This year’s UK/Poland Season is launching in Hounslow, with a diverse programme of free, multi-artform events from the festival Theatre is Freedom – Teatr to Wolność.
The UK/Poland Season is a diverse programme of over 100 multi-artform events in 40 cities in both countries. All of London’s events will be held in Hounslow.
The season seeks to inspire the UK-Poland cultural dialogue, address global challenges, and open new opportunities for cultural leaders and the next generation of artists.
The festival - presented by Watermans - is coming to Bell Square as part of the Council’s Summer of Culture, from Friday 5 to Sunday 21 September. Six Polish companies are to show UK premieres of their work, with three performing for the first time in the UK.
Events in Poland are organised and funded by the British Council and in the UK they are led by the Instytut Adama Mickiewicza and the Polish Cultural Institute.
The international partnership between these partners, Watermans and Hounslow Council, was celebrated at a launch event at Hounslow House on Friday, 5 September. Attendees were treated to a rhythm and dance performance of ‘Bal’ (‘The Ball’) by Teatr KTO in Bell Square.
The Mayor of Hounslow, Amy Croft, who hosted the launch, said
We welcome the remarkable artists and companies involved in the UK/Poland Season. This festival offers a dramatic, spectacular and innovative finale to our Summer of Culture, which showcases the borough’s creativity and heritage and delivers world class arts for people in Hounslow, and beyond.
Cllr Salman Shaheen, Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Public Spaces, said
Hounslow champions culture, and celebrates cultures, so it gives me great pleasure to see this festival bringing everyone together at the launch of London’s UK/Poland Season. I encourage everyone to take a look at upcoming festival performances and to come along.
Jan Lennox, Director at Watermans, said
Bringing some of the most remarkable contemporary Polish outdoor theatre to Bell Square as part of the UK/Poland Season has been hugely satisfying. Theatre is Freedom | Teatr to Wolność presents new work by some of the most established and successful companies as well as introducing the work of some of the most acclaimed next generation companies. None of this would be possible without the support of the Adam Mickiewicz Institute.
A full programme of free events can be found on the Council website. People are invited to choose one or a number of shows and come along, as they are free and there’s no need to book.
More information about the UK/Poland Season can be found on the British Council website.
