The new format of Bolesławiec’s Ceramic Festival is intended to integrate different communities and offer Bolesławiec entrepreneurs the best possible opportunity to promote themselves.
This year’s five-day ceramic festival can confidently be called a “Ceramic Carnival.” On Saturday, August 22, a procession is to pass through the streets of Bolesławiec. Invitations have been sent to all ceramic artists, entrepreneurs and associations. They are addressed to anyone who would like to present themselves in an attractive way during the parade.
Ewa Lijewska, director of the Bolesławiec Cultural Centre, says that the idea for the ceramic festival is an initiative that has been continuing for 15 years. The first celebrations were modest; today’s major event is the result of many years of work by many people.
This year, the Festival’s main objective is to organize the most attractive parade possible. It is to be the climax: a show and an artistic event. To make this happen, a competition for the most original costume and the most interesting presentation has been announced. The competition, in two categories—group and individual—is open to all residents of Bolesławiec. The main judging criteria will be originality, ingenuity and reference to Bolesławiec traditions. To enter the competition, whose prize is funded by the mayor, you must complete the entry form.
The festival will also be attractive to amateur and professional photographers. The Bolesławiec Cultural Centre is announcing a competition for the best photograph from the Ceramic Festival. An exhibition of the best photographs will be held at the “Długa” gallery.
To give the festival the best possible setting, identical stalls—wooden cabins—have been ordered. Their security has been carefully considered; they have two locks. Exhibitors can safely leave their secured goods during the five days of the festival.
“Bolesławiec ceramic artists receive the cabins free of charge. This is a gesture toward them. During this festival, we mainly want to honour the ceramic artists, because without them the festival would not exist. My idea is also to integrate the ceramic-art community. We proposed creating a Brotherhood of Ceramic Artists. We will take responsibility for sewing the costumes, organizational matters and completing the paperwork,” assures Ewa Lijewska, director of the BOK.
A prototype costume—a kontusz—was recently sewn. Ceramic artists from the Brotherhood can present themselves with dignity and attractively during the parade in it; they only need to give their consent to participate.
This year, an important part of the parade will also be the Glinoludy procession (organized by the Via Sudetica Association). Its participants intend to take over the city and break the Guinness record for the number of people covered in clay. Ewa Lijewska has specially ordered cabins with warm water for them so that nothing would interfere with the fun and every participant could comfortably wash off their clay costumes afterward. “Children and older people take part in the Glinoludy procession,” says Ewa Lijewska. “For them, it is very important whether they will be able to wash themselves in comfortable conditions.”
It is possible that this year’s Ceramic Festival will see two records broken, because we will also try to break the Guinness record for the longest hand-painted ceramic tableware set.
The festival’s interactivity, care for exhibitors and willingness to cooperate with all communities are an excellent direction chosen by the organizers. Ewa Lijewska emphasizes: “This is our festival; let’s have fun together and create it for the common good.”
(information: Grażyna Hanaf)