Teatr Erasmus Łódź starts in Poland

This academic year Polish theatre workshop Teatr Erasmus Łódź joined Erasmus Europe on Scene Network. The project originates from Escena Erasmus – European theatre project which has its headquarters within University of Valencia (Spain). As all members Teatr Erasmus Łódź was created in order to promote intercultural dialogue. People from various parts of Europe and even the world come to overcome their differences, get to know each other, make international friends and work together to create culture. The Polish seat of the project operates within University of Łódź in Poland. It is organised by the professors from the drama and theatre department that is located in the Faculty of Philology. However, it is nice to note that the initiator of Teatr Erasmus is the University of Łódź graduate and actress of the 9th edition of Escena Erasmus in Valencia.

In the first edition of Teatr Erasmus Łódź participate students from 6 different countries: Austria, Germany, Greece, Italy, Portugal and obviously Poland. The workshop takes place in the space especially designed for culture activities. It is called Fabryka Sztuki which directly means Manufacture of Art. Classes are conducted by the director, actor and musician – Tomasz Rodowicz, who participated in the paratheatrical activities of Jerzy Grotowski at the Laboratory Theatre. He is also the art director of the alternative theatre CHOREA.

Since the project is at the beginning of its path in the second semester there will be another call for participants. It is because the majority of the current team does only one semester exchange program and comes back home. Despite this, there are already plans for inter-faculty and even inter-university extension. This way, there is quite big possibility to see the performance made by Teatr Erasmus Łódź already in the next academic year.

The project’s name refers directly to the concept of theatre as in Polish the word „teatr” has the same meaning. So what is theatre? It’s work, effort and memories. It is sharing art, culture, opinion, words and precious time spent together. Theatre means people. People on the stage, behind it, and in front it in the audience. In Teatr Erasmus these people are going to change every year but they all will be part of the project forever and always. All together, they create Europe that is more solid, more integrated and even more innovative. It is Europe full of future.