A play of reflections and illusions. Rhythm and pattern. Repetition and response. Echo manifests itself in many motifs in art; it will also be the theme of this year’s edition of the Between.Pomiędzy Festival - an interdisciplinary event bringing together various forms, languages, fields and experiences. Artists and theorists, students and lecturers, theatre scholars and literary critics will gather in the Tricity from 11 to 17 May to examine together what resonates in art across disciplines, methods and experiences. Outstanding artists and researchers have confirmed their participation in the festival, including the Irish poet Paula Meehan and theatre practitioners Agata Duda Gracz, Michał Derlatka and Maciej Gorczyński.
For the seventeenth time, the Tricity will host a festival combining various forms and languages: from international seminars and lectures, through workshops and author talks, to the ‘Stage Reading’ programme, performative activities and student projects. How is the theme of the ‘echo’ - which will serve as the event’s central motif - realised in these diverse forms?
On the very first day of the festival, there will be the opening of the ‘Echo’ exhibition by Katarzyna Swiniarska and Olga Yatsechko. In the days that follow, this theme will recur, for example, in a discussion on the presence of Polish themes in the work of Complicité theatre and during a meeting with Helena Kaut-Howson on the relationship between Polish and British theatre.
An important part of the programme consists of author talks and literary discussions. The festival’s key guest will be Paula Meehan, who will give a lecture reflecting on the role, vocation and creative practice of the poet, and will also take part in an author talk centred on her poetry. The programme also includes events dedicated to translation and contemporary literature: a conversation with David Malcolm on the translation of poetry into Scots, a meeting with Jean Ward on the book ‘Marian Poem Prayers in the Modern Age. Real Assent’, and a discussion between Anika Spindelmann and Monika Szuba on the poetry project ‘Baltic Correspondences’.
There will also be discussions on Polish literature. The organisers invite you to a meeting with Agata Ostrowska on the book ‘One day it will turn out that everyone has always been against it’ and a discussion entitled ‘Word and Rebellion’ devoted to the work of Róża Ostrowska.
The programme also includes meetings with the editorial teams of the magazines ‘Tekstualia’ and ‘Konteksty’.
An important aspect of the festival remains the Stage Readings programme, combining performances with discussions with their creators. Festival-goers will have the chance to see productions such as: ‘Don Juan Returns from the War’ (dir. Michał Derlatka), ‘Antenna’ (dir. Maciej Gorczyński), ‘The Case of David Frankfurter’ (dir. Marcin Wierzchowski), and ‘Memling, or the Story of the End of the World’ (dir. Agata Duda Gracz). There will also be no shortage of musical and performative events, such as the ‘Jazz Jam Session’ concert and a presentation of the radio play ‘I Don’t Do Innocents’ by Anne Carson, produced by Simon McBurney and his theatre company Complicité.
The Between.Pomiędzy Festival is also a space for young researchers and creators. During this week in May, visitors will be able to attend the student conference Wyspa.Młodość (Island.Youth), as well as watch a workshop performance by students prepared under the guidance of Irish actress Clare Simpson, inspired by John Millington Synge’s play ‘Riders to the Sea’. The festival’s closing event will offer the chance to experience ‘Speed Dating with Art’ - a project curated by Roman Pawłowski, in which students will present short performance pieces for individual audiences.
The Between.Pomiędzy Festival creates a space for encounter and dialogue between artists, researchers and art audiences. Evolving from a local to an international context, this event brings together diverse communities, experiences and practices, enabling a shared reflection on contemporary culture.
The festival takes place primarily in Gdańsk, including at the headquarters of the Gdańsk City of Literature project (35 Długa Street), at the Wybrzeże Theatre, and on the Oliwa campus of the University of Gdańsk, as well as at the BOTO Theatre in Sopot.
BETWEEN.POMIĘDZY 2026 FESTIVAL PROGRAMME
Main theme: ECHO / 11-17 May 2026
MONDAY, 11 May 2026
10.00-14.00 HOUSE OF LITERATURE IN Gdańsk (ENG)
- The University of Gdańsk Samuel Beckett Seminar
- Angelo Romagnoli (Italy), Anita Rákóczy (Hungary), José Henrique Rodrigues Machado (Brazil), Clara Simpson (Ireland), S.E. Gontarski (USA - online), Klaudia Łączyńska (University of Warsaw), Marta Kruczalak (University of Gdańsk) and Tomasz Wiśniewski (University of Gdańsk)
14.30-15.30 HOUSE OF LITERATURE IN GDAŃSK (ENG)
- Between.Europe - discussion. Participants: Angelo Romagnoli (Italy), Dionysios Tsaftaridis (Greece), Clara Simpson (Ireland) and Izabela Curyłło-Klag (Jagiellonian University). Moderator: Tomasz Wiśniewski (University of Gdańsk)
17.00 University of Gdańsk Library (Senate Hall)
- Festival opening
followed by University of Gdańsk Library (Gallery)
- ‘Echo’ - opening of an exhibition of paintings by Katarzyna Swinarska and Olga Yatsechko
19.30 BOTO THEATRE
- Stage Reading: ‘Don Juan Returns from the War’, dir. Michał Derlatka. Małgorzata Woźniak in conversation with the creators. Tickets available at the theatre box office
- Opening of the exhibition of paintings by Ksenia Logovai
TUESDAY, 12 May 2026
9.00-16.00 University of Gdańsk Library (Gallery)
- Wyspa.Młodość 2026: student seminar
11.30-12.30 University of Gdańsk Faculty of Languages (Prof. Jerzy Limon Theatre Hall) (ENG)
- ‘Memory Keeper by Trade’ - lecture by Irish poet Paula Meehan. Hosted by: Monika Szuba and Patrycja Zielke
16.00-17.00 HOUSE OF LITERATURE IN GDAŃSK (ENG)
- Sharing Crafts: lecture ‘Brazilian Cultural Festivals’ - José Henrique Rodrigues Machado (Brazil)
8.00 pm BOTO THEATRE
- Stage reading: ‘Antena’ - an adaptation of Serhiy Zhadan’s poetry, directed by Maciej Gorczyński. Małgorzata Woźniak in conversation with the creators. Tickets available at the theatre box office
WEDNESDAY, 13 May 2026
9.00-13.00 University of Gdańsk Library (Gallery) (ENG)
- 10.00-10.50 Between.Europe: Greece - Kiki Selioni and Dionysios Tsaftaridis. Moderator: Tomasz Wiśniewski
- 11.00-11.50 Polish Echoes in Complicité, discussion with Katarzyna Ojrzyńska (University of Łódź), Klaudia Łączyńska (University of Warsaw) and Harriet Carnevale (Italy). Moderator: Tomasz Wiśniewski
- 12.00-12.50 Polish Echoes in British Theatre - conversation with Helena Kaut-Howson Moderator: Tomasz Wiśniewski
15.00-15.50 HOUSE OF LITERATURE IN GDAŃSK (ENG)
- Sharing Crafts: Riders to the Sea - a workshop presentation by Clara Simpson
16.00-16.30 HOUSE OF LITERATURE IN GDAŃSK / SECRET SETS (ENG)
- Scots translations of Polish poems - David Malcolm
17.00-18.30 HOUSE OF LITERATURE IN GDAŃSK (ENG)
- Home by Starlight - meet the author: Irish poet Paula Meehan. Hosted by: Patrycja Zielke
19.00 WYBRZEŻE THEATRE
- Stage reading: ‘The Case of David Frankfurter’ - dir. Marcin Wierzchowski. Tickets available at the theatre box office
THURSDAY, 14 May 2026
17.00-17.50 HOUSE OF LITERATURE IN GDAŃSK (ENG)
- Baltic Correspondences - a poetry project by Anika Spindelmann (Aarhus) and Monika Szuba (Gdańsk)
6.00-7.30 pm HOUSE OF LITERATURE IN GDAŃSK
- A conversation with translator Agata Ostrowska about the book One day it will turn out that everyone has always been against it and a joint letter-writing session. Concept: Natalia Osińska (Gdańsk)
21.00 BOTO THEATRE
- Jazz Jam Session: Michał Gos / Dawid Kosiarkiewicz / Krzysztof Majchrzak Tickets available at the theatre box office
FRIDAY, 15 May 2026
9.45-11.45 FACULTY OF LANGUAGES, UNIVERSITY OF GDAŃSK (Prof. Jerzy Limon Theatre Hall)
- Workshop based on the book ‘Echo’ - Aleksandra Kot, Katarzyna Podpora and Antoni Michnik
12.00-12.50 FACULTY OF LANGUAGES, UNIVERSITY OF GRUDNIAKOW (Prof. Jerzy Limon Theatre Hall)
- In Words and Rebellion - on the work of Róża Ostrowska - Ewa Graczyk and Bartosz Dąbrowski. Hosted by Ewelina Stefańska (in collaboration with the Kashubian-Pomeranian Association)
13.00-13.50 Faculty of Languages, UNIVERSITY OF GRUDZIAŃSK (Prof. Jerzy Limon Theatre Hall)
- Marian Poem Prayers in the Modern Age. Real Assent - author talk with Jean Ward. Hosted by: Roksana Zgierska
19.00 WYBRZEŻE THEATRE
- Stage reading: ‘Memling, or the Story of the End of the World’ (with English subtitles), dir. Agata Duda Gracz, Wybrzeże Theatre, Main Stage
- followed by a discussion with Agata Duda Gracz, the actors, and Prof. Beata Możejko (Memling Research Centre, University of Gdańsk). Hosted by: Monika Mioduszewska and Małgorzata Woźniak Tickets available at the theatre box office.
SATURDAY 16 May 2026
17.00 BOTO THEATRE
- A meeting with Żaneta Nalewajk discussing the publications: ‘Literature and Philosophy: Research Methods, Forms, and Categories of Thought’ (Bloomsbury, 2025) and the issue of the quarterly ‘Tekstualia’ entitled ‘Romantic Sources of Comparative Studies’
17.45 BOTO THEATRE
- A discussion with the editorial team of the quarterly ‘Konteksty’ on the issue: ‘Spaces of Visuality / A Flood of Images’. Wojciech Michera, Aleksandra Loranc, Antoni Michnik
18.30 BOTO THEATRE
- ‘I Don’t Do Innocents’; a radio play by Anne Carson for ‘The Paris Review’, directed by Simon McBurney. Complicité Theatre (21 minutes)
SUNDAY, 17 May 2026
17.00-20.00 BOTO THEATRE
- ‘Speed Dating with Live Art’. A showcase of student workshop projects. Curator: Roman Pawłowski
20.00 BOTO THEATRE
- Summary of the ‘Reading the Stage’ programme and festival closing
The festival programme is subject to change.
BETWEEN.POMIĘDZY 2026 WORKSHOPS
- Sharing Crafts: ‘Devised Theatre’ - workshops by Annabel Arden and Katarzyna Pastuszak organised in collaboration with Complicité Theatre (as part of the ‘Polish Echoes in Complicité Theatre’ project under the OPUS 27 programme of the National Science Centre, no. 2024/53/B/HSZ/03104)
- Sharing Crafts: ‘Riders to the Sea’ by John Millington Synge - workshops led by Clara Simpson (as part of the ‘Beyond Beckett’ project by the Irish Embassy in Poland)
- ‘A Beckett Ensemble’ - workshops led by Nicholas Johnson and Adam Lichtel (as part of the ‘Beyond Beckett’ project by the Irish Embassy in Poland)
- ‘Ecologies of Dance - Soil, Weeds and Rubbish’ featuring Jill Sifah Sigman (in collaboration with the Centre for Sustainable Development at the University of Gdańsk)
Free admission except for marked performances and the concert.
Honorary patronage:
His Magnificence the Rector of the University of Gdańsk, prof. Piotr Stepnowski
Marshal of the Pomeranian Voivodeship, Mieczysław Struk
Organisers:
- Between.Pomiędzy Foundation
- University of Gdańsk
Funding:
- Pomeranian Voivodeship
- Irish Embassy in Poland
- National Science Centre
Partners:
Wybrzeże Theatre, House of Literature in Gdańsk, Gdańsk - UNESCO City of Literature, BOTO Theatre, University of Gdańsk Library, University of Chieti Pescara - Italy, Makings of the Actor - Greece, Kashubian-Pomeranian Association, University of Gdańsk Centre for Sustainable Development, More-Than-Human Studies Lab, University of Gdańsk, Faculty of Artes Liberales, University of Warsaw, TheTheatreTimes, ‘Konteksty’ and ‘Tekstualia’
Further information: https://www.between.org.pl and on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Between.Pomiedzy and Instagram (@between.pomiedzy).