Art Transparent Foundation is the Polish partner of the international educational-artistic project TECH TALES, which supports children in creating modern versions of classic fairy tales. As part of the project, we’ve also invited the talented illustrator Małgorzata Herrera to join the international creative team. She’s an artist closely connected with children’s literature, known for books like “Tornado Jumi” and “Przygoda Wielka” (The Great Adventure).

Imagine the Little Mermaid becoming a climate activist instead of longing for a prince, or Aladdin ditching the lamp in search of ideas for his fashion line. Sounds like alternate endings to familiar tales? In TECH TALES, ideas like these are the starting point – not a whim.

In this project, it’s children who become the authors of new versions of classic stories. And adults? They listen. And support them in telling the world on their own terms – one that’s more empathetic, diverse, and just.

Polish Illustrator in an International Project

One of the people helping to bring children’s imagination to life through illustration is Małgorzata Herrera, an artist known for her tender, emotion-filled illustrations in books such as “Tornado Jumi” and “The Great Adventure.” In TECH TALES, she is responsible for creating the visual layer of the new stories. Herrera says:
“I’m fascinated by the moment when children take a story everyone knows and turn it upside down. And I, as an illustrator, get to accompany them on that journey – giving shape to their ideas, drawing what matters to them.”

Workshops, AR Exhibitions, and Audiobooks

TECH TALES is more than just an art project. It’s a three-year European adventure that brings together art, education, and new technologies. Children from six countries take part – they join workshops, collaborate with specialists in illustration, animation, sound design, and sign language interpretation. The results? Interactive AR (augmented reality) exhibitions and audio fairy tales that not only entertain but, above all, teach empathy and awareness.

Giving Children Agency

“Children are full-fledged creators, not just ‘recipients of education’. TECH TALES shows that storytelling can be a tool for change,” says Karolina Bieniek, director of the Art Transparent Foundation, the organization co-leading the project. She highlights the unique ability of young people:
“Children often move between worlds with extraordinary ease – what seems ‘unreal’ to adults may be their intuitive response to a complex reality.”

Bieniek also points out that, in this project, it’s the children who choose the tough topics and how they want to address them:
“TECH TALES is a space where children’s stories have the power to spark conversations about what’s hidden, uncomfortable, or too difficult to name directly. Adults just need to give them the space – and really listen.”

Art and Technology in Action

The project is based on the belief that education and culture can work together – without hierarchy, with openness to unconventional solutions. TECH TALES shows that art can be an ally of empathy. And technology? Not an obstacle, but a tool that supports building a world where every voice counts.

From Vienna to Wrocław

TECH TALES will run through 2027 across six European countries. The premiere AR exhibition will launch during Vienna Design Week in 2026, and will later travel to cities including Wrocław. In Poland, the project is organized by Art Transparent – a foundation that has been shaping and promoting Polish art and culture at home and abroad for over 20 years.

TECH TALES is a project about the future – one in which children are not just students, but co-creators of culture. Want to stay updated? Join our newsletter!