On the last weekend of summer holiday from 24 to 27 August, the Wawel Royal Castle in Krakow is inviting participants to the first ‘Wawel is Yours’ festival, which by its very idea refers to the tradition of the Jagiellonian court as a place open to intercultural and artistic contacts.

The programme of the festival includes workshops, meetings and shows, and each day will be thematically diversified. During the four-day event, the Wawel Hill will be transformed into a space for creative and artistic activities. Interpretation and education points spread throughout the castle grounds will enable the rediscovering the museum and the royal residence.

On the first day of the festival, in the “Around Film” zone, participants will have the opportunity to meet Allan Starski, a film and theatre set designer, and Sławomir Idziak, an award-winning director and cinematographer. Workshop participants will explore the secrets of film pre-production and stop-motion animation. The film day will be topped off with three film showings: Oliver Twist (2005), The Double Life of Veronica (1991) and Three Colours. Blue (1994).

During the second day of the festival, at the graffiti and tattoo design workshops – it will be possible to see if the fairytale creatures from royal tapestries or the heads adorning the coffered ceiling of the Members’ Hall can be an inspiration for street artists and tattoo artists.

On the third day, it will be possible to learn the basics of music production – from rap, hip-hop to r’n’b. During a special walk on Wawel Hill, participants will record the sounds of nature, which will later be used to create an original composition. The evening will conclude with a concert of ambient music and a screening of the British drama Belle (2021).

On the final day, participants will learn how the Baroque and Renaissance can inspire contemporary fashion designers and how to create a moodboard or the perfect look.

Adrian Andrzejewski