NCU News
Events: April 2026
Opening of the "Magical Dreams" exhibition
Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń and Bator Art Gallery invite you to the official opening of the "Magical Dreams" exhibition, which will take place on 8 April 2026 at 6.00 pm at the "Dworzec Zachodni" Gallery ("Od Nowa", 37a Gagarina Street). The special guest of the event will be Jacek Yerka, and the evening will also feature a guitar recital by Adam Skrętny.
"Magical Dreams" is Europe’s largest exhibition dedicated to magical realism. The project, organised for many years by the Bator Art Gallery in Szczyrk, has gained an international reputation as one of the most important events showcasing the art of imagination, dreams, and surrealist visions. The exhibition focuses on works that combine masterful, precise painting technique with dreamlike, symbolic narrative. It is art free from commercial trends – centred on emotions, metaphor, and the artist’s individual experience.
The eighth edition (2025/2026) brings together 44 artists from 13 countries, showcasing the diversity of contemporary magical realism. Key artists representing Poland include Jarosław Jaśnikowski, Marcin Kołpanowicz, Maja Borowicz, Katarzyna Bułka-Matłacz, and special guest Jacek Yerka. The international nature of the event is highlighted by the presence of works by artists such as Bruno Altmayer (France), Igor Grechanyk (Ukraine), Peter Gric (Austria), Fabrizio Riccardi (Italy), Jose Parra (Mexico), and Siegfried Zademack (Germany).
The exhibition will run until 2 May.
Further information
Botanical walk in the forest
Take part in a herbal walk and explore the world of plants with the Copernican Integration Centre on April 15, 2026, at 4:30 p.m. This event will be conducted in English, and the number of participants is limited.
During the walk, you will learn how to identify different species, what benefits they offer, how they can be processed, and how to use them in everyday life - whether in home remedies, cooking, or natural cosmetics. We will also try to better understand the relationships and interdependencies between people and the plants around us, combining knowledge of traditional herbal practices and folklore with the latest scientific discoveries and a botanical perspective.
Details:
- Where? Copernican Integration Center (meeting point). In case of rain, please remember to bring an umbrella.
- Who? Open to all. Participation is free, but ENTRY TICKET IS REQUIRED
- Free entry ticket for the event: Copernican Integration Centre (International Point) between 1st and 15th of April from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. On Friday, 3rd of April, exceptionally from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Sara Orzechowska, a graduate of Nicolaus Copernicus University and author of “Women and Plants in Polish Folklore,” has been working in ethnobotany, herbalism, and folklore for 9 years. She is also a qualified herbalist-phytotherapist and a certified herbalist.
Facebook event
Social engagement: YUFE training for students
On April 24, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., a training session from the “Civic Engagement Activities Intro Training Session for Students” series will be held for students of YUFE partner universities. The meeting will take place online in English. Registration will remain open until April 22.
This online training session will introduce you to the ideas behind the YUFE Civic Star and the rules for applying to it: why universities and YUFE are interested in community engagement; how to recognise and make visible the different competencies gained by attending civic engagement activities; principles & practicalities of obtaining the Civic Star, etc.
The training is for students who have already decided to obtain a YUFE Civic Star by attending either the YUFE Help Desks or the Community Volunteering Programme, or those just considering the opportunity.
To obtain the YUFE Civic Star, a commitment of at least 50 hours of work is required, including:
- participation in a training session,
- completion of a selected form of activity (Help Desk or volunteering),
- completion of two YUFE surveys available in the user panel on the Virtual Campus.
The event is open to students who know English at B2 level or higher. The event link will be available after registration.
Contact: civic-yufe@umk.pl
24th Toruń Science and Arts Festival
With nearly 150 events across five zones and 21 thematic blocks, the programme of the 24th Toruń Science and Arts Festival is characterised by the abundance and diversity of its popular science events.
This year’s edition of the Toruń Science and Arts Festival (Toruński Festiwal Nauki i Sztuki, TFNiS) will begin on Friday 24 April and run until Monday 27 April. The programme for the 24th edition of the event includes workshops, picnics, demonstrations, walks, lectures, discussions and meetings. We encourage the University community and the residents of Toruń and the region to get involved and take part in this popular science celebration.
This year’s Festival is themed ‘Continuity and Change’. In line with the format adopted by the Festival’s Programme Council, the programme is divided into thematic blocks – this year there are as many as 21 of them.
Plan your Festival
Descriptions of all the events featured in the programme for the 24th TFNiS are available via the search function on the Festival website, which not only allows you to sort events by subject area, activity type, date and admission policy, but also enables you to create your own unique itinerary for this celebration of popular science. To add selected events to your personal calendar, simply create an account on the TFNiS website (accounts created last year are still active), log in and click the ‘Add to plan’ button next to the selected event. Until registration opens, the option to create a personal plan applies only to events that do not require prior registration.
Please note that participation in all festival events is free of charge, but prior registration is required for some of them. This applies primarily to events with limited capacity. These include various workshops, intimate screenings and meetings. You will be able to register via the Festival website – registration opens on Monday 13 April at 12 noon.