Running until October 13th, the festival promises an array of concerts, theater performances, film screenings, workshops, and meetings, all centered around the theme of multiculturalism and open-mindedness.
The festival’s grand opening concert, WE, will be performed at 8 p.m. in the Wytwórnia Club in Łódź. Led by composer and producer Grzech Piotrowski, the World Orchestra is a unique musical project featuring 50 artists from around the globe. Polish jazz legend Urszula Dudziak serves as the ambassador of the initiative.
The festival’s agenda includes numerous premieres and performances by both emerging and renowned visual and performing artists. These include Daniel Rycharski, one of Poland’s most prominent young visual artists, Mihaela Dragan, co-creator of Romania's first feminist Romani theater, and Krzysztof Wodiczko, a pioneer in socially engaged art. Attendees can also expect innovative performances from Ukrainian experimental director Victoria Myronyuk and theater director Michał Zadara, who is collaborating with composer Andrzej Smolik on the project 400 m² of Hope.
A key highlight of this year’s festival is the first-ever monographic exhibition in Poland of Austrian Romani painter and writer Ceija Stojka, who passed away a decade ago. The exhibition offers a deep dive into the life and works of the Holocaust survivor and artist, providing a unique insight into Romani culture and history.
The festival will take place across over 20 venues, many of which are unconventional cultural spaces, such as the historical Collegium Anatomicum at the Medical University of Łódź and the modernist Łódź Fabryczna railway station.
The festival concludes with a performance by JUCHO, a singer from the band Domowe Melodie, who will perform at the Monopolis Stage on October 13th at 7 p.m.
Formerly known as the Łódź Festival of Four Cultures, which celebrated the city’s Polish, Jewish, Russian, and German heritage, the newly rebranded Łódź Festival of Many Cultures reflects the broader cultural tapestry of modern-day Łódź. Today, the city embraces ethnic diversity—including Romani, Ukrainian, and Polish cultures—alongside LGBTQ+, feminist, and youth cultures, according to organizers.
Organized by the Marek Edelman Dialogue Center, the festival is supported by public funds and partners, with free admission to most events. For a full schedule of events, visit lodzwielukultur.pl.
(jh)
Source: TVP Info