Poles-A-Part- Exhibition Team from PHIA

Mrs Wanda Horky	Ms Margaret McCurdy	Ms Anna Skurowski

Assistant	Exhibition Coordinator	Assistant
Wanda was born in Perth (W.A.) of displaced Polish parents and grew up amidst the settlement problems and successes of the Polish community in that city. She graduated from University of W.A. and University of Curtin. In 1976 she moved to Canberra to work for the National Library of Australia where she is still employed. A librarian with an interest in history she has been a member of the Polish Historical Institute in Australia since 1994 and became its Director in 2003. Her hobbies include writing poetry, playing the piano and cello, opera and theatre, reading and embroidery. She also does some volunteer work.	Malgorzata McCurdy was born in Krakow. From the age of 8 moved to Warsaw. Arrived in Canberra August 1978. Educated in Poland and Australia. She has Fine Art degree from the ANU and the Library and Information degree from Uni of Canberra. She works in the ACT Public Library. She has two children Nicole and Andrew and also two pets - a cat Rusty and a dog named Kalinka. She enjoyed meeting and interviewing people for the Poles-A-Part exhibition and found all their stories fascinating. For her, collecting, photographing and cataloguing over 200 objects for the exhibition was very challenging but also rewarding. She also enjoyed the team spirit and friendships during the months proceeding the exhibition.	Anna Skurowski was born in England to Polish parents. Her family emigrated to Canberra when she was nearly six to join her aunt, uncle and cousin who had come out from Germany. A sister, Sue, was born here. As a child Anna went to Polish mass, Polish school and the Polish club. She learnt Polish dancing. She enjoyed celebrating Easter and Christmas in the Polish tradition. After attending school in Canberra Anna moved to Sydney and studied librarianship. Anna has worked as a librarian in many libraries in Sydney and Canberra. She is currently the Electronic Resources Coordinator and Law Librarian in the Information Services Section at the National Library of Australia. Her studies for the Advanced Diploma of Arts in History at the University of New England will be completed next year. Anna went to Poland for the first time in 2003 and loved it. She is an executive member of the Polish Historical Institute of Australia which works towards collecting, preserving and making available to the public archival materials pertaining to Polish immigration to Australia and the settlement of Poles in Australia since 1940.