Polish-Scottish Mini Festival 2026: Nine years of dialogue of cultures in Aberdeen

18/01/2026
Events

Music, film, dance and the art of memory – this is the interdisciplinary dimension of the Polish-Scottish Mini Festival 2026. The ninth edition of the event, organised by the Polish Association Aberdeen, will once again invite residents of all of Scotland and guests from other parts of the country, to the meeting of Polish and Scottish cultures.

The festival will take place from January to March 2026, offering a rich artistic program with the participation of established creators and international partners.

The Polish-Scottish Mini Festival has been proving for years that it is possible to build a community based on unity, openness and mutual respect. Many Poles have made Aberdeen their home, actively contributing to its social and cultural landscape. The festival celebrates Aberdeen as the city of choice, inviting Scottish neighbours, friends and associates to learn about Polish culture, and at the same time encourages people from other regions of the country to visit the „granite city” and participate in the events.

The program of the 2026 edition includes visual arts, music on the borderlines of genres, dance, film and jazz, creating a proposal addressed to a wide audience.

The Art of Memory at the Aberdeen Central Library

One of the key points of the program is the exhibition „Photographic Plates of Memory – Labyrinths by Marian Kołodziej” („Memory Plates. Labyrinths”) presented at the Aberdeen Central Library from 12 January to 13 February 2025. The exhibition includes drawings by Marian Kołodziej, a prisoner of the first transport to KL Auschwitz, who spent over five years in German concentration camps. After the war, he did not talk about his experiences for more than half a century; it was only after a stroke in 1992 that he began working on the series „Memorial Films. Labyrinths”, which is a poignant record of the camp trauma and memory.

An exhibition talk will take place on January 26, 2025 at 6:00 p.m.

Polish-Scottish Ceilidh – dancing and celebrating together

The second and most integrative event of the festival will be the Polish-Scottish Ceilidh, which will take place on Saturday, January 31, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. at the Pittodrie Stadium. The birthday of the Scottish poet Robert Burns will be celebrated with a joint dance party, both with Scottish and Polish dances. Traditional Scottish dishes (haggis, neeps, tatties) will also be served classic Polish dishes. The dance will be accompanied by the ceilidh Danse MaCabre band.