About the Festival 2024

The 28th Edition of the International Festival of Theater for Children and Youth KORCZAK TODAY will take place from October 18-25, 2024.

This year’s program includes several productions: Polish shows for audiences of different ages, as well as performances from Sweden, primarily aimed at teenage viewers.

In this 28th edition, we place a strong emphasis on youth audiences, as Polish theater still offers fewer productions for this group. To support the development of theater and dramaturgy for this demographic, we have turned our gaze to Sweden which has long been a source of inspiration in creating for young audiences. As part of this year’s FOCUS: SWEDEN, you will be able to explore new works translated by its curator, Dominika Górecka, and meet the authors who will discuss writing for teenagers.

The slogan of the 28th edition is: MY HEART SPEAKS. Taken from the title of the opening show of the festival by the Swedish theater Unga Klara, it signals that this year’s Polish-Swedish program will follow the path of the heart.

Or rather, the paths of many hearts. One is the path of the child’s heart, which is sometimes afraid (“Little Red Riding Hood”) or asks many questions (“Wild Frolics,” “This Is Were We Live,” “Prescott”). Or the path of the heart during adolescence, searching for itself and its place among other hearts, sometimes shrouded in darkness (“The Secret Garden,” “Girls,” “Hilma and Anna,” “My Heart Speaks: Live, Scream, Breathe”). Or the path of the adult heart, which cares, worries, supports, or conversely – misunderstands, imposes, and fails to create space (“The Cooked,” “The Sunset Suit”). A whole palette, like the paintings of Hilma af Klint, the Swedish abstract artist and teenage protagonist of the invited production by Regionteater Väst (RTV).

The performances will be shown on the stages of Warsaw’s theaters, regional institutions, the Swedish Embassy, and even… in a hotel! The shows will be accompanied by the Good Conversation Club, which features discussions led in the spirit of theater pedagogy. There will be talks, workshops, and networking, all part of FOCUS: SWEDEN.

Follow the voice of your heart – see you at the 28th Korczak Festival!

The International Festival of Theater for Children and Youth KORCZAK TODAY, organized by the Polish Center of ASSITEJ, is one of the oldest and most relevant theatrical festivals in Poland for young audiences and their close adults.

KORCZAK TODAY is primarily a showcase of diverse forms of theater, performing arts, and interdisciplinary activities, tailored to the needs and sensitivities of children and youth.

Each year, the Festival becomes a space for sharing knowledge and artistic practices, keeping track of artistic trends in Poland and other countries. The event is guided by the pedagogical ideas of Janusz Korczak: young people serve as advisors in planning, awards are given by a JURY OF YOUNG PEOPLE, and presentations are accompanied by the Good Conversation Club.

The Festival supports the empowerment of its audiences, giving them a voice. It allows for reflection, discussion, and sharing of emotions and thoughts. It also fosters conversations about the contemporary world in which new generations are growing up. This growing up applies to adults as well – that’s
why the KORCZAK TODAY Festival is a common space for young and adult audiences, where they can meet in the theater.

The Festival combines locality and internationality. Alongside Polish productions competing in the festival, several international productions are also presented – altogether offering a selection of shows for various age groups and audiences with special needs. Over 30 years and 28 editions, dozens of theaters from all continents and hundreds from Poland have participated in the Festival.

Since 2021, the Festival has included the FOCUS segment – a review and research initiative, where artists from other countries showcase the landscape of their domestic theater for young audiences.

The Festival is organized by the Polish Center of the International Association of Theaters for Children and Youth ASSITEJ.