Powszechny Theatre in Łódź sets off the biggest investment in its history: „European Centre of Comedy and Theatrical Education”
Powszechny Theatre in Łódź starts a strategic modernisation of its seat and of Big Stage. It is the biggest investment in the Theatre’s history since it was opened in 1945. On Friday, 27 September 2024, Ewa Pilawska, Powszechny Theatre director and Joanna Skrzydlewska, Marshal of the Łódź Region, signed the contract for the project „European Centre of Comedy and Theatrical Education” which will be financed by European Union and the City of Łódź.
The budget of the project amounts to more than 42 million zloties (the European funds’ value is 27 million, the city’s financial means – more than 15 million). The project involves the renovation of the whole building (except for Small Stage), change of the Big Stage’s auditorium into a more amphiteatrical and adaptation of the building for the disabled. On Friday there was a special press conference of the director and the marshal with the participation of Małgorzata Moskwa-Wodnicka, deputy mayor of Łódź and Zbigniew Gwadera, director of the Department European Funds for the Łódź Region 2027.
- There has been a long way for us to build the artistic look of Powszechny Theatre. The construction of Small Stage, which gave us great development possibilities, appeared to be the key moment – Ewa Pilawska said. – After the modernisation the theatre will be modern and secured, not only will it be using modern artistic languages but it will be modern from the technological point of view, it will be more accessible. The contract we have just signed and the start of the investment make a great moment for me and I am very happy – Ewa Pilawska said.
- This is a very good week for Łódź and for the Łódź province. It was only yesterday when we informed that the Centre of Musical Education would be built in the former Baltic cinema seat by the Artur Rubinstein Philharmonic in Łódź. Today we have the pleasure of informing you that European Comedy Centre will be built in the capital of our region, the beautiful city of Łódź – Joanna Skrzydlewska, Marshal of the Łódź Region said. – Powszechny Theatre has been a famed, popular and esteemed theatre in Łódź and in our province and that is why I am glad the investment will be supported by the Łódź Region – Joanna Skrzydlewska added.
- The project „Powszechny Theatre European Centre of Comedy and Theatrical Education” is one of the most significant investments in cultural development of our city. The renovation of the Powszechny Theatre bulding will make it one of the high-tech theatres across Europe. This investment will aim at making it possible for the theatre to produce all kinds of spectacles, even with the most complicated technical structure – Małgorzata Moskwa-Wodnicka said.
- It is obvious that during the renovation we will be performing, we are not going to lose our rhythm, we will be evolving, we will not lose touch with our viewers with whom we have been in alliance for years. Negotiations concerning our temporary, alternative seat have been really andvanced. During the period of renovation we will produce another editions of International Festival of Plays Pleasant and Unpleasant. The call for the tender will take place in the last quarter of 2024, the tender allotment and the results of the tender should be announced in the beginning of 2025. We want to open the theatre for our viewers after the modernisation in 2028 – Ewa Pilawska said.
- I would like to clearly emphasize a great contribution of the City of Łódź into the investment which is estimated at 42 million 300 thousand zloties when it is completed in 2027 and all the renovation works shoud be finished. More than one-third of the whole sum – more that 15 million 250 thousand zloties – will be covered by the city, the rest comes from the European funds. Such a big contribution is a very good evidence of our support for the development of theatrical culture in Łódź. We do believe that European Centre of Comedy and Theatrical Education will become one of the important points on Polish and European map regarding development of comedy as well as visual quality of produced spectacles. I am even more happy that together with Marshal Joanna Skrzydlewska we can support this project and participate in creating a very important place for Polish culture: „Teatr Powszechny – European Centre of Comedy and Theatrical Education” – deputy mayor of Łódź said.
At the conference Marshal Joanna Skrzydlewska added that there was more good news for Łódź. – The Łódź Region decided to support the project of the city revitalisation. We allocated additional 10 milion euros for that purpose. We had changed the unfair rules according to which Łódź could not apply for funds for this purpose. We have just started doing things I promised before I was elected the region marshal. In the process of allocating European funds Łódź will be treated in the same way that other cities of the region are – Joanna Skrzydlewska added.
Pictures:
- (from left to right) Joanna Skrzydlewska – Marshal of the Łódź Region, Ewa Pilawska – the Powszechny Theatre director, Małgorzata Moskwa-Wodnicka – deputy mayor of Łódź and Zbigniew Gwadera – director of the Department European Funds for the Łódź Region 2027
- Joanna Skrzydlewska – Marshal of the Łódź Region, Ewa Pilawska – the Powszechny Theatre director, Małgorzata Moskwa-Wodnicka – deputy mayor of Łódź, Zbigniew Gwadera – director of the Department European Funds for the Łódź Region 2027 and the team of Powszechny Theatre in Łódź
- This is how the theatre will look like after the investment is finished
