WATCH: Limerick’s Polish Arts Festival returns to normality after three years
THE POLISH Arts Festival kicked off on Wednesday night with an opening event in The Hunt Museum on Patrick’s Street in the city.
The festival has been a staple in Limerick for 15 years celebrating the best of Polish culture throughout the city.
The night featured stellar performances from singer Anna Banko Szumacher and Limerick singer-songwriter Emma Langford.
The Hunt Museum also played host to The Night Full of Skies art exhibition by Polish artist Olga Anacka.
Art Director of the Polish Arts Festival, Justyna Cwojdzińska was delighted to open the festival for the first time in three years without limited capacity.
“The theme of this year’s festival is Different Language, Shared Vision. We want to let people know that even though we do not speak the same language, it doesn’t really matter as we are all human beings, people who are a part of society.”
“The Polish Arts Festival was set up in 2007 to promote a different phrase of a Polish person in Ireland,” Justyna said.
Justyna says that these people could be artists or a person who has a huge input into the culture as well.
Fellow Arts Director Aleksandra Rosiak said: “This year’s festival is a collaborative project between myself and Justyna and it wouldn't have happened without the funding we received from the Arts Council and Limerick City and County Council.”
Fianna Fáil and Limerick City West Cllr Abul Kalam Azad Talukder spoke at the event.
“This festival allows people to find each other and find common culture which may have been lost. It does this by promoting the culture of Poland.”
Emma Langford was privileged to perform at the opening of the festival.
“There’s such a huge, vibrant Polish community in Limerick and I don’t think we get enough opportunities to mingle and interconnect so this is very special.”