Polish Culture Day @ Christmas

The Polish Culture Day @Christmas, held on Sunday, December 15th at @Droog,  was a resounding success!

The event showcased beautiful music, delicious traditional food and drinks, and a wide variety of unique items—perfect for holiday gifts. There were also fascinating presentations about Polish Christmas traditions, offering guests a deeper insight into the customs and celebrations that make the season special in Poland. The warm and friendly atmosphere brought together people of different nationalities, creating a vibrant space filled with lively conversations and laughter. It was a true celebration of culture, community, and the Christmas spirit!

Programme

17.50 – 18.00
Anka Koziel with a quartet: Polish jazz and Christmas Carols

18.00 – 18.05
Opening

18.05 – 18.25
What is Wigilia – Bozena Kopczynska

18.30 – 18.50
Anka Koziel with a quartet: Polish jazz and Christmas Carols

18.50 – 19.20
Break

19.20 – 19.35
How Poland Celebrates Christmas and New Year with Theatre – Kasia Lech

19.35 – 19.45
“Christmas Crescendo’’ Performance for two voices and paper – Michal Jurys & Tara Khozein

19.45 – 20.15
Break

20.15 – 20.30
Anka Koziel with a quartet: Polish jazz and Christmas Carols

20.30 – 20.50
Quiz about Poland

20.55 – 21.15
Anka Koziel with a quartet: Polish jazz and Christmas Carols

The food, featuring traditional Polish dishes, was made by Kamil Piasecki,
Founder and Owner of RestaurantAtHome.

During the evening there was a mini market offering Polish arts, crafts and a selection of other Polish products. 

 

Music and Presentations

Polish Jazz and Christmas Carols

Anka Koziel with a quartet

Anka Koziel (https://ankakoziel.com) is a versatile vocalist, composer, arranger, and educator based in the Netherlands. She blends jazz improvisation, world music, extended vocal techniques, and experimental sounds to create unique soundscapes. Anka teaches jazz voice, odd meter combo, and jazz choir at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague and is a certified Complete Vocal Technique  teacher.
Her research focuses on timing and rhythm, particularly how odd meters enhance the sense of swing. Over her career, she has collaborated with renowned artists like Kenny Wheeler, Norma Winstone, and Eric Vloeimans, and participated in diverse projects, including contemporary music, gospel, blues, salsa, and world music fusion.

What is Wigilia?

Bożena Kopczyńska

Bożena Kopczyńska is a musician by profession. As a cellist, she has worked in orchestras in the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany and the Netherlands. Besides her work in orchestras, her passion is chamber music. She is deeply committed to promoting Polish music and poetry, earning honors for her efforts.  Bożena also led the creation of the bilingual publication Polish Traces in Amsterdam, serving as both project leader and co-author. This work highlights the cultural connections between Poland and Amsterdam, reflecting her passion for cultural exchange and heritage.

"Christmas Crescendo’’ Performance for two voices and paper

Tara Khozein

Tara Khozein (www.tarakhozein.com) is a singer, improviser, and theater artist exploring the intersections of classical singing and physical theater and the interplay of extended techniques, noise, speach, and melody. She is based in Brooklyn, NY and Budapest, HU. 

Michał Jurys

Michał Jurys (https://cargocollective.com/michaljurys) is an artist, performer and designer who works primarily with print and paper. He is interested in evoking stories in others, inviting them to dream and to share their perspectives. Currently Michał lives and works in the Amsterdam. 

How Poland Celebrates Christmas and New Year with Theatre

Kasia Lech

Kasia Lech is a scholar, actress, storyteller, dramaturg, puppeteer, and Associate Professor of Global Performance History at the University of Amsterdam. Her research and creative practice explore theatre through practice-based and traditional scholarship, primarily focusing on verse, multilingualism, translation, migration, and cross-cultural encounters. 
Kasia has performed internationally and co-founded Polish Theatre Ireland, a multilingual theatre company based in Dublin. She is executive director at TheTheatreTimes.com, a multi-awarded global theatre portal that aims to decolonise theatre criticism.

Polish Arts and Crafts

During the evening there was a mini market offering Polish arts, crafts and a selection of other Polish products.

Among others, the following artists and sellers took part in the market:

'Krakus'

Shop
Pottery from Bolesławiec

Visual artist
Paintings & Watercolors 

Art & Ready – to – Wear – Creations
Hand-painted shawls, kimonos and cushions

Crochet enthusiast
Unique, handmade crochet handbags
made of cord

Publisher and bookshop
Polish books and Dutch translations of Polish literature

Pastry chef
Artistic cakes, mono desserts, pastries and cookies

Klamot – Ceramics studio
Small ceramics
Artist
Paintings in various techniques

Florist
Handmade Christmas decorations.

Partners and Sponsors

Project financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland in the Competition ‘Polonia and Poles Abroad 2024 – Events and Initiatives of the Polish Diaspora’.

This event was made possible by the support of various partners.