Małgorzata Bocheńska (née Gąsiorowska; 10 September 1949 – 2 January 2018) was a Polish journalist, cultural organizer and publicist. Born and raised in Warsaw, she worked across media and civic circles during a period of major political and cultural change in Poland. Her career combined editorial work in televised theatre with involvement in human rights and cultural initiatives.

Career in media and the arts

From 1974 until 1981 Bocheńska was employed as an editor with the Polish National TV Theater, a branch of public television that produced and broadcast staged theatre productions. In that role she would have been responsible for preparing material for television, coordinating contributors and helping shape how dramatic works reached a broad audience. Her media work placed her among cultural professionals who translated stage art into programs intended for nationwide viewership.

Civic engagement and human rights context

In the mid-1980s Bocheńska was associated with the activities of the Polish Helsinki Committee (1984–1989), an independent organisation that monitored compliance with human rights obligations and supported civic initiatives. This involvement connected her to the wider network of activists, journalists and intellectuals who engaged with rights, freedoms and public debate during a time when Poland was moving from authoritarian governance toward political transformation.

Her professional profile combined practical editorial experience with public-interest concerns: as a publicist she wrote and commented on cultural life, and as a culture animator she helped promote events, productions and exchanges between artists and audiences. Those terms ordinarily describe people who curate programs, organize festivals or workshops, and use media to broaden access to the arts without necessarily holding a single formal title.

  • Editor, Polish National TV Theater (1974–1981)
  • Participant in activities of the Polish Helsinki Committee (1984–1989)
  • Publicist and culture animator working to connect media, theatre and civic debate

Bocheńska died in Warsaw on 2 January 2018 at the age of 69. She is remembered as part of a generation of journalists and cultural practitioners who operated at the crossroads of art, broadcasting and public life in late 20th-century Poland. For further basic references and archival notices, see a brief profile or obituary sources listed online: more information.