Bolesławiec stands out among many other cities in Poland for its centuries-old tradition of clay craftsmanship. The Bolesławiec Ceramic Festival is a ceramic and interactive event with an artistic character, aimed at promoting ceramics and the Bolesławiec region.
During the festival, organized for the 21st time from August 19 to 23, visitors will be able to purchase functional and decorative ceramics, jewelry, and original works of art at one of Europe’s largest fairs. Whether we want to buy a necklace, a cup, or a flowerpot, each product is exceptionally original. A wide selection is guaranteed by nearly one hundred exhibitors, including more than twenty ceramic manufacturers from Bolesławiec, as well as producers arriving at the fair not only from across Poland but also from abroad—from the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Lithuania.
Once again, in the beautiful setting of the historic Market Square, visitors will be able to observe the construction, lighting, firing, and extinguishing of a spectacular outdoor kiln. This year, it will be a structure entitled “Tree of Fire,” created by ceramic artist Mateusz Grobelny.
A range of clay-related activities and a rich, attractive artistic program will take place over the weekend from August 21 to 23.
At the Ceramic Animation Town, under the supervision of master potters, everyone can actively take part in creating clay products: throwing on a potter’s wheel, molding, and hand-painting ceramics. Great fun can be expected at the workshops of the Konopczyński family and the “Clay Animals” workshop, as well as at the “Bisque Madness,” “Ceramic Treasure Planet,” and “Stamp Mosaic” workshops. It is worth watching the pottery demonstrations by the Arkuszyński Workshop and the Historical Pottery Workshop of Loricamos, where potters dressed in medieval clothing will create ceramic vessels using tools from different eras, while sharing stories about old techniques for making, glazing, and firing vessels. There will also be a “Ceramic Egg Race” and prize competitions at the “Ceramic Wheel of Fortune.” An additional attraction will be glass vessel-making workshops prepared by Jargiło Glass Studio, along with wooden figurine-making workshops led by Dariusz Pawłowski. Visitors will also be able to see presentations by the painted “Zdobinki” characters and have themselves painted by artists from ceramic factories in beautiful Bolesławiec patterns.
Exhibitions are an important part of the Bolesławiec Ceramic Festival. In the Market Square, we will present an exhibition of works by visual artists from around the world who are participating in this year’s 51st International Ceramic and Sculpture Symposium, including: Patrycja Barkowska—Poland, Adam Frew—England, Adriana Grochal—Poland, Ute Hartwig-Schulz—Germany, Maria Joanna Juchnowska—Poland/Norway, Barbara Licha—Poland/Australia, Lin Lung-Chieh—Taiwan, Rebecca Maeder—Switzerland, Georgi Pachkoria—Georgia, Michał Podleśny—Poland, Eva Srniková—Slovakia, Katalin Tomay—Hungary, Craig Usher—USA, and Mateusz Grobelny—commissioner. It is the only ceramic symposium in Poland that has been held continuously for half a century. It effectively promotes the work of outstanding ceramic sculptors from Poland and abroad. The exhibition will be accompanied by a display of works from Europe’s oldest symposium—the Ceramic Symposium in Gmunden, Austria.
The Market Square will also host a post-competition exhibition from the second and third editions of the National Competition for a Ceramic Tea Bowl “95°C”. In addition, visitors will admire garden sculptures by Marek Parceja and an exhibition by Michał Puszczyński entitled “Dagen'n'dolok”.
Contemporary functional ceramics will be presented at the “mała Biała” gallery of BOK-MCC, where the largest Bolesławiec manufacturers will showcase their latest designs for the third time. At the exhibition “New Design in Bolesławiec Ceramics”, Zakłady Ceramiczne “BOLESŁAWIEC” Sp. z o.o. will display ceramic form designs by lead designer Janina Bany-Kozłowska, as well as functional ceramic decoration designs by Iwona Piela, Danuta Amborska, and Beata Danielewicz; Fabryka Naczyń Kamionkowych “Manufaktura” Spółka Jawna Smoleński & Zwierz will present designs by Oskar Zięta, while “Ceramika Artystyczna” Spółdzielnia Rękodzieła Artystycznego will present ceramic form designs by Mariusz Ochocki, its lead designer and artistic director, along with functional ceramic decoration designs by Teresa Liana and Maria Starzyk.
On Friday, during the official opening of the Festival, Mayor Piotr Roman will hand the keys to the city gates to the Bolesławiec Ceramic Brotherhood. During the official session, Bolesławiec artist Janina Bany-Kozłowska, who this year was awarded the silver Gloria Artis Medal for Merit to Culture, will receive the title of Honorary Citizen of the City.
On Saturday at noon, the colorful Ceramic Parade—Festival of Cultures will set off. The procession of groups through the city streets will end with a fiesta at the municipal stadium. The highly popular competition for the most interesting presentation during the Parade will also be decided.
In addition to clay- and ceramics-related activities, outdoor performances will take place. On Sunday, we invite you to “Mr. Kleks’s Space Academy”. The two-hour show for children will be led by graduates of the L. Solski State Higher School of Theatre in Kraków. The program will be full of interactive games that will humorously prepare children for an intergalactic journey with Mr. Kleks to the planet of friendly little aliens. On this day, we will also host a theater from Spain, which will perform the show “The Bears of the Pyrenees” twice. The performance tells the story of four bears and their guide, their dangerous habits, and their hot-tempered nature. The entire show is accompanied by highland music.
Sunday will also feature the election of Miss and Mister of the Ceramic Festival. The winners will represent the city of Bolesławiec and the Ceramic Festival with their image for one year.
Over the weekend, music fans will be treated to a rich artistic program on two stages. As part of the anniversary program celebrating the 45th anniversary of BOK-MCC, the music and dance studios of the Bolesławiec Cultural Center–International Ceramics Center will perform, along with well-known and popular Bolesławiec musicians: the band Tres, which performs jazz, funk, and flamenco, and the Agata Pińczuk-Burdzy Quintet, which plays jazz, funk, and soul. Fans of somewhat lighter sounds will enjoy the disco polo band Night Lovers.
In the evenings, stars of the Polish and international music scenes will perform on the main stage: on Friday, FARBEN LEHRE, a Polish punk-rock band whose music is energetic, melodic, and full of the joy of playing, will take the stage. The star of the evening will be BEDNAREK, a reggae singer, lyricist, composer, and instrumentalist known for such hits as “Cisza” and “Szukając szczęścia”.
On Saturday evening, one of the most important bands in music history will perform at the festival: PHIL BATES – ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA CLASSIC. The ELO Classic project was founded by Phil Bates, frontman of Electric Light Orchestra Part II and The Orchestra. Thanks to the top-class musicians who make up the project, audiences will be taken on a journey into the world of wild rock ’n’ roll rhythms and ELO’s greatest hits.
On Sunday, the event will be enhanced by the band PIERSI, a popular rock group whose new vocalist Adam Asanow has given it a new sound. The event will traditionally conclude with a spectacular fireworks display.
The 21st Bolesławiec Ceramic Festival will be accompanied by a range of attractions prepared by municipal institutions at the following venues: the Municipal Public Library, the Museum of Ceramics, the Municipal Sports and Recreation Center, and local ceramic factories on Kościuszki Street: “Ceramika Artystyczna” Spółdzielnia Rękodzieła Artystycznego, Zakłady Ceramiczne “BOLESŁAWIEC”, and Centrum Ceramiki TYRCZ.
We also invite you to the final event of the Ceramic Festival, taking place on Monday, August 24. During the Bank BGŻ BNP PARIBAS family film picnic—“CINEMA UNDER THE STARS”—participants will find an attractions area featuring, among other things, prize competitions and a magic show. In the evening, a children’s and young people’s film and an action film will be screened outdoors on a large screen.
BOK-MCC