Calendar

Let’s immerse ourselves in a world where Christmas seems permanent and while away the time by buying gifts, watching performances and sampling delicious seasonal treats. The exhibitors at the Christmas Fair on the Main Market Square present Polish arts and crafts, sweet delicacies, ceramics and wood and wicker goods. You’ll find Christmas decorations, toys, jewellery, candles, candied fruit… The stage hosts myriad performances, concerts, carolling and poem readings.

The first exhibition of works by the most important representative of contemporary Romani art following her great success at the 59th International Art Biennial in Venice. The International Cultural Centre presents acclaimed works made between 2019 and 2022 including “Out of Egypt” cycle, her large-scale fabrics series “Herstories” and her latest works focusing on the history of the Roma people in Nowa Huta and Romani remembrance.

The exhibition at the Museum of Photography at Rakowicka Street is the first exploration of the history of fine-art photography in Poland. The authors of the almost 150 prints, loaned by some of the most important museums and private collections in Poland, include Jan Bułhak, Zdzisław Beksiński, Edward Hartwig, Jerzy Lewczyński, Natalia Lach-Lachowicz, Fortunata Obrąpalska, Wojciech Plewiński, Zofia Rydet, Stefan Themerson and Wojciech Zamecznik.

Presenting nativity scenes in Kraków’s public space is a joint initiative of the Museum of Krakow and KBF, held annually since 2015. This year’s eighth walking tour focuses on Włodzimierz Tetmajer – artist, author, patriot, independence activist and a great proponent of Polish folklore representing the Young Poland movement.

Kraków’s most important beauty pageant is the Nativity Scene Competition, held for the 80th time this year. The dazzling constructions are awarded prizes in a range of categories, and all the works go on display at the Krzysztofory Palace – home of the Museum of Krakow.

The Divine Comedy festival isn’t just a celebration of Polish theatre – it’s an important voice speaking up on issues faced by today’s society. This year, the organisers are presenting some of the most important spectacles of the past season, directed by artists such as Krystian Lupa, Maja Kleczewska, Anna Augustynowicz and Jan Klata.

Poland’s longest-running review of silent films with live music accompaniment! The event is famous for its bold juxtapositions of film and music, and its experimental approach and respect for early cinema. This year’s motif is Changes, and the programme features productions made at the threshold of the sound revolution in cinematography of the 1930s.

The unique event, intertwining the cultural, sports and tourist aspects of mountains, once again brings lovers of mountaineering stories to Kraków. The 20th anniversary edition features meetings with stars of alpinism and rock climbing, workshops, and – first and foremost – public film screenings.

Winter at Tauron Arena Kraków features music events with some of the world’s leading stars. Before Christmas, we will hear a musical homage to the master of cinematic soundtracks Ennio Morricone performed by his son Andrea, accompanied by the Czech National Symphonic Orchestra and Choir (21.12). In the new year, Poland’s largest arena welcomes Michael Bublé (10.02) and Céline Dion (14.03) from Canada, and Robbie Williams (12.03) from the UK.

The annual pageant follows three traditional routes from Wawel Cathedral, the Villages of the World Park and Matejki Square. The magi come together on the stage by the Town Hall Tower at the Main Market Square where they offer their gifts to Baby Jesus. The event is accompanied by Polish Christmas carols performed by popular Cracovian artists.

A few years ago, researchers determined that the painting The Annunciation (stored at a Baroque tenement house owned by the Basilica) once formed a part of the main altarpiece, originally made for the city’s main parish church. The painting goes on display at Wawel Castle alongside other remaining parts of the altar and other works of the Antwerpian artist, loaned for the exhibition by collections all over Poland.

On the initiative of the Starmach Gallery, the Sejm of the Republic of Poland hailed 2023 as Year of Jerzy Nowosielski. The official celebrations kick off on 17 January with the exhibition Jerzy Nowosielski’s Studio prepared by the gallery. It recalls the interiors he occupied in Łódź and Kraków and explores his way of thinking about creative work and the distinctive interior arrangement of his living space to fit around the artistic studio.

The second instalment of the permanent exhibition at the Stanisław Wyspiański Museum launches in February 2023. The switch of the presented works is the result of the efforts made by the National Museum in Krakow to ensure that Wyspiański’s fragile artworks aren’t exposed to harmful factors. It’s also the perfect opportunity to see works not presented at the previous instalment!

The unique festival presents original premieres of operas from all periods, from the genre’s emergence to the present day. This year’s repertoire includes Mozart’s early work Lucio Silla, Vivaldi’s Tamerlano from Ottavio Dantone and Schumann’s oratorio Das Paradies und die Peri in a stage version prepared by Cezary Tomaszewski and starring Ian Bostridge.

Held every other year and organised by the Groteska Theatre, during the festival dramatic arts meet circus and dance, all intertwined with multimedia and transformed into a theatre of puppets, masks and shadows. This year we will see spectacles acclaimed the world over, the most important premieres of last year, famous artists and some of the most surprising and spectacular stage performances.

The annual Commedia dell’Arte Day is celebrated on 25 February on six continents in over 60 countries. To mark the occasion, Kraków’s Studio Dono hosts events dedicated to the festival of the 16th-century Italian comedy form.

Some of the greatest stars of shanties and sea songs from all over the globe, exhibitions, meetings, presentations, premieres and of course concerts for kids are just some of the attractions prepared for sea dogs by the organisers of the “Shanties” Sea Song Festival. As usual, the 42nd festival is held in late February.

The Museum of Engineering and Technology launches its modernised headquarters at the former tram depot at Św. Wawrzyńca Street: the latest permanent exhibition is Poland’s first wide-reaching story about the development of engineering thought and its influence on changes in the city and lives of its residents.