1. Some background to the Festival:
   
   The first Polish Arts Festival was held in Southend-on-Sea in September 2009. It was developed and produced by Hungry Arts together with 30 Bird Productions, Metal, Focal Point Gallery and the local Polish community. The aim being to celebrate the very best of Polish culture and art, to develop new international artistic collaborations, and to help nurture the special relationship between Southend-on-Sea and Sopot, Southend's Polish twin, on the Baltic Sea.
   
   During the 3-day festival thousands of people had the opportunity to savour some delicious Polish hospitality and live entertainment at the Polski Picnic; to embark on 30 Bird Productions’ inspirational artistic journey ‘Chodzenie’ which took place in venues across town, to participate in art and circus workshops and so on. There was a run on bigos and sauerkraut while hundreds of people joined hands in the field to kick up their heels with some fabulous Polish dance.
   
   This year’s festival is going to be bigger and better boasting an ever expanding programme of events. It includes the very first performance in England of Polish folk band ‘The St Nicholas Orchestra’ at the Polski Picnic; free Polish Film Screenings in TAP, The Old Water Works in Southend-on-Sea; a live football match featuring ‘Iran versus Poland’; art exhibitions, circus & football workshops, 30 Bird Productions performance of POLAND 3 IRAN 2 (fresh from the Edinburgh Festival), and a series of art projects and a jazz concert led by Deconstruction Project. Plus a special appearance of the traditional Polish cossack Lajkonic and Theatre Lalek (giant puppets). And that’s just for starters...
   
   None of this would be possible without the support of Southend-on-Sea Borough Council, Arts Council England, East, and the Polish Cultural Institute. Hope to see you there.
   
   Douglas Hunter, Gosia Trojanowska-Hobson & Ros Green - Hungry Arts
   
   

   

Romany Diamonds are an acoustic quartet led by the extraordinary fiddle player Marek Czureja. Now resident in London, they are regular performers at festivals throughout the country. They will perform at the Polski Picnic.

Creativity requires courage - by Jaroslaw Baranik

Photographic exhibition at the Polski Picnic

More information in Artists section

St Nichloas Orchestra (Poland) - Polski Picnic 12:00 midday

(Artists website: www.mikolaje.lublin.pl)

1. Welcome to the Polish Arts Festival
   

2. Southend-on-Sea, 9 - 12 September, 2010

Ania Hobson

Paintings exhibition at the Polski Picnic

More information in Artists section

Now confirmed for the Polski Picnic

The Pierogi Company - will also run pierogi making competition

The Polish Bakery - selling ‘Polish Village Bakery’ breads and cakes

Vaporetto - exquisite roasted Italian coffee

Polish Spit Roast - freshly cooked hog

Big Toni's Food Hall - selling hot bigos, gulasz, Polish sausage with Polish bread

Polcraft - a wide selection of crafts directly from Poland

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Football Coaching & Workshops at the Polski Picnic (12:00 -15:00)

See Polski Picnic page for details