2025's call for proposals for the Cultural Award was aimed at artistic projects, cultural initiatives, clubs, associations and individual artists who work across generations, help to create a local identity, and at the same time, have supra-regional appeal.
Having been established by dedicated members of staff at the University of Greifswald, the polenmARkT Festival has been a permanent fixture in the region’s cultural calendar for almost three decades. The university remains one of the association’s most important partners and supporters. With several hundred events - including concerts, readings, exhibitions and discussion forums - polenmARkT e.V has brought people from Poland and Germany together: the young and old, students, artists, and citizens. The Association builds cultural bridges - for example to the Philharmonic Orchestra in Szczecin, to the JUWENALIA student festival or, most recently, to the jazz festival in Misdroy.
“polenmARkT is not just about culture,” stresses the Festival’s Artistic Director, Dr. Marek Fialek. “It is about vibrant real-life neighbourly relations in the border region.” He goes on to say that this requires structure, dependability and continuity: “If we are serious about the European idea, about German-Polish relations, cultural education, and civic engagement – we also need political and financial recognition.”
At times in which solidarity can no longer be taken for granted, the Association considers its work to be all the more important – for Greifswald, for Vorpommern, and for Europe. As Fialek says: “Culture can unite where politics can sometimes divide.”
polenmARkT e.V aims to further consolidate its role as a bridge builder – between East and West, between urban and rural regions, between commerce and culture. And above all: between people.
Further information
www.polenmarkt-festival.de
www.dpg-vorpommern.de
Contact at the University of Greifswald
Dr. Marek Fialek
Department of Slavonic Studies
Ernst-Lohmeyer-Platz 3, R. E.51, 17489 Greifswald
Tel.: +49 3834 420 3213
infopolenmarkt-festivalde
