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Lublin is a city of culture, the most important centre of cultural life in Eastern Poland.
Lublin’s culture is unique and inclusive, authentic and original, since it is rooted in the local context. It is characterised by participation and diversity, encounters of different cultures, religions and ideas, motivating inhabitants to discover themselves, other people and the world. Lublin’s culture also represents the most important phenomena of Polish and global culture.
Numerous outdoor festivals and artistic shows are held in the city.
Brothers Henryk and Józef Wieniawski belong among the top echelons of world-class composers and individuals of global music world. The value of Henryk Wieniawski’s compositions and the renown of his virtuosity are second to none. His younger brother Józef is perhaps less known and for that reason his heritage ought to be dusted off. Fittingly, the International Festival of the Wieniawski Brothers serves as a reminder of their dual contribution to the history and development of music, providing an opportunity to become familiar with not only his works but also with outstanding composers and performers of world-class music.
Henryk Wieniawski Philharmonic in Lublin
t +48 81 531 51 20
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Date: February - March
CODES – The Festival of Traditional and Avant-garde Music is an international event devoted to the idea of combining the archaic and the new in music. Present-day composers and improvising musicians often formally and thematically allude to archaic musical forms and seemingly antiquated sonic patterns. The mixture of two distinctive canons of aesthetics forms a completely unique listening experience where the magic of archaic melodies and the artistry of contemporary music co-exist. The festival provides a rare opportunity for excellent contemporary music composers, representatives of the avant-garde jazz, traditional musicians, and artists reconstructing old music to meet together and co-work. The following musicians have so far performed in Lublin during the Festival: Laurie Anderson, Bill Laswell, John Zorn, Philip Glass, Meredith Monk Evelyn Glennie, Iva Bittová, Thurston Moore, Kronos Quartet.
The Centre for Intercultural Creative Initiatives - “Crossroads”
t +48 81 466 61 67
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Date: May
Can you imagine a forgotten Lublin backstreet turning for one night only into the most romantic nook and cranny in Europe, rivalling Barcelona, Venice or Paris? And perhaps concerts should not take place on stage but on the walls of signature town houses, where musicians play suspended over pedestrians by means of dynamic ropes? Why go to the movies, if you can watch a film with a starry sky stretching above your head? The Night of Culture is a festival that defies expectations and never fails to keep one surprised. It is then that unusual things happen. Art transforms places that are either unknown or forgotten. Gates become iridescent installations, squares and yards become theatre stages and the streets of the Old Town manage to astonish even the most hardened of locals. Museums, galleries and theatres are appealingly open till the small hours. The Night of Culture inspires visitors and residents alike to discover Lublin once again or for the very first time. Participants are faced with a tough choice, though: with hundreds of attractive events, one cannot simply stop the time to enjoy them all. After all, there is only one such a night.
Workshops of Culture
t +48 81 533 08 18
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Date: June (first Saturday/Sunday night of June)
The Different Sounds Art’n’Music Festival is a meeting of world-class artists that represent various nationalities and practise diverse music styles. For that reason, the Festival does not intend to limit itself by focussing on one pre-defined art form. constantly looking for and aspiring to greatness, the organisers scout rock, reggae, electro and even classical musicians. What inspires the Festival programmers the most is the liminal space where genres, traditions and cultural influences overlap. For that reason, they focus on originality, premium artistic quality and unforgettable aesthetic experiences provided by handpicked headliners. So far the Festival’s line-up has included the following artists: Einstürzende Neubauten, Goldfrapp, Tony Allen, Asian Dub Foundation, Yat-Kha, The Tiger Lilies. Equally inspiring is the Festival’s very name – the idea of the „East of Culture” that enables to bring to Lublin the most exciting acts from among others countries such as Ukraine, Georgia and Armenia. Focused on music, the Festival is a multi-disciplinary event: apart from concerts, there are organised debates concerning European identity, workshops and exhibitions as well as a special “Little Different Sounds” programme dedicated to children.
Workshops of Culture
t +48 81 533 08 18
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Date: July (first weekend of July)
The Carnaval Sztukmistrzów Festival is the time of the so-called New Circus and assorted street extravaganza. The Carnaval is Lublin’s one of a kind calling card. The city is a magnet for performers from all over the world, who not only perform circus-theatre crossover spectacles but conduct workshops as well, which are dedicated to experienced professionals and aspiring beginners alike. The Festival features also Urban Highline – the biggest slackline festival in the world. Inspired by the figure of the Magician of Lublin – the title character of Noble Laureate Isaac Bashevis Singer’s novel, the Carnaval is the biggest and the most important New Circus festival in this part of Europe.
Workshops of Culture
t +48 81 533 08 18
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Date: July (last weekend of July)
The Festival has been organised annually since 1984, which makes it one of the oldest and most important events of its kind in Poland. Organised under the auspices of CIOFF - International Council of Organizations of Folklore Festivals and Folk Arts, the event showcases children’s and adult ensembles in alternate years. The Festival is aimed to present in Lublin folk songs and dances from all over the world. There are street parades and concerts in Lublin and throughout the entire region. By organising dance and music workshops young artists are enabled to get to know Polish music and familiarise themselves with national and folk dances.
Wanda Kaniorowa “Lublin” Folk Song and Dance Ensemble
t +48 81 532 78 43
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i www.zpit.lublin.eu
Date: July
The Jagiellonian Fair is the time, when traditional culture is presented by means of music, singing and dance. Featuring concerts of both traditional music and music inspired by the heritage of past generations, the event involves dance nights where obereks, mazurkas and polkas are king as well as exhibitions that show folk and neo-folk artists. The Jagiellonian Fair is also a chance to meet numerous artists, artisans, craftspeople from Central and Eastern Europe. Working closely with top ethnologists, the organisers of the Jagiellonian Fair invite long-time practitioners and artists that are inspired by folk art.
Workshops of Culture
t +48 81 533 08 18
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Time: August
The Festival focuses on multiculturalism and the culinary heritage of the Lublin region. It is also the biggest culinary festival of the region, attracting residents and tourists alike through its confluence of cultural events and the traditions of Lublin’s cuisine. This is a splendid opportunity to wind down and get familiarised with assorted specialities of the Lublin region. To this end, the organisers would like visitors and local participants to slow down and unhurriedly partake in and partake of surrounding flavours and scents. recharged, suffused with the positivity offered by a diverse set of dishes available, the tourists will return home relaxed and satisfied. The Festival’s signature features include: a wide-ranging repertoire of cultural events, including among others concert of Balkan and Ukrainian music, exhibitions and expositions, contests and culinary workshops.
Kresowa Akademia Smaku Association
t +48 605 848 848
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i www.europejskifestiwalsmaku.pl
Date: September
The Lublin-based “Open City” Festival is one of the most important showcases of modern art in Poland and the biggest exhibition of this kind in Eastern Poland. The rationale behind the 8th iteration of the Festival is to emphasise the symbolic dimension of the space of Lublin by introducing to it commissioned artworks. The artistic interventions of the participants of the Festival are construed as “alien bodies” growing inside the very tissue of Lublin, moments of an unexpected change in the (physical and symbolic) space, which we have so far regarded as well-known and thoroughly critiqued. As a result, art is exposed both to fleeting emotions of passers-by and to fickle weather conditions. Artists usually play the role of performers of ideological programmes formulated by the funders of monuments. For the duration of the Open City Festival we will reverse this division of labour and bestow upon the participating artists a much needed sense of agency. Full documentation of all artists’ realisations (in the form of a catalogue of temporary art) and permanent artworks constitute the added value of the Festival.
“Crossroads” Centre for Intercultural Creative Initiatives
t +48 81 466 61 67
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Date: September - October
International Festival Theatre confrontations is one of the best and most highly regarded theatre festivals in Poland. It was first organized in 1996 by the out- standing theatre directors: Janusz Opryński, Leszek Mądzik, Włodzimierz Staniewski and Tomasz Pietrasiewicz. Initially, all of them constituted the Festival’s Programming board. Then, each consecutive edition of the Festival was programmed by an artistic commissioner, selected every year. At present, Janusz Opryński is in charge of the Festival’s programming, setting the event’s tone through a syncretic approach to theatre traditions. The Festival focuses on most intriguing and inspiring artistic achievements that provide new ways of understanding the theatre as a form of art. Since 2010 the main programme has been supplemented by a “Lublin showcase”, which is a presentation of the Lublin-based theatre troupes, per- formers, actors, actresses, and directors. In addition, 2011 saw the inclusion of the MAAT Festival, which is built upon the idea of theatricality and the theatre stemming from the corporeal, the expression of the body. International Festival Theatre confrontations is accompanied by a series of interdisciplinary events: films - Festival cinema, concerts – musical confrontations at night, exhibitions – confrontations’ Gallery, as well as debates and Q and As.
Centre for Culture in Lublin
t +48 81 466 61 19/20
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Date: October
Falkon is one of the biggest fantasy conventions in Poland. every year it attracts over 1000 participants. It embraces all that fits into the notion of fantasy and science fiction and as such it focuses on literature, lm, art and computer games. The three days of the convention are filled with lectures, discussions, competitions, tournaments, performances and other attractions. The distinctive feature of Falkon is that all the participants learn and have fun; they broaden their horizons, create a community of a kind, which, although colourful and varied, is bound by a common pursuit – the desire to develop their interests. The aim of the convention is to promote and preserve the interest in fantasy among both teenagers and adults. The aim of the convention is to promote and preserve the interest in the broadly defined fantasy and science fiction among both teenagers and adults by exposing them to literature, lm, art and games.
“Cytadela Syriusza” – Lublin Fantasy Association
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Date: October
Launched in 1997, the Festival constitutes one of the most important cultural events in Lublin. It is also a highly regarded dance festival in Poland and Europe. The idea of the festival is to enable dancers from Poland, Central Europe, Western Europe and other parts of the world to meet, exchange ideas and inspiration in cultural differences. The organizers emphasise the universal dimension of the event and remind us that contemporary dance is a unique medium of communication – a fully democratic form of art that can convey the impact of intellect upon emotions. The festival presents interesting performances by professional dance theatres from all over the world and pro- motes Polish artists seeking opportunity to present and discuss their work. It is a platform of exchange of experience and mutual inspiration for practitioners of different domains of art.
Lublin Dance Theatre – The Centre for Culture in Lublin
t +48 81 466 61 46
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Date: November
The Festival is a showcase of contemporary Ukrainian culture. It consists of concerts of popular bands from Ukraine that offer a wide array of musical styles, interpretations, and aesthetic types. There are also stage performances, theatre plays, lm screenings, exhibitions, art workshops - all of which have become over the years the Festival’s flagship events. In addition, there are also educational events, such as the school-level quiz on Ukrainian culture, a football tournament - known as the Friendship cup, and a guided tour of Lublin featuring the sites of Ukrainian heritage. The aim of the Festival is the presentation of the most interesting and original trends endemic to contemporary Ukrainian culture as well as the dissemination of the Polish-Ukrainian intercultural dialogue.
Kultura Duchowa Pogranicza Foundation
t +48 669 207 678
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i www.ukrainawcentrumlublina.com
Date: November
The Christmas Festival is inseparably connected with the tradition of arranging a nativity scene in Po Farze Square. During the Festival the square echoes with carols, which help evoke the magical atmosphere of Christmas. The nativity scene is different every year; the square is decorated with colourful lights and beautiful Christmas trees. The Old Town becomes a miniature Bethlehem, where the spirit of Christmas is omnipresent. The opening of the Festival takes place during the Old Town Christmas eve, a yearly event organised by Dominican Friars. Contests for kids and concerts by popular artists make the event extremely popular with the residents of Lublin.
The Chancellery of the Mayor of the City of Lublin & The Dominican Monastery in Lublin
t +48 728 429 926
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Date: December - January
The New Year’s Eve is inscribed in the calendar of Lublin events. Every year the residents of Lublin welcome the New Year together in the city centre. Everyone can join in the fun. The special attractions range from sketches and DJs playing dance music to concerts of stars like Brathanki, Big Day, Czerwone Gitary, Bajm, Zakopower, and Kayah. Every year at midnight a representative of the city authorities wishes people a happy New Year and the sky is illuminated by fireworks.
Centre for Culture in Lublin
t +48 81 466 61 00
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Date: 31 December