The Summer School of Tradition
The Summer School of Tradition offers immersive workshops designed for enthusiasts of traditional crafts and folk art. At the heart of our programme is a strong emphasis on the master-apprentice model, fostering direct knowledge transfer and ensuring the enduring legacy of these invaluable traditions.
Roma Songs with Teresa Mirga
A highlight of the Summer School of Traditions is the workshop led by Teresa Mirga, offering a rare opportunity to delve into the heart of Roma musical traditions. Participants will learn songs from various Roma communities, culminating in an exploration of Teresa’s original compositions, which draw on her deep connection to Roma heritage.
Accessibility: room on ground floor
Teresa Mirga is a Romani poet, singer, and guitarist, renowned as the founder and leader of the band Kałe Bała (Black Hair). Crafting her art in both Polish and Romani, Mirga hails from a Carpathian Romani lineage deeply rooted in Spisz, specifically Czarna Góra near Bukowina Tatrzańska. The Bergitka Roma community to which she belongs has maintained a settled way of life in the region for nearly three centuries. Established in the 1990s, Kałe Bała is Mirga’s original project, drawing inspiration from the rich tapestry of Carpathian Romani traditions and the broader ethnographic heritage of the Carpathian arc.
Silesian Songs with Iwona Wylęgała
Singing Silesian songs is an adventure not only in music but also in language. By exploring both recordings from the 1960s, sourced from various institutional archives, and those recorded during meetings with village singers in June 2024, we’ll have the opportunity to experience the diversity of the Silesian dialect. We’ll also encounter multilingual folklore – a specialty of the region, and a hallmark of Silesian humor. In addition to working on a specific, body-friendly vocal technique, we’ll also delve into the styles and performance contexts of these songs. We’ll sing both monophonic and polyphonic songs, the latter of which has been deeply ingrained in the tradition for nearly 100 years. There will be ample time to prepare our voices, but also to experience the joy of traditional Silesian singing firsthand.
Accessibility: room on the ground floor
Iwona Wylęgała
Ethnomusicologist and cultural activist, Iwona is a dedicated researcher and educator specialising in traditional folk singing from Opolian Silesia. A two-time recipient of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage scholarship, she lectures on Traditional Music at the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice. Iwona is committed to preserving and promoting Silesian vocal heritage. Since 2009, she has conducted numerous vocal workshops and founded the Traditional Singing Ensemble “Niezłe Ziółka.” Her work has garnered recognition, including wins at the National Festival of Folk Bands and Singers in Kazimierz (2017) and the Tournament of True Musicians in Szczecin (2018). Her recordings are featured in the permanent exhibition at the Museum of Prudnik Region. Beyond performance, Iwona is a dedicated scholar. She meticulously studies archival materials and actively seeks out rural singers to learn firsthand. Her efforts to connect Silesian singers through organized meetings have fostered a vibrant community. Through collaborations with cultural institutions and NGOs, she has created a rich body of educational resources, including workshops, radio programs, and films. In 2019, she contributed to the Wikimedia Polska project by recording 12 songs from Julius Roger’s collection, showcasing the unique Silesian vocal style
Kashubian Songs with Joanna Gostkowska
We’ll delve into traditional Kashubian repertoire, drawing from a rich pool of songs. These include selections from Polish Academy of Sciences archives, 20th-century songbooks by Kashubian ethnographers, and our own collection. Beyond learning songs, we’ll refine vocal technique, focusing on an open, natural sound. Physicality, diction, and articulation will also be explored. To enrich our understanding, we’ll discuss the historical context shaping the region’s culture. Additionally, participants will be introduced to the basics of Kashubian language, including pronunciation and spelling.
Accessibility: stairs lead to the room
Joanna Gostkowska
Joanna, a versatile artist, ethnologist, architect and Kashubian is a passionate guardian of Kashubian heritage. As a co-founder and vice president of the Trójwiejska Association in Gdańsk, she has dedicated over 15 years to revitalising Polish traditional music. A skilled singer, musician, dancer, and cultural animator, Joanna’s deep-rooted connection to Kashubia fuels her research and reconstruction of the region’s musical traditions. Blending archival treasures with the wisdom of living masters, she has become a leading voice in preserving authentic Kashubian song. Beyond her solo performances, Joanna collaborates with diverse musical ensembles, including the Academy of Traditional Voices, her own band Drëszë, and the Kolberg T.39 project. Her exceptional artistry has garnered numerous accolades, such as first place at the Tournament of True Musicians and second place at the 53rd National Festival of Folk Bands and Singers in Kazimierz. By showcasing traditional Kashubian songs on a national stage, Joanna has significantly elevated the region’s musical profile. A dedicated educator, she shares her passion and knowledge through workshops that inspire audiences of all ages.
Songs of Return Migrants from Former Yugoslavia with Joanna Skowrońska
Migrants from Galicia, who journeyed through Bosnia and Croatia during the Austro-Hungarian Empire, eventually settled in Lower Silesia near Bolesławiec after World War II. Their music reflects this complex heritage, blending Galician mazurkas and polkas with Balkan rhythms like the kolo and taraban. Our workshop explores this unique musical tradition through the lens of extensive field research conducted by the instructor as well as hands-on experience of singing in villages near Bolesławiec. Participants will learn ancient Polish ballads, singing variety of songs, from simple unison melodies to complex harmonies, in both Polish and Croatian. We will work on vocal production, harmony, and expand our knowledge of the cultural context of the performed repertoire.
Accessibility: stairs lead to the room
Joanna Skowrońska
An ethnologist, singer and researcher specialising in traditional music from Poland (Łęczyca region, Lower Silesia), Ukraine (Polesie), and Croatia (Posavina). Through fieldwork, she has developed a versatile career, leading workshops, performing, publishing, and creating online archives of traditional music. She’s a student of rural singers and is involved with several cultural foundations.
Lemko Songs with Marta Graban-Butryn
Lemkivshchyna, a region nestled between Poland and Slovakia in the Carpathian Mountains, was home to the Lemko people until their displacement in 1947. This unique cultural crossroads, influenced by Slavic and Hungarian traditions, gave rise to a distinctive musical heritage. Our workshop delves into the heart of Lemko song, exploring both ritual and lyrical expressions. We’ll examine the rich context, historical background, and linguistic nuances that shape these musical gems. To achieve this, we’ll draw on a vast audio archive, including rare recordings by Professor Roman Reinfuss from the 1960s and shellac records made by Lemko emigrants in the United States during the 1930s. Participants will experience the power of Lemko song through vocal exploration and body awareness exercises. We’ll journey through a repertoire that encompasses Kupala night songs, Rusalki laments, lullabies, and wedding choruses.
Accessibility: access to the room requires you to climb stairs
Marta Graban-Butryn
An ethnomusicologist and folklorist with a deep-rooted passion for Lemko culture. Having earned a degree in Cultural Studies from the Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, with a specialisation in folklore and ethnology, she has dedicated her career to preserving and promoting this rich heritage. A recipient of the International Visegrad Fund and the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage scholarships, her work has been instrumental in documenting Lemko family rituals and establishing the Lemko Archive. A skilled musician, Marta is proficient in traditional music from Roztocze and Lemkivshchyna. Through extensive fieldwork and collaborations with renowned ensembles such as Szkoła Suki Biłgorajskiej – The School of Bilgoraj Suka, Kapela Butrynów, The Lemko Village Band “Uherec” and the Kolberg Academy, she has immersed herself in the heart of these musical traditions. In 2023, she spearheaded the “Songs of the Lemkos” project, a comprehensive effort to safeguard and revitalise ancient Lemko songs. This initiative involved meticulous library and archival research, in-depth fieldwork, and a series of community engagement events in Lemko villages.
The Summer School of Tradition is organised by the Kultura Enter Foundation. The project is carried out with the support of the City of Lublin. Cooperation: Workshops of Culture in Lublin, Re:tradition – The Jagiellonian Fair Festival, the Dominican Monastery in Lublin.
Woodworking Basics | Instructors: Arkadiusz and Joanna Zych
Woodworking is a relatively young profession, its emergence closely linked to the improvement of wood processing tools. The demand for wooden products in both cities and villages was enormous. A house built by a carpenter needed to be closed and furnished. Windows and doors were needed, as well as furniture: tables, beds, benches, chests, shelves, cupboards, etc. The production of furniture required not only skills but also extensive knowledge of wood processing and conservation. During the Summer School of Tradition, Arkadiusz and Joanna Zych will share their passion for wood. Using traditional woodworking techniques (without nails or glue), participants will make a hanging shelf and a wooden stool from larch or pine wood.
Podlasie Woodcarving | Instructor: Jerzy Ostapczuk
Architectural wood carvings required craftsmanship, precision, and the right tools. Intricately finished corners, birds looking at each other in windowsills, and decorative embellishments on facades and gables are elements that can still be seen on pre-war wooden cottages. These unique ornaments are quite common in Podlasie villages and refer to the decorations used in Russian folk architecture. To learn more about this craft, it is worth attending the workshop led by Jerzy Ostapczuk. In addition to theory on material selection and wood conservation methods, participants will learn about carving tools and see what patterns can be created with their help. The second part is pure practice. Novice carvers will cut out a traditional window ornament characteristic of northern Podlasie from a template. No one will leave the workshop empty-handed.
Wooden Vessels | Instructor: Jerzy Tarasiewicz
Advanced wood processing is turning. This process requires a great deal of precision and concentration from the craftsman. Wood turning is done by rotating an object and then cutting its surface to give it the shape of a solid of revolution. However, this is one of the later stages of processing, as the material must first be prepared, and after its completion, the effect of the work must be properly protected against the negative effects of temperature, humidity, and mechanical factors. This is done by polishing, boiling, and impregnating, for example, with Danish oil. An essential tool in this process is a wood lathe. Workshop participants will make a wooden cup with a handle, a mortar (pestle), a candlestick, and a hollowed-out basin made of aspen wood. They will be able to decorate the results of their work according to their own concept.
Folk Woodcut | Instructor: Józef Lewkowicz
Woodcut is the oldest graphic technique involving the creation of a matrix in a wooden board or block. It is a time-consuming and highly precise process that requires first creating a drawing and then cutting or gouging out the background (creating a so-called light and dark woodcut). The culmination of the work is the printing of the created image on cardboard. During the classes, novice adepts of this art will acquire the necessary knowledge about woodcut, including relief woodcut and its interesting history. Under the close supervision of the artist, they will create their own woodcut. Chisels, knives, and cutters will be used. Finished works will be painted with printing inks and printed on paper.
Wooden Toys | Instructor: Tadeusz Leśniak
Wood is also a raw material from which most folk toys were made. However, it did not constitute a separate branch of craft, but was mostly a by-product of the wood industry. They were most often made in winter, when there was less work to do outdoors. In the past, folk toys were bought at fairs and markets held in the area. The most common were horses in various versions: as standing figures, on wheels, with a carriage, and the most popular – on stilts. They also made figurines of animals (lambs, goats, cows, pigs) and various types of birds (wrynecks, storks, swallows, etc.). There were also special toys for boys – wheelbarrows, ladder carts, blowguns. Girls received doll carriages, cradles, and miniature furniture. The youngest children most often played with rattles, clappers, and carousels, which were popular toys on a stick. During the workshop, under the guidance of Tadeusz Leśniak, it will be possible to make models of wooden birds, a horse on wheels, and a carriage, toys characteristic of the Żywiec toy-making center. Chisels, knives, drills, and grinders will be used. The final stage of the work is painting the finished toys.
The Summer School of Tradition is organized by the Kultura Enter Foundation with the support of the City of Lublin.Partners: Workshops of Culture in Lublin, Re:tradition – The Jagiellonian Fair Festival, Dominican Monastery in Lublin.
The Summer School of Traditional Embroidery
The summer School of Pająk Mobiles
The summer school of paper cutting
The summer school of toymaking
The Summer School of Folk Scukpture
The Summer School of Folk Pottery
