According to the literature, contemporary far-right cultural policies at the national level in Europe are characterized by indirect censorship, political control over institutions, and the exclusion of opposition-led local governments (Bonet & Zamorano, 2021). An exclusionary nationalism enforced through historical revisionism shapes cultural policies, confronting multiculturalism and stigmatizing immigrants, feminism and concrete minorities within the formal framework of liberal democracy. Post-Polish EU accession in 2004 and under the Law and Justice party (PiS) governing coalition (2005–2007), a pro-identity cultural policy emerged, characterized by increased cultural budget allocations, the creation of new institutions, and a focus on traditional Catholic values (Ilczuk, 2016). Between 2015 and 2023, the government administration led by the far right maintained an 'architect model' emphasizing national heritage, receiving substantial European funding, but advancing a cultural action marked by increasing exclusionary dynamics (Lewandowski, 2017). PiS's cultural policies feature contentious actions against contemporary art and theater deemed anti-Catholic, leading to event cancellations and censorship attempts (Dąbrowski, 2017; Zuk, 2019). In this scenario, regular prosecutions of artists, indirect censorship and corporate alliances were characterized by an ideological narrative with a particular focus on "gender ideology", often understood as the agential incorporation of biased cultural beliefs regarding gender roles (Plipat, 2019; Stokfiszewski, 2016; Corredor, 2019: 629). This is the context of a "cultural battle" (a Gramscian concept taken up in recent years by conservative parties around the world) which produces a reversal of meaning: the aim is to combat transformations in so-called progressive policies on education, social rights and culture (Bordat-Chauvin & Dansilio, 2023). Since its arrival in power, the PiS government sacked 13 of its 24 cultural institutions directors who have been replaced by managers aligned with its political agenda. Research question In this article, we seek to analyze the specific dynamics of action and reaction concerning the development of illiberal regimes in cultural policies and subaltern forms for response and activism. Censorship in Poland, particularly in the cultural sector, has often operated indirectly within a socio-political context conducive to grassroots activism and the stigmatization of feminism (Zuk, 2021). What are the specific dynamics of official participation running and bottom-up intervention in response to the emerging development of illiberal regimes in cultural policies, and how do subaltern feminism movements manifest in terms of resistance and activism? Arnaud (2023) stressed tensions between emancipation and utilitarian uses of art, and artistic autonomy versus cultural appropriation for leisure can be found in recent transformations in French cultural action. Along these lines, we’ll identify the specific forms of exclusion exercised against feminist artists, cultural movements and organizations and how they elude them in their relationships with other social actors and governmental powers. Methodological approach Based on thorough documentary review and interviews with key stakeholders from feminist organizations in Poland, we look at the role of artists in the cultural movements against certain measures taken by the ultra-conservative government concerning the arts but also against social rights (abortion, sex education) and minorities (LGBT+). We examine how these groups mobilize grassroots forms of engagement in the streets (many in front or inside churches) and online activism, in particular within the Polish Women’s Strike (Ogólnopolski Strajk Kobiet (OSK) born in 2016. Several Polish feminist artists have joined the movement, and proposed pieces of art which intend to be accessible and egalitarian and which had played a crucial role in mobilizing the public (Graff, 2020). We l focus on visual works such as the painter and illustrator Marta Frej, cultural happenings such as the one organized by Czarne Szmaty and video clips (like those of Żelazne Waginy [Iron Vaginas]).