Arts & Culture

For generations, the Polish community in the US has built its place through language, faith, and education—from powerful Milwaukee parishes to today's more modest Saturday schools, where successive generations continue to learn Polish letters, history, and identity. Initiatives like the revived John Paul II School are becoming the last bastion of Polishness, a space for encounter, community, and hope that tradition will survive in the hearts of the youngest.

The history of the Chopin Competition tells the story of the birth of a tradition that has survived wars, political turmoil, and technological revolutions, yet has lost none of its magic: it still has the ability to unite millions of listeners, evoke powerful emotions, and discover new talents.

On March 2, 1933, shortly after Franklin D. Roosevelt's inauguration, New York saw the premiere of "King Kong." Few would have guessed that the man who pilots the plane attacking the beast in the film's finale would return to uniform and play a role in two of the most challenging theaters of World War II: China and the Southwest Pacific.

Although Christianity has been alive in Poland since the end of the 10th century, old pagan traditions related to the commemoration of the dead continued to intertwine with the faith in the Risen Christ for a long time.

I feel connected to Chopin's Polishness and try to showcase it as fully as possible. The most important thing is not to lose the true Chopin," says Yehuda PROKOPOWICZ, a pianist from Krakow, one of four Poles who advanced to the second stage of the 19th Chopin Competition in Warsaw.

Being in the Tatra Mountains and not seeing Morskie Oko (Eye of the Sea)? Everyone knows this largest mountain lake in Poland. Although getting there requires a several-kilometer hike or a ride in the recently much-criticized horse-drawn carriages, there's probably no one who wouldn't want to see its vibrant colors and the breathtaking panorama of the High Tatras.

The qualifying rounds for the currently ongoing 19th Chopin Competition confirmed the growing popularity of Chopin's music worldwide. The fact that pianists who have won awards in other prestigious competitions entered the competition underscores the reputation of the International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition as the most important global event of its kind.

At the turn of August and September, farmers in Poland complete their grain harvest with a holiday known as the Harvest Festival. Over the centuries, the celebration's external features have changed, but its meaning remains constant. It is a thanksgiving for the harvest and a prayer for another successful year of work.

The year 2025 brings us another Pierogi Day celebration, this year falling on Wednesday, October 8th. This date, known internationally as National Pierogi Day, is a holiday dedicated to one of the most recognizable dishes from Polish tables.

The Janusz Kurtyka Foundation is a non-governmental organization that has been working to promote Polish history in Poland and abroad since 2016. Its primary area of ​​activity is the Janusz Kurtyka Award. This pioneering project, aimed at increasing knowledge of Polish history worldwide, is experiencing significant financial challenges that threaten its continued existence.

The currently ongoing 19th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition, organized by the Fryderyk Chopin Institute, will be an unprecedented event, with a record number of 640 entrants and exceptional interest from around the world. Director Artur Szklener emphasizes the competition's artistic standard, comparable to its golden era, and its growing international prestige as a gateway to distinguished careers.