We’re starting!  Imagine it, for yourself!

photo „Karolcia”, Wrocławski Teatr Lalek, dir. Lena Frankiewicz / photo. Natalia Kabanow

Warsaw, 17–25 October 2025. The city will once again become a great stage for the youngest, the young, and the young at heart. The 29th International Festival of Theatres for Children and Young People KORCZAK TODAY, organised by the Polish Centre of ASSITEJ, is coming – this year under the motto: “Imagine it, for yourself.”

“This year’s motto is not only an invitation to play with imagination, but also a serious manifesto. We believe imagination is a space of freedom – it allows us to create our own worlds, understand complex emotions, and sometimes even take control of what feels difficult in everyday life. We also want to imagine theatre that breaks down distance, removes barriers, and brings generations together. Theatre that is open, surprising, and responsive to the needs of children and young people. We want the young audience to feel that this festival is truly for them – and about them.”
— Dorota Kowalkowska, Artistic Director of the KORCZAK TODAY Festival

FOCUS ON THEATRE FROM THE ISLES

In 2025, KORCZAK TODAY focuses on theatre from the United Kingdom and Ireland, supported by the British Council as part of the UK/Poland Season 2025. This strategic partnership enables the presentation of performances that not only entertain and move but also open space for reflection on inclusivity, diversity, and the social challenges of our time.

Two exceptional productions from the UK will be presented:

“Owl at Home” by Theatr Iolo (Wales) – a warm and wise story about loneliness, friendship, and the fascinating ways of owls. Using a simple yet evocative theatrical language, the piece addresses sensitive themes close to children’s emotions, showing how imagination helps us find ourselves and closeness with others. (17–19 October 2025, Dramatyczny Theatre’s Przodownik Stage).

“The Sticky Dance” by Second Hand Dance (England) – a dynamic, interactive explosion of movement, colour, and senses, engaging young children and their families in a unique sensory journey. This joyful performance celebrates movement and community, inviting audiences to discover the world through dance and play while expanding the boundaries of theatrical form. (18–19 October 2025, Polish Theatre).

These performances will be accompanied by the international conference FOCUS: UK and Ireland, held on 20 October at the Theatre Institute. Curated by Eibhlín de Barra (Director of Young at Art, Northern Ireland, and Head of Belfast Children’s Festival), the conference is a platform for dialogue dedicated to creating performing arts for young audiences with complex needs. It will feature artists and experts from the UK and Ireland, sharing methods, practices, and strategies for inclusive storytelling for children and young people with diverse needs.

SEVEN PRODUCTIONS – SEVEN THEATRICAL WORLDS

Warsaw stages will host seven outstanding competition performances, taking audiences into varied theatrical worlds and responding to the needs of different age groups.

“The Little Prince” – Teatr Banialuka (Bielsko-Biała): a tender and brave adaptation of the classic story, exploring friendship, relationships, and solitude, fully trusting the sensitivity of young audiences. (17 October, Centre for Contemporary Art – Ujazdowski Castle).
“The Adventures of Koziołek Matołek” – Polish Theatre, Warsaw: an award-winning, high-energy show with inventive stage design, captivating both children and adults. (18–19 October, Polish Theatre).
“Karolcia” – Wrocław Puppet Theatre: a humorous and moving adaptation of Maria Krüger’s beloved novel, with scenography inspired by 1960s art, jazz music, and inventive puppet forms. (20 October, Polish Theatre).
“Pinok.IO – What Do Machines Feel” – Teatr Maska (Rzeszów): a techno-fairytale about artificial intelligence, where Pinocchio becomes a self-aware machine, confronting questions of technology, consciousness, and the future. (22 October, Lalka Theatre).
“Oscar and the Things” – Teatr Pleciuga (Szczecin): a subtle, poetic journey through childhood solitude and longing, based on the novel by Andrus Kivirähk. (23 October, Guliwer Theatre).
“Ears of the Soul” – Teatr Atofri (Poznań): an audiovisual concert transforming the stage into a laboratory of sound and light, opening children to the beauty of experimentation and sensory listening. (19 October, Mazovian Institute of Culture).
“Imagination” – Teatr Lalka (Warsaw): a visually captivating and humorous performance for the youngest, in which Word and Image prove that imagination has the power to save the world. (21 October, Lalka Theatre).
“You can fail. The Failure Show” – Teatr Komedia & Teatr 21 (Warsaw): a witty and subversive production about failure, created for young audiences and adults alike, reflecting on when life doesn’t go as planned. (24 October, Komedia Theatre).

The Festival will award three main prizes: the Grand Prix – Janusz Korczak Prize, the Stefania Wilczyńska Prize, and the Machulski Prize, along with three distinctions. Decisions will be made by two independent juries: the International Adult Jury – Ffion Wyn Bowen (Wales), Katarzyna Niedurny (Poland), and Yannick Boudeau (Belgium, ASSITEJ International) – and the Youth Jury, a group of teenagers selected through an open call starting 8 September. The Youth Jury’s voice is of great importance, highlighting the Festival’s commitment to genuine partnership with its young audiences.

INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE: GUARDIANS OF THE GODS

On 25 October, the Festival will close with the Polish premiere of Guardians of the Gods by Erik Uddenberg, directed by Gustav Deinoff (Artistic Director, Unga Klara, Stockholm), presented at Ochota Theatre (Halina and Jan Machulski Stage). This production is part of a larger international project on childhood, involving over a dozen countries. The Polish partner was the Polish Centre of ASSITEJ, in collaboration with Analog Collective.

Developed through a long, collaborative process, the performance offers an intimate, moving reflection on what it means to be a child today in a world constructed by adults. During the closing evening, the official results of the KORCZAK TODAY 2025 competition will also be announced.

BEYOND THE PERFORMANCES

KORCZAK TODAY is not only about shows. It is also the Good Conversation Club, audience meetings inspired by theatre pedagogy, as well as workshops, debates, and other forms of exchanging ideas and emotions. It is also a space for artistic education, including residencies for theatre students dedicated to creating for young audiences.

Behind the Festival stands the Polish Centre of ASSITEJ, an organisation that has long shaped the landscape of children’s and youth theatre in Poland. Through its work, international partnerships are developed, and new forms of artistic expression are supported. The Association’s mission is to ensure that theatre treats young audiences not as the “audience of the future” but as equal co-creators of reality here and now.

Imagine it, for yourself – and join us at the 29th KORCZAK TODAY Festival!

29th International Festival of Theatres for Children and Young People KORCZAK TODAY
17–25 October 2025
https://korczak-festival.pl

Organiser: Polish Centre of ASSITEJ
Co-financed by: Ministry of Culture and National Heritage (programme: “Art Events for Children and Young People”) and the City of Warsaw, with the support of British Council Poland.

Partners: Zbigniew Raszewski Theatre Institute, Ochota Theatre, Polish Theatre in Warsaw, Mazovian Institute of Culture, Dramatyczny Theatre in Warsaw, Novotel Warszawa Centrum, Ursynów Community Centre, Centre for Contemporary Art – Ujazdowski Castle.

Media partners: Polskie Radio Dzieciom, Tygodnik Powszechny, e-teatr.pl, ładnebebe.pl, CzasDzieci.pl

Press contact:
Majka Duczyńska
majka.duczynska@korczak-festival.pl