy. NFT transforms any digital file, graphic, audio, video, or combination of such files into something unique and inimitable, like a museum exhibit, thus the file gains value because it becomes a kind of digital artwork. Furthermore, blockchain technology allows tracking subsequent changes of file ownership and, for example, collecting 10% of the transaction amount from them, to the benefit of the artwork's author. The NFT market has the potential to become a very broad market. Who knows, maybe in a hundred years, someone will buy a digital work by a contemporary artist on par with Matejko or Malczewski and surpass the price of painted canvases? What can we expect on the Impact'21 stage in May? Since its inception, Impact has organized initiatives that are a phenomenon of the Polish conference market: the traditional format of long panel debates has been replaced by short, dynamic presentations. Impact has also changed its approach to the round table format, which at Impact are shorter than usual, and during them, very specific topics are discussed in a small, closed group. The Impact team also focuses on popular foreign speakers and constantly seeks new technological inspirations.

She represents Mastercard globally, focusing on integration, diversity, and innovation. As a Vice President of one of the largest payment card organizations, she serves as an ambassador and global executive leader. Ensuring equal opportunities for women in the workplace is very important to Ann Cairns – which is why she is involved in numerous organizations assisting women. Ann Cairns joined Mastercard in 2011 and served as President of International Markets, overseeing the company's business in over 200 countries worldwide. In this role, she focused on building sustainable, strong growth in both mature and emerging markets. Before that, she was the Head of Financial Services Group at Alvarez & Marsal in London. There, she led the European team managing Lehman Brothers Holdings International through its Chapter 11 process. She was involved in restructuring banks across Europe, including in Ireland and Iceland. Additionally, she held senior positions in major organizations, including ABN-AMRO, where she was General Manager of Transaction Banking, and at Citigroup. Ann Cairns sits on the board of directors of Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), a Fortune 500 company, and on the management of ICE Clear Europe. Mastercard's Vice President graduated with a degree in mathematics from the University of Sheffield and holds a Master's degree in Medical Statistics from the University of Newcastle. It is noteworthy that while working as a planning manager for offshore engineers at British Gas, Cairns was the first woman qualified to work in the offshore industry in the UK. She chairs the 30% Club, an organization working to achieve gender balance in business. She also chairs the Financial Alliance for Women, whose mission is to provide women with access to capital, markets, education, and training. The position of women in business is very important to her. Ann believes that companies that maintain a balance between men and women in leadership positions have a better understanding of their customers and market opportunities, while achieving better financial results and helping their communities. She believes that only organizations that support diversity and employ individuals who look, act, and, importantly, think differently can fully leverage their potential to positively impact markets and communities. An opportunity to meet Ann Cairns will arise soon: she will be speaking at the spring Impact'21 event, where she will discuss empowering women in business. What can we expect on the Impact'21 May stage? Since its inception, the Impact Foundation has organized events that are a phenomenon of the Polish conference market: the traditional format of long panel debates has been replaced by short, dynamic presentations. Impact has also changed its approach to round tables, which at Impact are shorter than usual, and during which very specific topics are discussed in a small, closed group. The Impact team also focuses on popular international speakers and constantly seeks new technological inspirations.