New event within the framework of the World Music Warsaw "Islands of the World Festival". Free concerts by Polish folk artists accompanied by an international conference devoted to world music.

The 9th edition of the largest festival in Poland, presenting multiculturalism and world music, will begin with a meeting of experts from Europe, Asia and the United States. The event will inaugurate a forum of exchange and cooperation, supporting the development of the world music market.

The conference and festival will be attended by professionals from ten countries: the United States, Russia, Pakistan, South Korea, the Netherlands, Sweden, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Portugal and Great Britain, including the directors of popular European world music festivals: Fruzsina Szép (Sziget Festival), Carlos Seixas (FMM Sines), Zlata Holušová (Colours of Ostrava), as well as promoters and animators of the world music genre: Isabel Soffer (Live Sounds), Alexander Cheparukhin (GreenWave). Also taking part in discussions will be experienced event organizers, including Danka van Dodewaard and Magnus Bäckström, both of whom cooperate with prestigious concert venues, as well as music journalists Jiří Moravčik and Andrew Cronshaw.

Experts will debate on the most important trends and changes in world music, as well as various models of organizing the market and effectively promoting artists. The guests will also get to know the roots of the Polish folk music scene, will talk about its potential, future and assess our artists’ chances of success on the international scene.

The conference will begin at 12.00 PM. It is open to all those interested in the subject, world music fans and performers as well as publishers, promoters and managers. To participate, please notify the organizers at: [email protected]. The conference will take place at the Museum of the History of Polish Jews at 6 Anielewicza St. (Auditorium).

In the evening, our foreign guests will also have the opportunity to see a presentation of chosen artists from the new Polish folk scene. The first festival evening at the festival tent in front of the PKiN (Palace of Culture and Science) will include performances by: the group Vołosi, combining classic melodies with a highlander spirit, Joanna Słowińska – violinist and composer mixing electronic music with old sounds, Kwadrofonik – a world-renowned ensemble known for their reinterpretations of folk motifs, Karolina Cicha singing in the languages of the Polish borderland, the Atom String Quartet – a folk-inspired jazz string quartet as well as the Orkiestra Św. Mikołaja, who have been playing on traditional instruments for the last 25 years.

The concerts will take place from 7.00 PM till 10.30 PM; they are open to the public and admission is free.

Event organized by the Stołeczna Estrada in cooperation with the Adam Mickiewicz Institute. The Museum of the History of Polish Jews is a partner of the conference.