THE 5TH FESTIVAL OF VISUAL ARTS IN BIELSKO-BIAŁA 2022

This year’s presentation of the local visual arts occurs in a critical time which finds reflection in the artists’ work. Festival exhibitions and events in galleries, museum and public spaces.

The organisers of the 5th Visual Arts Festival in Bielsko-Biała have decided to refrain from formulating a theme that would impose the necessity of adapting the content of the work or its title to a given idea. The participants have the opportunity to present one work they choose from their works created over the last four years. This time, the wealth and diversity of works shown at various exhibitions and festival events will certainly be accompanied by references to current dramatic events.

Agata Smalcerz, curator of the festival, director of Galeria Bielska BWA:
Four years have passed since the previous review of the works of artists associated with Bielsko-Biała. So much has happened in world history between 2018 and 2022 and the two dates appear to be separated by a yawning chasm: back in 2018, we were still unfamiliar with the term pandemic, and war seemed to us a thing of the past. We expect an interesting set of various artistic attitudes, from works referring directly to the current reality to those which take us to each artist’s ‘private’ worlds that is seemingly incompatible with everyday reality, and yet often marked by its stigma. We also invite artists to submit ideas for works to be placed in public spaces; just as we did during the previous editions of the festival. Although we cannot provide funding for every idea, we encourage artists to consult us. You can also submit exhibitions and events presenting the art of the region’s artists as accompanying events to the main exhibitions. These include the summer exhibitions at the PPP Gallery of the Association of Polish Artists – by Piotr Kutryba and Leszek Zbijowski. Following the example of the previous festival edition, during which accompanying exhibitions were held not only in the city, but also in the mountains – at Dębowiec and Szyndzielnia, this year too such exhibitions are planned.

Galeria Bielska BWA, the main organiser of the 5th Festival of Visual Arts, 2022, has invited members of the local Branch of the ZPAF (Association of Polish Artists and Designers) and the Mountain District of the Association of Polish Artists and Designers Photographers; graduates of art schools living in the region as well as artists working in Bielsko-Biała and the region who do not hold a degree of an art school to participate in the festival. The B&B Gallery of Photography will present works by members of the Mountain Division of the ZPAF and photographs by artists who are not members of the ZPAF and qualified for the festival. There is also a possibility to exhibit a photographic work on a stand at plac Bolesława Chrobrego. The exhibition in the Old Factory Museum and in Galeria Bielska BWA will include paintings, prints, drawings, sculptures, ceramics, glass and fabric works.

The date of the festival coincides with the summer holidays: the opening is scheduled for Friday 24 June 2022, the exhibition ends on 28 August. During the summer, taking advantage of the free time, the exhibition will be open not only to the local inhabitants but also to tourists and visitors. During the opening weekend the exhibition will be accompanied by jazz music from this year’s 24th Bielska Zadymka Jazzowa on the Main Square; the closing weekend will be held during the Days of Bielsko-Biała.
The exhibitions will be accompanied by various artistic and educational events: performances, meetings with artists, art workshops - for children, families with children, seniors; guided tours - also in Ukrainian, with audio-description for the blind and many others. In each of the three galleries presenting the main exhibitions, both the opening days and hours and the entrance tickets of the respective institution apply.

The festival will be held under the auspices of the Mayor of Bielsko-Biała Jarosław Klimaszewski. The Mayor has also funded three financial prizes of a total value of 10,000 PLN, which will be awarded to the artists participating in the main exhibitions in the form of competitions.

A festival catalogue will also be published, containing information about the artists participating in the 5th Festival of Visual Arts. The graphic design of the catalogue with the characteristic festival logo from the first edition in 2007 is the work of Piotr Wisła. The authors of the arrangements of works are: Inez Baturo in B&B Photo Gallery, Iwona Koźbiał-Grzegorzek in Old Factory in Historical Museum in Bielsko-Biała and Krzysztof Morcinek in Galeria Bielska BWA.
The festival is curated by Agata Smalcerz, director of the Galeria Bielska BWA.

The 5th Festival of Visual Arts held under the auspices of the Mayor of Bielsko-Biała Jarosław Klimaszewski
Bielsko-Biała, 24th June - 28th August 2022

Exhibitions:
Galeria Bielska BWA, B&B Gallery of Photography, the Old Factory Historical Museum in Bielsko-Biała

Organised by: Galeria Bielska BWA

Co-organizers: the Historical Museum of Bielsko-Biała, the Photographic Centre Foundation

Partners: City of Bielsko-Biała, Association of Polish Artists – Branch in Bielsko-Biała

Read more about the previous edition of the Festival of Visual Arts 2018 >>