Rzeszów

he European Stadium of Culture is currently the most important cultural event of Rzeszow. The European Stadium of Culture - the East of Culture has taken place every June since 2011. It was launched in connection with the Euro 2012 Football Championship. Since 2013, it has been implemented using a new formula under the project EAST OF CULTURE, with the involvement of three cities - Rzeszow, Lublin, Bialystok. EAST OF CULTURE is the largest undertaking of its kind in Poland consolidating the activities of three cities into one coherent project, using the best traditions of the cultures of the east and the west. There are about 40 different events, including concerts, exhibitions, shows, film presentations, workshops, and meetings. At the main concert over the last three years the city of Rzeszow was visited by the following bands: White Lies, Kayah, Jamal, The Fratellis, Kasia Kowalska, Patrycja Markowska, Within Temptation, Skubas and Jono McCleery from Great Britain, Sarsa and Green Room & Dato Lomidze from Georgia. Piotr Rogucki, Kortez, Guano Apes, guitarist Dean Brown, Hey, Voo Voo, Julia Marcell and many more.

The first edition of the event called „Reggae on the Wisłok – 5 years of the Rzeszow House of Culture” took place on June 14, 2015 in the Park of Culture and Recreation at Rzeszow Boulevards. The stars of the memorable evening were two well-known singers – the legendary Ghetto Priest from Great Britain and the popular Mesajah from Poland. Concerts were accompanied by thematic music and handicraft workshops related to reggae culture, as well as entertainment and games for children. The audience of thousands and the positive reception of the first edition of the event made „Reggae on the Wisłok” quickly become one of the most interesting cultural proposals aimed at Rzeszow residents and reggae fans from all over Poland. During the next events, participants from all over the country had the opportunity to see and hear live leading representatives of the Polish and international reggae, dub and dancehall scenes, such as: Jamal, Vavamuffin, Dark Angel, Radikal Guru, Dreadsquad, Taboo and Junior Stress. The previous editions were also enhanced by interesting accompanying initiatives, such as all-night dance Afterparties, which took place twice in the Vinyl music club, and Night-skating Rzeszow in reggae climates, i.e. a night-time roller- skating ride through the streets of the city.

Every three years, traditionally in July, the World Festival of Polish Folklore Groups takes place in Rzeszow, integrating Polish diaspora from different continents. So far, over 250 different groups have taken part in the festivals, and some of them have participated many times. The most numerous groups were from the USA, Canada, France and Great Britain. There were also groups from Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland and Romania, as well as from far away Australia, Brazil, Argentina and Kazakhstan. Since the beginning of the nineties, Polonia teams from Ukraine, Lithuania and Belarus have been increasingly represented. Each time, the Festival begins with a beautiful, colourful procession of Polonia groups dancing and singing through the streets of the city. During the Festival, the participants present their artistry and artistic achievements on the Rzeszow stages and in many places in our region. The tradition of the Festival includes the Song and Dance Concert of Countries of Residence, during which the guests bring the folklore of their new homelands closer to the audience. The whole event is crowned with an impressive gala concert in which all the Festival groups participate. During the Festival, numerous accompanying events are organized: artistic workshops with the participation of the best Polish choreographers, exhibitions popularizing Polish history, culture and art, scientific conferences on topics related to Polish communities, fairs, contests in knowledge about Poland, and performances of regional song and dance groups.

Scientific and artistic festival „Sources of Remembrance Szajna - Grotowski - Kantor”, a project dedicated to Jerzy Grotowski, Tadeusz Kantor and Józef Szajna, three outstanding figures of world theatre who have their pedigree in Rzeszow and Podkarpacie. The legacy of the three great reformers of the theatre is still vivid and inspiring for the next generations of directors, actors, theatre critics, artists – visual artists. The festival is organized by the Maska Theatre in Rzeszow and Przedmieście Theatre.