Between July 1 and December 31, 2011, the International Cultural Programme of the Polish Presidency of the EU Council presents hundreds of events across Poland and 10 global capitals

The international programme has been put together by the Adam Mickiewicz Institute in Warsaw together with Polish and international partners. Events take place in prominent museums, galleries, theatres and festival venues in Brussels, Paris, London, Berlin, Madrid, Moscow, Kyiv, Minsk, Beijing and Tokyo. In Poland, the programme has been prepared by the National Audiovisual Insitute, spanning half a dozen major projects in cities across Poland - from Warsaw and Kraków to Lublin and Krasnogruda. The programme centres around the theme of Art for Social Change, highlighting such major projects as the European Congress of Culture in Wrocław in September and a number of independent exhibitions, concerts and performances. It highlights the role of non-governmental organisations and grass-roots cultural initiatives, as well as the significance of the Eastern Partnership. The programme officially opens on the1st of July with the premiere of Karol Szymanowski's King Roger at the National Opera in Warsaw, directed by leading British opera director David Pountney.

In the coming months, Bozar and La Monnaie in Brussels, the National Theatre and Southbank Centre in London, Martin Gropius Bau in Berlin and the Teatro Real in Madrid set the stage for the 6 Flagship Projects of the I, CULTURE Programme. The aim of the programme is to present Poland as a nation of rich history and tradition which is dynamically evolving into a creative hub of Europe. The Flagship Projects are centred around 6 major pillars of Polish culture: the timeless poetry of Czesław Miłosz, the futuristic fantasies of Stanisław Lem, the music of Szymanowski and its impact on today's musical talents, and the ongoing pursuit of freedom and solidarity. In addition to the 6 Flagship Projects, there are hundreds of additional events organised within the framework of the Promesa Project, chosen by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage especially for the Cultural Programme of the Polish Presidency.

International Programme - Flagship Projects

•          Czesław Miłosz

Among the most recognised of Poalnd's four Nobel Prize Winners for Literature, Miłosz's poetry has presented a unique insight into the turbulent history of Poland, Europe and the world and its effects on the human spirit. The Polish Presidency coincides with the 100th anniversary of the author's birth, with centennial Miłosz Year celebrations onging since the beginning of 2011. Over the latter half of 2011, ten audiobook fresh editions of Miłosz’s poetry will be published in ten languages. Selected poems are to be read by international film and theatre stars, creating a unique new way of appreciating Miłosz's works across generations. Audiobooks will be be available in bookshops and as special inserts to prominent newspapers and magazines, such as the Times Literary Supplement and El Pais. The project’s culmination will be the final concert in Berlin, featuring Polish and foreign artists performing adaptations of poems by Czesław Miłosz.

•          Stanisław Lem

Dubbed theJ.S. Bach of 20th century literature by The New York Times, Lem is the most widely translated of Polish writers after Czesław Miłosz. His works have been a source of inspiration for a number of theatrical and film adaptations, including Andrei Tarkovsky's and Steven Soderbergh's Solaris and Ari Folman (who has started shooting  "The Futurological Congress") have helped bring his works to the screen. Commemorating the writer is an avant-garde outdoor performance entitled "Planet Lem"by Teatr Biuro Podróży- an inventive production based on Lem’s collected works.

•          Guide to the Poles

A series of five documentary films presenting an engaging, tongue-in-cheek story of contemporary Polish society. The films form a recent history of Poland  through themes of rock music, fashion, fetishes, games, toys, and mountaineering. The series features the work of such acclaimed directors as  Academy Award Nominee Bartek Konopka.

•          Karol Szymanowski

Polish composer deemed second only to Fryderyk Chopin. His works are increasingly popular with acclaimed musicians, conductors and opera directors, such Valery Gergiev, Simon Rattle, David Poutney and Mariusz Treliński. Highlights of the flagship programme feature concerts and chamber performances of Szymanowski’s music. A performance of Szymanowski's opera "King Roger", considered to be one of the most important modern operas of the early 20th century, opens the programme at Warsaw's National Theatre on the 1st of July.

•          I, CULTURE Orchestra

A unique and innovative project that promotes the evolving artistry of Europe's eastern neighbours, while emphasising significant social and political ties. The orchestra, based on such well-known youth orchestras as the EUYO, brings together young musicians from Poland and Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and other post-soviet nations. This initiative, launched by the Adam Mickiewicz Institute, gives young people a chance to perform at Europe's most prestigious venues as part of a major autumn tour. Training under some of the greatest maestros in the world provides the opportunity for professional development for young musicians who might not otherwise have the means to participate in such a project. This Flagship project is also closely related to the legacy of Karol Szymanowski, as the Szymanowski's works will figure significantly on the orchestra's main repertoire.

•          I, CULTURE Contemporary Craft Workshop

A project whose ideology ties together all the tenets of the Presidency programme.  Over the 6-month term of the Polish Presidency, participants in 12 cities come together as a part of several large-scale community actions aimed at creating each individual piece of a global patchwork puzzle. 240 volunteers will formally represent the Polish capital in each of these "happenings", which include tailoring and crafts workshop led by Monika Jakubiak, in which she presents the various tools and techniques of art and fashion to examine the role of the craftsman in contemporary culture. The result of this extensive project will be an eclectic arrangement of 12 squares spelling out the I, CULTURE logo.

The International Cultural Programme of the Polish Presidency of the EU Council I, CULTURE is coordinated by the Adam Mickiewicz Institute in cooperation with Polish Institutes and Embassies, as well as local partners in 12 cities around the world.

For more information, see: www.iam.pl

Photo: courtesy of AMI

Founded in 2000 the Adam Mickiewicz Institute is a non-profit government institution, funded by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of Poland, which focuses on promoting Polish culture abroad and initiating diverse forms of international cultural co-operation. The Institute's operations are part of a broader strategy to create and communicate "Poland" as brand abroad.

The Adam Mickiewicz Institute has been telling the world about Poland for over a decade. During this time the Institute carried out promotional projects in 26 countries on 3 continents. Over 3000 cultural events were seen by more than 18 million viewers. The Institute promotes Polish culture abroad and co-operates with other countries. It has shown both Poland's heritage and contemporary accomplishments in culture. It has been organising presentations of projects made by foreign partners in Poland. What's more the Adam Mickiewicz Institute initiated and is actively participating in the ongoing debate about culture's economic potential and international cultural exchange.

The Institute carries out international projects which communicate Poland's positive image; their duration ranges from a couple of weeks to several months. The aim is to create and sustain the image of Poland as the heart of Europe's culture. The projects comprise exhibitions, theatre plays, classical and contemporary music concerts, as well as film screenings, dance performances and projects for children. The programmes are created in close collaboration with our foreign partners which include artists, curators, culture managers and journalists.

The focus of the Adam Mickiewicz Institute is to make Poland visible on theatre stages, in gallery spaces, concert halls and cinemas not just occasionally, but to create close links and permanent co-operation between Polish and foreign institutions as well as culture, art and academic circles. As the goal is to continue such collaboration in the future, most of the Institute's projects are co-produced with foreign partners, often as the result of joint workshops.

The Adam Mickiewicz Institute organises conferences on culture, such as: European Culture Meetings, workshops for culture animators, "Design: Culture and Economy" conference, as well as panels at the Krynica Economic Forum and Polish Culture Convention. It co-operates with both Polish and foreign cultural institutions, government organisations and Polish literature academic centres. Academics and individual promoters of Polish culture are amongst the Institute's most important partners. The Adam Mickiewicz Institute publishes catalogues, multimedia publications, CDs, documentary films and other materials presenting Polish culture.

The Adam Mickiewicz Institute carries out promotional projects made and carried out on a grand scale. These include the Polish Year in Israel, Polska!Year in Great Britain, Nova Polska Polish Season in France, Polish-German Year, Polish Season in Russia and Russian Season in Poland accompanied by the exhibition "Warsaw - Moscow / Moscow - Warsaw", Polish Season in the Ukraine and Ukrainian Season in Poland, Jerzy Giedroyc Year, as well as other noteworthy projects presented in Spain, Austria, Sweden, Algeria, Morocco, China, the Balearic Islands and Lithuania. The Institute's current projects are focused on the cultural programme of the 2011 Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

In addition, the Adam Mickiewicz Institute keeps you informed about cultural events in Poland; its website is available in several languages. It is open to people and institutions abroad; for those interested in showing Polish culture abroad Adam Mickiewicz Institute provides necessary resources which include books, magazines, CDs, exhibition catalogues and multimedia. Furthermore, the Institute's programme "Closer to Poland" provides access to Polish press and literature. What's more, the Institute's web portal culture.pl was voted best platform with information on Polish culture by Press monthly magazine. The portal is a source of current information on cultural events in Poland and abroad, as well as a comprehensive resource on notable Polish figures.

For more information, see: www.iam.pl