The International Performing Arts Festival A Part (until its 16th edition: A Part International Theatre Festival) is an international review of the most interesting artistic phenomena in the field of performing arts, with particular emphasis on theatre: non-institutional, original, non-verbal, experimental, alternative and innovative. The event takes place in Katowice and neighbouring cities. The festival was established in 1994 and is one of the oldest cyclical theatre events in Poland. To date, 31 editions of the event have been held.
The festival was established on the initiative of Łucja Ginko (then director of the Culture Department of the Marshal’s Office of the Silesian Province) and Jarosław Gibas (then stage manager at the Upper Silesian Cultural Centre in Katowice) and Marcin Herich (then an alternative actor at the Cogitatur Theatre in Katowice and editor of the theatre section of the cultural quarterly ‘Opcje’). Herich has been its artistic director since the beginning and is the author of the programme for all its editions.
The first three festivals were organised by Upper Silesian Cultural Centre, a cultural institution located in the famous ‘December Palace’ in Katowice (currently: Katowice City of Gardens). The co-organiser was the Cogitatur Theatre in Katowice, which eventually took over its organisation from the fourth edition onwards. Cogitatur was the main organiser of the festival from 1997 to 2003, up to and including the tenth edition of the event.
In 2004, the festival did not take place. In the same year, Teatr A Part was established, Marcin Herich’s original theatre, whose name was derived from the name of the festival and the association that gave it legal personality. Since 2005, the festival has been organised by the Theatre Association A Part.
During previous editions of the festival, leading Polish and European innovative and non-verbal theatre companies have performed in Katowice, including Akhe, Betontanc, Compagnie Cacahuete, Compagnie Mossoux-Bonte, czarneNIEBObiałe, Derevo, Do-Theatre, Farma v Jeskyni, Gledalisce Glej, Mladinsko Gledalisce, Granhoj Dans, Kamchatka, Scena Plastyczna KUL, Senza Tempo, Societas Raffaello Sanzio, Spitfire Company, Teatr Ósmego Dnia, Theaterlabor Bielefeld, Theater Titanick, Troubleyn/Jan Fabre, United Cowboys, Via Negativa, Abattoir Ferme, DAH Teatar and many others.
The 32nd International Performing Arts Festival A Part will take place from 12 to 21 June 2026. Programme of the festival HERE.
The history of the A Part festival and detailed programmes of its recent editions (2016-2025) can also be found on Teatr A Part website, in the festival tab.
