They refused to perform at the country’s biggest festival in solidarity with the singer who was removed from the festival’s programme for her participating in anti-government protests.
The National Festival of Polish Song in Opole has been held annually since 1963. Along with the festival in Sopot, it is the biggest and the most significant music event in Poland. This year, it may be cancelled as more than 20 artists and a director have decided to boycott the festival due to politicians’ interference in its programme.
The move followed the news that Kayah, one of the most popular Polish singers, won’t perform in Opol. She is reported to have been removed from the lineup for her active participating in anti-government protests and public remarks against the ruling party’s initiative on banning and criminalising abortions.
Since its foundation, the festival is traditionally funded by Polskie Radio и Telewizja Polska TVP, which are now controlled by the ruling conservative party Law and Justice. Until recently, Telewizja Polska director Jacek Kurski was a party member and ally of its leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski. He says there’s no censorship at the festival and denies claims that any of the participants was withdrawn. He said in a public statement that “all invited artists will perform in Opole.”
The number of musicians boycotting the festival is growing. Famous Polish singer Maryla Rodowicz, who was to mark her 50th performance at the festival, has said she won’t appear at the event in Opole. The festival is at risk of being called off. Opole’s mayor said that he had terminated the town’s agreement with the TV channel. Throughout its 54-year history, the festival was cancelled only once – in 1982, when Poland was under martial law.
Law and Justice came to power in 2015 and began to take control over the judicial system and state-run media. Many see the situation with the festival as an attempt to interfere with culture. Earlier, politicians of the ruling party forced Warsaw theatres to remove some shows from their repertoires, fired a range of artistic directors and cut funding to unwanted projects. Many Polish musicians an actors have already protested against the government’s actions in culture.
TVP says the festival will take place, but its date and location will be changed. TVP chief Jacek Kurski said: “I hope we will defend Polish music and Polish song. We won’t allow politicising them. The responsibility for the scandal is on those who made up this fake news and these lies about alleged blacklists.” Minister of Culture Piotr Glinski thinks the scandal around the festival is “an organised opposition action aimed at destroying Polish democracy”.
Photo: Kayah
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