Culture
Lublin is the unchallenged culture capital of Poland – in terms of both quality and frequency of artistic events taking place here. The richness of its cultural offer surpasses that of any other city of comparable size. The cultural boom enjoyed by today’s Lublin is due to the politics of municipal and local authorities as well as the growing activity of the artistic community. The city’s cultural life comprises events rooted in the post-war cultural tradition of Lublin as well as highly innovative initiatives.
From the historical perspective the cultural life of Lublin has frequently undergone radical changes. The events and artistic circles responsible for the city’s nationwide recognition have mainly stemmed from student initiatives. That was the case with the famous “Zamek” group, still counted as one of the most important artistic phenomena of the 1950s and 60s in Poland. The group originated from the History of Art Department at the Catholic University of Lublin. The artists strove to dissociate themselves from the classic trends of academic, naturalist and illusionist art, analysed and experimented with the structure and morphology of the visual, introducing untypical materials into their paintings, such as plaster, wood or stone. Their work was greatly influenced by worldwide trends of avant-garde art, at that time virtually unknown in Poland. Although the group was active for only 3 years (1957-1960), it made a lasting contribution to the history of Polish art.
The open-minded and unbiased approach to fine arts remains strong in Lublin. Galeria Labirynt BWA, opened in 1969 and still operating in the city, was one of the most influential independent art galleries in the 1970s Poland. It was in Lublin that many innovative artistic trends were initiated and promoted, including performance art, videoart, conceptual art. Lublin’s BWA still remains one of the most distinguished galleries in Poland.
The inclination towards modern art is often in other Lublin galleries and fine arts centres as well, including Galeria Biała, the Lublin Performance Arts Centre (Ośrodek Sztuk Performance) and the newly created Lublin Fine Arts Association (Lubelskie Towarzystwo Zachęty Sztuk Pięknych). Many municipal and private owned showrooms also contribute to the trend with numerous exhibitions and events.
Lublin’s theatrical life is one of unquestioned cultural showcases of the city. Its history dates back to the late 1960s and 70s, when Lublin was the venue of some of the most unique alternative and student theatre movements in Poland which was widely recognised throughout Europe. Lublin was the home to many leading theatres in the trend: Gong 2, Scena Plastyczna KUL, Provisorium, Grupa Chwilowa or Scena 6. The “Student Theatre Confrontations” Festival in Lublin allowed the staging of many plays which managed to slip past the censorship to comment on the most controversial issues and reflect the most burning social and cultural problems of their time. The tradition of theatre festivals, although suppressed by the authorities in the Polish People’s Republic, was revived after the collapse of the communist system. Currently, 5 large theatre festivals are regularly organised in Lublin (International Theatre Festival “Konfrontacje Teatralne” [Theatre Confrontations], International Dance Festival, “The Neighbours” Festival of Central European Theatres, Small Theatres Festival and Festival of Polish Student Theatres “Contestations”). The city is also the home of many internationally acclaimed theatre groups: Leszek Mądzik’s Scena Plastyczna KUL, Teatr Provisorium and Kompania Teatr headed by Janusz Opryński and Witold Mazurkiewicz; and in one of nearby villages: Włodzimierz Staniewski’s Ośrodek Praktyk Teatralnych [Teheatrical Centre] “Gardzienice”.
The festival life in Lublin is not limited to theatre events. In the world of documentary cinema, the International Days of Documentary Cinema “Crossroads of Europe” is a festival of recognised importance. “The Oldest Songs of Europe” provides a unique opportunity to hear traditional Polish, Ukrainian, Belarusian and Russian songs which are nearly forgotten in the modern age. With the famous Orkiestra Świętego Mikołaja folk group and “St Nicholas’s Folk Festival” Lublin is also one of the centres of folk music from around the world – both traditional and interpreted in more modern styles.
The city’s cultural offer is further enriched by municipal and voivodship community centres and cultural institutions. Theatregoers can choose between one of four Lublin’s theatres: Andersen Theatre, Central Theatre at Lublin Community Centre “Centrum Kultury”, Musical Theatre and Osterwa Theatre staging plays of various styles and genres. The Lublin Concert Hall and offering performances of a wide selection of classical music in both philharmonic and sacral or historical settings. Film lovers may visit one of the many city cinemas or participate in one of the best Polish Film Societies. Summer months are filled with open-air events intended to make the city more attractive and welcoming to tourists. The city’s tourist offer also comprises the exhibitions of Lublin’s 10 museums.
