PHOTOS Polish Arts Festival 2025 transforms Limerick with a vibrant celebration of Polish and Irish Culture

Polish Arts Festival 2025 Set to Transform Limerick with a Vibrant Celebration of Polish and Irish Culture

Polish Arts Festival – Festiwal Sztuki i Kultury Polskiej announces its highly anticipated 2025 edition, running from Thursday, September 18th to Sunday, September 21st

The Polish Arts Festival – Festiwal Sztuki i Kultury Polskiej is thrilled to announce its highly anticipated 2025 edition, running from Thursday, September 18th to Sunday, September 21st. This multidisciplinary festival, a flagship event dedicated to fostering diverse Polish and Irish contemporary arts and culture in Ireland, promises four days of captivating performances, exhibitions, workshops, and community engagement across Limerick’s premier venues.

The Polish Arts Festival in Limerick is more than a series of events – it’s a vibrant celebration of cultural exchange, integration, and mutual understanding through the arts. The festival’s mission is to showcase the outstanding artistic potential of both Polish and Irish communities while creating a space that inspires dialogue and creativity. This year’s programme reflects that vision, with visual art exhibitions, world-class jazz, engaging family activities, and thought-provoking discussions for everyone to enjoy.

At the heart of this year’s programme is a headline performance by world-renowned Polish jazz pianist Leszek Możdżer, taking place on Saturday, September 20th, at 7:00 PM at the Belltable. Możdżer, widely hailed as Polish jazz’s greatest revelation of the last two decades, is celebrated for his unique style blending classical training with breathtaking improvisational freedom, creating subtle and mystical musical landscapes.

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“The Polish Arts Festival is more than just a series of events; it’s a vibrant hub for cultural exchange, integration, and mutual understanding through the arts,” says Aleksandra Rosiak, Co-Artistic Director for Polish Arts Festival. “Our mission is to challenge, optimise, and showcase the outstanding artistic potential within both Polish and Irish communities. This year’s programme truly embodies that vision, offering something for everyone, from world-class jazz to engaging family activities and thought-provoking discussions.”

The festival’s curated programme spans a rich array of disciplines, promising high-quality, engaging, and often provocative work:

●      Music: In addition to the headline Leszek Możdżer concert, the festival features:

The premiere of a new composition by Paddy Mulcahy and Greg Oleksewicz (Thu, Sept 18, Belltable , Limerick).

The unique sound of Ukrainian master Gordiy Starukh, blending ancient hurdy-gurdy music with modern innovation (Fr, Sept 19, Hunt Museum/The Hunt Museum Gardens, Limerick).

A soulful jazz concert with vocalist Kasia Eliasz (Sun, Sept 21, Dolans, Limerick).

A late-night DJ set from Fizzy Waters & INFLUX (Sat, Sept 20, The Record Room at the Commercial, Limerick).

An explosive Saturday double bill with Seven Nun-sins (sophisticated hip-hop) and Dora Gola (a fusion of dark pop, folktronica, and ’80s funk). Dora will also perform a special, intimate set with a piano arrangement (Sat, Sept 20, The Record Room at the Commercial, Limerick).

A Singing Circle led by Anna Banko-Szumacher, with special guest Gordiy Starukh (Sun, Sept 21, Hunt Museum, Limerick).

●      Visual Arts:  Join us for “HOMO FABER: Myths and Turning Points”, a thought-provoking, multidisciplinary installation by the acclaimed artists Kleszczewski & Zimnoch. Open from 6th to 16th September in the Hunt Museum

The festival weekend opens with the The Tree that Speaks Exhibition at The Hunt Museum (Thursday, Sept 18th), inviting audiences into a world of traditional Polish paper cut-outs, an artform also explored in various workshops. Also in the Hunt Museum we invite everyone to experience Folklor – an exhibition by Wiki Urawska, a collection that draws inspiration from the traditional silhouettes of Polish folk costumes,

●      Theatre & Performance: Audiences can look forward to the “On Our Terms” film screening followed by a panel discussion (Thursday, Sept 18th, Belltable), the enchanting Elemental Tales: Madcap Chronicles of Wonderland and the intriguing Living Statues Twilight Feathers (Friday, Sept 19th, in collaboration with Culture Night, The Hunt Museum), and a rehearsed reading by Bottom Dog Theatre (Sunday, Sept 21st, The No. 1 Perry Sq.).

●      Workshops & Literature: Engage in interactive Leluje Cut-out Workshops with Daria Alyoshkina Starukh (Saturday, Sept 20th & Sunday, Sept 21st, The Hunt Museum) and a Literary Talk featuring authors like Ewa Bilicka  and Eryk Pol (Saturday, Sept 20th).

●      Community & Kids Day: PAF Kids Day (Saturday, Sept 20th) is a cornerstone of the festival, featuring “Zaczarowany Las” at Belltable, Hip Hop with Matt, and a Treasure Hunt at The Hunt Museum. The festival also hosts a Forum Polonia Panel Discussion and an Artists Networking Event to foster collaboration.

The Polish Arts Festival is committed to being a bilingual (Polish/English) celebration, creating a safe space for experimentation and a unique meeting of diverse cultures. The festival particularly engages with local communities, including Polish and Ukrainian residents, bringing new audiences to Limerick’s cultural venues.

Festival at a Glance:

●      Opening: Thursday, September 18th, 6:00 PM, The Hunt Museum

●      Culture Night Spectacle and Concert: Friday, September 19th

●      PAF Kids Day: Saturday, September 20th, from 11:00 AM

●      Headline Concert: Leszek Możdżer, Saturday, September 20th, 7:00 PM, Belltable

●      Closing: Sunday, September 21st

Tickets: Early Bird tickets for the Leszek Możdżer concert are €30, Concession €32, Full Price €35. Tickets for various other events are priced individually or may be free. Full programme details and ticketing information are available on the official website.

For full programme details and ticket booking, please visit www.polishartsfestival.ie

Pictures: Olena Oleksienko/ilovelimerick