News & Press // CreArt News

"OPEN ART. TYTONIE" — THE SECOND FESTIVAL UNDER THE "CREART 3.0 #STRINGING_TOGETHER" PROJECT — HAS LAUNCHED AT THE FORMER LUBLIN TOBACCO FACTORY THE ANNUAL EVENT AIMS TO FOSTER LONG-TERM, COMPREHENSIVE COLLABORATION WITH LOCAL ARTISTS, EMPOWERING THEM TO PURSUE VISUAL, PERFORMING, AND SPATIAL ARTS PROJECTS. THE FESTIVAL RUNS UNTIL AUGUST 30TH.

"The festival artists work in various fields: graphic arts, painting, ceramics, floral design, and art installations. Due to the war in Ukraine, two residents from that country, selected through an open call for applications, will participate in the event from home. We received 18 applications from artists from partner cities implementing the CreArt 3.0 project. We are delighted that the residency in Lublin has attracted the interest of so many international artists with interesting artistic achievements," says Beata Stepaniuk-Kuśmierzak, Deputy Mayor of Lublin for Culture, Sport, and Participation.

This year's festival takes place in the unique space of the Lublin Tobacco Factory – a place combining a post-industrial atmosphere with a modern approach to business, art, and social engagement. The revitalization of the former Lublin Tobacco Factory is intended to transform the area into a modern Creative Industries District – a place combining business, art, and innovation. Cultural activities within the Lublin Tobacco Factory complex, such as organizing exhibitions, workshops, and festivals, as well as supporting artists and the artistic community, are undertaken by the Tytonie.ART Foundation with the support of the City of Lublin. These initiatives are part of Lublin's winning the title of European Capital of Culture 2029.

The "Open Art. Tytonie" festival is attended by six artists: four local artists – Łukasz Majerowski, Natalia Bak, Paulina Garbiec, Izabela Popko – and two Ukrainian artists selected through an open call for applications: Vitalii Hrekh and Serhii Hrekh. Łukasz Kuzioła is curating the project. Due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, Vitalii Hrekh and Serhii Hrekh will be unable to travel to Lublin, but they will be working on a mural project that symbolically connects CreArt with the Re:Union concept of the European Capital of Culture Lublin 2029, and also addresses its location – the Lublin Tobacco Factory. Simultaneously, the Ukrainian artists will create a painting, which they will send to Lublin to be presented at an exhibition accompanying the festival. This will allow the Hrekh brothers' work to be showcased in public spaces and through exhibitions. The mural will be painted on the premises of the Lublin Tobacco Factory by Łukasz Majerowski, a local artist and muralist.

The works of local artists created in the "Tytonie" space will be inspired by the character of this place – a former tobacco factory, a space with a rich industrial history that today becomes a cultural hub for meetings and creative activities. The artists will demonstrate how familiar elements can harmoniously interact with the present, creating a bridge between the past and the present. In their works and installations, the past and present will intertwine like patterns, each echoing past moments while simultaneously opening up to new interpretations.

The artists began preparing the visual and performative works on August 23rd, and the mural's unveiling is scheduled for August 30th from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM. A creative zone for residents will be set up in the square on the site of the former Lublin Tobacco Works (1 Smoluchowskiego Street), featuring artistic and creative workshops for children and adults, an exhibition of works by local artists, and a discussion on the role of art in intercultural dialogue.

For the convenience of residents, a special free shuttle bus will be launched on August 30th, transporting those interested from the city center to the site of the former Lublin Tobacco Factory. It can be used twice:

- 3:15 p.m. - transfer from Castle Square to the Lublin Tobacco Works (1  Smoluchowskiego street) - one trip in one direction;

- 4:15 p.m. - transfer from Castle Square to the Lublin Tobacco Works (1 Smoluchowskiego street) - one trip in both directions.

As part of the festival, on August 29th, a networking event called "Business & Creativity" will be held, organized for Lublin business representatives and creative industries. It will be an opportunity for networking, expanding professional contacts, and building relationships within the entrepreneurial and creative community. An inspiring highlight of the program will be a presentation by Agnieszka and Krzysztof Michałowski, who will discuss how post-industrial spaces can become an incubator for collaboration between business and creative communities. Participation is free, but space is limited. Registration is required at www.przedsiebiorczy.lublin.eu.

Activities related to the "Open Art. Tobacco" festival are part of the "Creativity" priority of the Lublin 2030+ Cultural Strategy, which envisions the city's involvement in promoting artists associated with Lublin and developing activities for the creative sector, including by promoting the products and services of local businesses and engaging creative individuals and companies in business networks. The festival also aligns with the objectives of Lublin's winning application for European Capital of Culture 2029.

The "Open Art. Tobacco" festival is held as part of the "CreArt 3.0 #stringing_together" project, co-financed by the European Union under the Creative Europe Programme. This is the third edition of the CreArt project, which established a network of cities and public and private cultural institutions. Its aim is to support creative activity through the exchange of experiences and good practices, as well as cooperation between artistic communities from different countries and with different cultural traditions, in developing common methods of educating specific groups of recipients and establishing a permanent and professional system of exchange and cooperation between artists and art curators. More about the project:

Curator and the artists_Open Art. Tytonie festival in Lublin

Łukasz Kuzioła is a curator, publisher, and event organizer with a long-standing commitment to graffiti and street art culture. He is the creator and main organizer of the Polish edition of the International Meeting of Styles Festival in Lublin — one of the most important cyclical events in this field worldwide. Thanks to his initiative, Lublin has become a meeting place for artists from Poland and Europe, who collaborate to create monumental murals, redefining the urban fabric and emphasizing its cultural identity. As a publisher, he documents and popularizes this phenomenon by preparing albums and publications dedicated to graffiti art. He collaborates with numerous artists, cultural institutions, and independent spaces, consistently building a bridge between street art and the broader artistic landscape. Outside of the festival, he is involved in curatorial projects that approach art as a tool for change and a critical perspective on public space. His exhibitions, held in the industrial interiors of the former Lublin Tobacco Factory, present graffiti as a form of guerrilla warfare to reclaim the city and its narrative. In his work, Łukasz emphasizes that graffiti is not an act of vandalism, but a form of dialogue, the voice of its residents, and a component of urban folklore. As a curator and cultural animator, he aims not only to present art but also to provoke reflection on what public space is and the role of creative expression within it.

Łukasz Majerowski, born in 1985, lives and works in Lublin. A visual artist working in painting, murals, and urban art, he also creates digital illustrations and visual art projects. His work is characterized by high precision, rich detail, and a distinctive style, making it stand out both in public spaces and in digital formats. He has extensive experience working with artists and the creative community. A winner of several art competitions, he is continuously active in the field of urban art.

Natalia Bak, born in 1999, is a contemporary artist who combines various techniques and styles to create meaningful works inspired by family, nature, culture, and traditions. Childhood memories hold a special place in her work. Through her art, she highlights the beauty of simplicity and the profound values ​​hidden in everyday life. She graduated from Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin, receiving a Master of Fine Arts in Painting, and from the Open International University of Human Development "Ukraine" (BA in Design). She has participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions, including "DyploMowa" at the "LuCreate" Gallery in Lublin, the Exhibition at ArtShow, "Warm/Cold" at the "Miniatura" Gallery in Lublin, "Duets" at the "Miniatura" Gallery in Lublin, "Early Birds," and "Flowers of Hell" during the "Night of Culture" festival in Lublin.

Paulina Garbiec, born in 1989 in Krasnystaw, is a mosaicist. She graduated with distinction in landscape architecture. She received a distinction for outstanding achievements in the Painting, Drawing, and Artistic Mosaic Student Research Group. She fulfills her passion for creating space by introducing art into urban spaces. She is a co-founder of the studio Społeczna Pracownia Mozaiki. Among her largest projects are the mosaic on the "Talerzyki" fountain in Niedźwiadków Park in Tychy (2021), the reconstruction of the mosaic on the "Family" Monument by Jerzy Egon Kwiatkowski in Katowice (2016), and the design and execution of a mosaic in the dormitory canteen at the Transport and Communication School Complex. Tadeusz Kościuszko in Lublin (2021), and the renovation and partial reconstruction of the mosaic at the University Clinical Hospital No. 4 in Lublin by Barbara Pniewska (2024). She has collaborated with the National Institute of Architecture and Urban Planning, the Tychy Municipal Museum, the Housing Estates Museum in Lublin, and the Katowice Street Art Festival, among others. She leads workshops on artistic mosaics and architectural education.

Izabela Popko, born in 1999 in Tarnogród, is an ethnologist. She graduated in Ethnology with a specialization in Audiovisual Techniques and Communication Culture from Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin and completed training in floristry. She works with handicrafts (including soy candles in recycled vessels decorated with dried flowers), floral arrangements, and, most recently, clothing upcycling. She doesn't define herself as an artist in the traditional sense—she's more inclined to combine everyday objects, nature, and utilitarian aesthetics in practices that are both practical and meaningful. She's interested in how things can be given new life and new functions—with respect for the material, history, and environment.