The COVID-19 pandemic had a sudden and substantial impact on the arts and culture.The global health crisis and the uncertainly profoundly affected organisations as well as individuals across the sector. Arts and culture sector organisations attempted to uphold their mission to provide access to cultural heritage to the community.
By March 2020, across the world most cultural institutions had been indefinitely closed with exhibitions, events and performances cancelled or postponed. In response there were intensive efforts to provide alternative or additional services through digital platforms, to maintain essential activities with minimal resources, to document the events themselves through new acquisitions, and simultaneously an awareness that there would be many new creative works which had been inspired by the event.
How did Lublin cultural institutions react?
Here's some pieces of information
The Centre for Culture has suspended all programming activities, but it is still present online. They keep you updated on their Facebook profile and Instagram. The organisers have rescheduled the Lublin Jazz Festival's date for December. Unfortunately, such performances as the premiere of Paweł Passini's „Mały las, krótki sen” the Theatre Carnival, the International Dance Theatre Festival have all been cancelled.
Bearing in mind the safety of us all, Workshops of Culture have already decided to push back Night of Culture to September, East of Culture – Different Sounds to 3-6 September and Carnaval Sztukmistrzów to Autumn.
Workshops of Culture announced online activities programme themed with #zostańwdomu bez nudy! (Stayathome no boredom) to address the audience needs during pandemic.
All spring concerts and the Polonez dla Lublina organised by Wanda Kaniorowa Lublin Song and Dance Ensemble have been cencelled.
Hans Christian Andersen Theatre has suspended its traditional activities from March 12 but the Theatre is still present with its online theatre Teatroteka Andersena. What is more, Teatralne podróże LIVE! are also available from Sunday online. It is a new series of online activities.
Due to the epidemiological situation, the premises of Galeria Labirynt are not available to the public until further notice. The opening of Monika Sosnowska’s exhibition is postponed and the new date will be announced soon. Other exhibitions at Labirynt 2 and Labirynt Plaza have been postponed to June / July 2020. Classes for children on contemporary art Exercises of Freedom and The Saturday in Labirynt will take place online on the ZOOM platform.
Due to the coronavirus restrictions, the Grodzka Gate - NN Theatre Centre has suspended most of its events. The centre has also cancelled the tours of the exhibition "Lublin. Memory of a Place" at the Grodzka Gate, tours of the Lublin Underground Route and the exhibition "The Power of Free Speech" at the House of Words. However the centre has created the tremendous data base – the archives, virtual tours, guides, library and 3D models – all available online.
In connection with the next stage of relaxing coronavirus restrictions Municipal Public Library opened its branches to the readers (excluding hospital branches) from May 11, 2020. One can enter and borrow or return books in the library premises but no direct access to the bookshelves is available. The reading room and internet access points are also not available. Cultural and educational activities have also been suspended.
Crossroads Centre is pleased to announce the new date of this year’s edition of Codes Festival! The renowned festival of tradition and avant-garde music will be held from September, 2 to 5. On the other hand, The Chinese Opera is unfortunately cancelled. The Crossroads Centre invites to check its You Tube channel with plenty of concert videos and reports from festivals.
Bronowice District Cultural Centre has also transferred activities to the virtual world, creating at the same time the "ON-LINE Cultural Education" programme. All suggestions can be found here. Events like The Wonderful World of Operetta, One Heart Concert to honour John Paul II, Kolibry'20 Cultural Season Gala in the Saxon Garden, 'Dance with Lublin' festival in Bronowice Park have been all moved to Autumn 2020. All other events, meetings and classes available to the public were suspended.
Within the times of restrictions associated with Covid-19, the world of art has actually moved entirely to the Internet. Regular events at Węglin District Culture Centre were all moved to September or October 2020 and some of classes and cultural animation activities are conducted online.
The closing of the Old Theatre has been extended until the end of the artistic season and consequently, all events planned until June 14, have been cancelled.
This year's Night of Museums will be unique. The Lublin Museum has prepared a museum festival in a virtual version. Lublin Museum and its branches will be presenting its most interesting artefacts, museum spaces and unknown stories also in a motion.
More information on future events will be available on the websites and on social media profiles of cultural institutions. Stay focus!
Check out full online events calendar on the Lublin.eu
As many of us have spent several weeks at home, it cannot have escaped us how fundamental culture is to us. Whether watching a film, listening to music, enjoying an online museum tour or simply reading a book, culture matters so much to our everyday lives. If today we do not support our artists, creators and professionals working in those sectors, it may have devastating consequences for cultural diversity and mean that we simply will not have access to the range of cultural content and expressions we do now.
