The 4th "Warszawa Wierszy" Festival: Poetry and Music

The 4th "Warszawa Wierszy" (Warsaw of Poems) Festival, organized by the Polish PEN Club, will take place from June 13 to 21, 2026. This year's patron of the festival is the poet Julia Hartwig, and its central theme is the phrase "clear unclear" (jasne niejasne), drawn from her poetry.

"Warszawa Wierszy" 2026 has been conceived as a cycle of complementary artistic, educational, and social initiatives. Their aim is to integrate the capital's creative communities and to expand the profound presence of poetry within the social space. As announced by the organizers, the emphasis will be placed on "those registers of poetry and experience that allow us to see clearly the ambiguity of the world, and to perceive value precisely within what is unclear".

During this edition of the Festival a unique meeting will also be held, organized in cooperation with the Polish Composers' Union. Its theme will be music and poetry—their closeness and distance, as well as their mutual intertwining and inspirations.

The event will be held on June 18 at 5.00 pm in the intimate setting of the State Publishing Institute bookstore at 17 Foksal Street. It will open with a piano recital by Ewa Pobłocka, featuring pieces by her favorite composers. Following the performance, the artist will be joined by Beata Bolesławska-Lewandowska, President of the Polish Composers' Union, and Marek Zagańczyk, President of the Próby Publishing House and board member of the Polish PEN Club, for a discussion on the poetry of music and the music of poetry.

Admission free.

Recordings of the events will be available on the festival's YouTube channel and website: https://www.facebook.com/warszawawierszy 

The Festival is co-financed by the Capital City of Warsaw.

Partners of this year's edition: State Publishing Institute, Society of Authors ZAiKS, Czarne Publishing House / Czarne Bookstore, Foundation of the House of Literature and Creative Retreats, Zbigniew Herbert Foundation, Graal Literary Agency, "Grodzka Gate – NN Theatre" Centre, a5 Publishing House, Polish Composers' Union, Muffia Bakery, Laboratory of the Anthropology of the Word, Duży Format Foundation, Kraina Poezji (Land of Poetry).

Detailed program available at: https://warszawawierszy.pl/