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It's time for the Festival
– The Toruń Science and Art Festival is an opportunity to show that science isn't confined to lecture halls, but reaches out to a wider audience. For years, we have been proving that knowledge can be not only valuable but also fascinating," emphasized dr habil. Joanna Kucharzewska, NCU Prof. during a press conference announcing the upcoming celebration of science and art in Toruń. The programme includes workshops, picnics, demonstrations, walks, lectures, discussions, and meetings, among other events.
For the 24th time, Toruń will become the capital of science and art for a few days. For residents of the region, this is an opportunity to take part in events showcasing scientists' achievements, learn about current research topics, and discover the world through play. Researchers and students from the Nicolaus Copernicus University, along with staff from local cultural and scientific institutions, are opening their laboratories, museum storage areas, art studios, and backstage facilities to show what lies behind the scenes of the places where they work every day, and to share their knowledge and experience.
The 24th edition of the Toruń Science and Art Festival will begin on Friday, April 24, and run through Monday, April 27. A press conference held on April 9 at the University Main Library provided an opportunity to present the concept behind the event and discuss the attractions awaiting visitors.
Andrzej Romański
The theme of this year's Festival is “Continuity and Change." As Prof. Joanna Kucharzewska emphasized during the conference, although these two values seem seemingly contradictory, they are at the same time the very essence of science. “On the one hand, we rely on our history and tradition and build upon what previous generations have left behind. At the same time, we would not be ourselves if we did not ask our own questions and seek answers. Continuity and change, therefore, determine not only science but also our lives," added Prof. Kucharzewska.
What, where, and when?
All festival events are free, but many of them—such as workshops, intimate screenings, and meetings with limited seating—require advance online registration at www.festiwal.torun.pl. Registration opens on Monday, April 13, at 12 p.m. This year's programme includes nearly 150 events across five zones and 21 thematic blocks.
The number of events submitted is growing year by year," said Prof. Mieczysław Kunz, the Festival's Programme Director. “This year, the Programme Council received over 25 percent more event proposals than last year. Out of nearly 200 submissions, we selected exactly 148 to include in the programme."
As is tradition, the Festival will kick off with a musical event. This year, the organizers invite you to the musical “Into the Woods," produced by the Feliks Nowowiejski Academy of Music in Bydgoszcz, which will begin on Friday, April 24, at 7:00 p.m. in the NCU Main Auditorium. The performance, whose plot combines well-known fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm, will be presented by students of the Vocal-Acting and Instrumental Departments. These are the stories of the adult lives of Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, and Hansel, whose fates intertwine with the story of a baker and his wife. The characters enter the forest to fulfil their wishes, but discover that each one carries serious consequences.
Free invitations are required for the show and can be picked up starting April 17 at two locations: the office of the NCU Department of Promotion and Communication (ul. Reja 25 in Toruń, starting at 7:15 a.m.) and at the ticket office of the Regional Museum of the Old Town Hall between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. NCU employees can pick up invitations at the Personnel Affairs Department (Rectorate building, room 416) starting at 8:00 a.m..
The full programme of this year's Toruń Science and Arts Festival is available via the search function on the Festival website. This allows anyone interested to not only sort events by field, activity type, date, and admission requirements, but also to create their own unique itinerary for this celebration of popular science. To add selected events to your personal calendar, simply create an account on the Festival website (accounts created last year are still active), log in, and click the “Add to Calendar" button next to the selected event. Until registration opens, the option to create a personal plan applies only to events that do not require registration.
All information about the Toruń Science and Arts Festival can be found on the website festiwal.torun.pl.
The event is organized by the Nicolaus Copernicus University, the City of Toruń, and the Toruń Scientific Society.
