Sunday Film Mornings

At 12.30 on Sundays, the WRO Art Centre will be screening some classics from the rich celluloid well of Polish animation. One for all family.

when - Throughout March & April
where - Wro Art Centre, ul. Widok 7
more info - click here

Exhibition: Konrad Jarodzki

The national museum's permanent collections of Silesian Art make it essential viewing when in Wroclaw, but lesser known are the increasingly impressive temporary exhibitions which the museum organises. Konrad Jarodzki is one of the city's most famous artists and also professor of the Academy of Fine Arts and to celebrate his 80th birthday 150 of his works will be on display.

when - 3rd to 24th March 2008
where - National Museum, Pl. Powstancow Warszawy 5
more info - click here

The Saragossa Manuscript

The famous novel by Polish nobleman Jan Potocki has been developed as a ballet by the Wroclaw Opera Company and it will be fascinating to see how the story (most famously told in film form in Wojciech Has's 1965 movie) works as a dance. An interesting aside is that Potocki, a famous traveller and adventurer, shot himself with a silver bullet at the age of 54, believing himself to be a werewolf. Also playing at the Opera House in March are Carmen, The Magic Flute, The Barber of Seville and a premiere of Cinderella on the 28th.

when - 4th and 5th March 2008
where - Opera House
more info - click here

Jazz on the Oder Festival

From 5th to 9th March, Impart Centre of Arts, is hosting the 44th Jazz on the Oder Festival (Jazz Na Odra in Polish). Artists such as Brad Melhdau Trio, Jean Luc Ponty, Djivan Gasparian Trio as well as many others will rule the stage for three days each delivering their own unique take on the genre. This highly anticipated festival culminates on the 9th when Impart invites special guest Diana Krall to sign off proceedings. The blond sex bomb is the icing on the cake we already love.

when - 5th to 9th March
where - Impart Centre of Arts, 17 Mazowiecka Street
more info - click here

WROCKFEST - Reggae Festival

Another edition of the Spring Reggae Festival will be blasting away the last traces of gloom of another long Polish winter. At Wroclaw's Documentary Film Company (Wytwornia Filmow Fabularnych) reggae fans are going to go mental listening to one of reggae music scene's most important, most respected and awarded reggae artist - Don Carlos. This former Black Uhuru member comes all the way from Jamaica to give us all a taste of what love, peace and music is all about. Of course apart form this reggae God there will be Poland's own brilliant artists as well. No way you'd want to miss all this.

when - 6th to 8th March
where - Wytwornia Filmow Fabularnych, 1 Wystawowa Street
more info - click here

Philharmonic's March Guest

At Wroclaw's Philharmonic this March, music fans will have the opportunity to catch the one-and-only Nigel Kennedy working his magic on stage. Nigel will be the lead violinist of course, but stalwart help comes in the form of the backing orchestra from the W. Lutoslawski Philharmonic which will be conducted by Jacek Kasprzyk. This will be the first - but hopefully not the last - time the Wroclaw Philharmonic hosts Kennedy in the Year 2008. Concert starts at 7pm.

when - 7th March
where - Filharmonia Wroclawska, 19 Pilsudskiego Street
more info - click here

Rura Jazz Club

On Polish National Women's Day Rura Jazz Club is going to guest Davy Sicard, a talented musician who plays music with a positive energy and is not afraid of taboo. In the search for his roots, he creates music with his pure voice, a "rouleur" which is a big drum and a "kayanm" which is close to maracas, all this melting with the more familiar guitar and bass tones. Tickets to this spectacular concert full of culture and ethnicity are 20PLN. Concert starts at 23:00.

when - 8th March
where - Rura Jazz Club, 4 Lazienna Street
more info - click here

International Women’s Day

Celebrated on March 8th all over the world, International Women’s Day is observed more carefully in Poland than in most countries. This is due to Poland’s legacy behind the Iron Curtain. On May 8 1965 in Moscow, Women's Day was declared as a non-working holiday in the USSR "in commemoration of outstanding merits of the Soviet women in the defense of their Motherland during the Great Patriotic War.” In line with their comrades in the East Polish officials pushed the event, and women could expect to receive flowers, presents and all manner of door-holding-open and doffing of caps during the course of the day. These days opinion is mixed as to whether the holiday is a charming celebration of femininity in all its wondrous forms, or a Communist dinosaur which should be patriotically boycotted. Opinion decided normally by the person’s gender of course. Anyhow if you are meeting up with that girl you met in Manana the night before, drop by Plac Solny first and pick up a bouquet from the open-air stalls.

when - 8th March
where - Throughout Wroclaw
more info - click here

Exhibition: Pisanka - The Subtle Art of Decoration

If you've always been enchanted by the Easter tradition of painting eggs, here's an exhibition tailor made for you. Head down to the Ethnographical Musem to see some miniature masterpieces.

when - 8th to 30th March
where - Ethnographic Museum, ul. Traugutta 111/113
more info - click here

Easter In Wroclaw

If colourful traditions are your bag baby, then heading to Poland for Easter will prove a trip well taken upon. Starting the previous week with Palm Sunday, a number of significant dates in the Catholic calendar, such as Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Saturday and Easter Sunday are celebrated with a mixture of style and solemnity. Head to any church on the relevant date and you are likely to see a congregation waving palm leaves about, stations of the cross re-enacted, effigies of Christ lying dead by the altar, and children and grannies bearing baskets of eggs to be blessed by the priest. Perhaps the tradition most likely to amuse tourists takes place on Easter Monday however, when anyone venturing out before midday is liable to a soaking – local oinks are given carte blanche to waterbomb passerbys courtesy of a time-old traditional named ‘Smingus Dyngus’. Fantastic!

when - 23rd March
where - Throughout Wroclaw
more info - click here

Opera: Cinderella

The Wroclaw Opera Company unleash a brand new production of Johann Strauss's Cinderella over the Easter weekend, so make sure a) you get your ticket to the ball and b) you're home before midnight!

when - 28th to 30th March
where - Opera House, ul. Swidnicka 35
more info - click here