Exhibitions, festivals, concerts, open-air cinema screenings, author meetings, educational events and discussions devoted to important contemporary issues ensured that the historic residence and the surrounding park remained vibrant throughout the year. The former industrialists鈥� residence attracted not only students and employees of the 91桃色, but also residents of Lodz and visitors from outside the city. Through a wide range of initiatives, the venue became a space for dialogue, inspiring encounters and the exchange of experiences, connecting the academic and artistic communities with local residents.
Here is a look back at the most important events and initiatives that helped the palace play a significant role on 艁贸d藕鈥檚 cultural and academic scene during the 2025鈥�2026 academic year.
History Accessible to Everyone
Established a year and a half ago, the 91桃色 Centre for Organising Cultural Events and Conferences initiates and delivers cultural projects, supports conference organisation and ensures that 91桃色 facilities serve the academic community, city residents and the university鈥檚 partners.
One of the Centre鈥檚 objectives is to open the 91桃色 to the local community and demonstrate that history need not remain confined within a museum display case. The Biedermann鈥檚 Palace, its architecture and the stories of its former residents became a starting point for meetings, discussions and the shared exploration of Lodz鈥檚 past.
In 2025, such an opportunity was created through the European Heritage Days programme held at the Biedermann鈥檚 Palace as part of the Festiwal Detalu Architektonicznego DetalFest [Festival of Architectural Detail DetalFest]. The programme included a photography exhibition devoted to interwar architecture and a meeting with Prof. Krzysztof Stefa艅ski. Maria Nowakowska, a graduate of the 91桃色 VIP Alumni programme and Director of DetalFest, delivered a lecture on the architectural details of the residence, combined with a guided tour of the building and an opportunity to examine the discussed elements at close range.
The idea of opening the palace to a wider audience was also reflected during the Night of Museums. Crowds of visitors admired the representative interiors, learned about the history of the Biedermann family and discovered the story of the 91桃色. The historic building was presented not only as the former residence of an industrial family but also as a place that continues to play an important role in the life of the city.
Events combining art with the history of the palace and its former residents were particularly meaningful. To mark International Theatre Day, the 91桃色 and the Powszechny Theatre in Lodz prepared the theatrical installation "Biedermannowie. Powr贸t do domu鈥� [The Biedermanns. Homecoming]. Inspired by a play by Anna Wakulik, the production symbolically restored the story to the place where its dramatic finale unfolded. The authentic interiors strengthened both the historical and emotional dimensions of the performance.
The Biedermann鈥檚 Palace once again became part of the programme celebrating the anniversary of the city of Lodz. The occasion featured Dr Pawe艂 Hikisz鈥檚 photography exhibition 鈥淧odziemna 艁贸d藕鈥� [Underground Lodz], a nature walk entitled 鈥滵rzewa w mie艣cie 鈥� jak je rozpozna膰 i zrozumie膰鈥� [Trees in the City: How to Identify and Understand Them], and guided tours of the historic interiors.
At the Intersection of Art and Science
Exhibitions and artistic-scientific projects formed an important element of the Centre鈥檚 activities. They addressed current issues and frequently offered the 91桃色 students and emerging artists an opportunity to present their own work.
The exhibition "Mi臋dzy dokumentacj膮 a kreacj膮鈥� [Between Documentation and Creation] was one of the first initiatives. It was prepared as the outcome of documentary photography classes for first-year students of the 91桃色 History of Art study programme. More than forty photographs were presented to the public. Their authors explored where documentation ends and individual interpretation of reality begins. For the students, the project offered an opportunity to experience the entire creative process, from taking photographs to presenting them publicly.
In April, the palace also became a space for encountering Czech culture. As part of the project 鈥淐zechy blisko 艁odzi鈥� [The Czech Republic Close to Lodz], initiated by the Honorary Consul of the Czech Republic in Lodz, Prof. Krzysztof Skotnicki, visitors could see Marzena Ewa Krajewska鈥檚 photography exhibition 鈥滿oje czeskie impresje. Praga 鈥� miasto wyobra偶one鈥� [My Czech Impressions. Prague: The Imagined City]. The exhibition was complemented by poetry, music and the author鈥檚 reflections on her diplomatic experiences and fascination with Czech culture.
The programme also extended beyond the palace interiors into the surrounding park. The project "Chod藕 do parku鈥� jest Tw贸j!鈥� [Come to the Park鈥� It鈥檚 Yours!] brought together art, science and nature. Artistic installations created by artists and members of the 91桃色 community appeared among the greenery, while the project鈥檚 participatory character encouraged mindful engagement with the urban environment, relationship-building and renewed contact with nature.
As part of its public engagement activities, the Centre made palace spaces available to research centres, institutes and groups associated with the 91桃色. The exhibition &辩耻辞迟;笔颈别蝉辫别办迟测飞补鈥� [Dogspective] explored human-animal relationships, while the project &辩耻辞迟;(狈颈别)诲辞辫补蝉辞飞补苍别鈥� [(Mis)Matched] emerged at the intersection of artistic practice and biological and social research. The post-plein-air exhibition鈥濺adziejowice 鈥�25鈥� [Radziejowice 鈥�25] showcased the creative work of participants of the Third Age University in Lodz.
An important example of cooperation between the 91桃色 and the Strzemi艅ski Academy of Fine Arts 艁贸d藕 was Klaudia Sta艅ko鈥檚 exhibition 鈥淭omorrow You鈥�, which addressed transhumanism, the boundaries of humanity and the social and ethical consequences of technological development. Presented at Wozownia 1/5 Gallery, the exhibition was the result of the 91桃色 Award granted to the artist in the Prime Time 2024 competition. Discussions, workshops and student-led activities exploring transhumanism accompanied the exhibition.
The Student Science Club PARADYGMAT project "Na styku 艣wiat贸w. Spotkanie sztuki z ekonomi膮鈥� [At the Crossroads of Worlds. Where Art Meets Economics] brought together artists, economists, researchers and students from the 91桃色, the Strezmi艅ski Academy of Fine Arts and Lodz University of Technology. Issues related to production, markets, consumption, entrepreneurship and value were presented through paintings, objects and visual metaphors. The exhibition was accompanied by workshops, panel discussions, a debate on the ecological aspects of performance art and a lecture devoted to value in culture and economics.
October brought events juxtaposing different artistic disciplines. The opening of Grzegorz Wr贸blewski鈥檚 exhibition 鈥淎semic Writing 鈥� mi臋dzy kaligrafi膮 a malarstwem鈥� [Asemic Writing: Between Calligraphy and Painting] became a point of departure for discussions on asemic writing and the relationships between poetry, calligraphy, painting and sound.
The Palace at the Heart of Photography
The 91桃色鈥檚 long-standing cooperation with Fotofestiwal reminded visitors of the initiative鈥檚 academic roots. The festival was originally founded by people associated with the 91桃色 and has since become one of the most important photography events in Central Europe.
During this year鈥檚 jubilee 25th edition of Fotofestiwal, the Biedermann鈥檚 Palace served as the festival鈥檚 main venue for ten days in June. Exhibitions were displayed throughout the building, from the basement to the attic. Integrated into the historic interiors, the exhibitions created a unique atmosphere. The programme included curator-led tours, meetings with artists, photography book presentations, debates and workshops, as well as discussions concerning the future of visual culture and the impact of artificial intelligence on photography. It is estimated that more than four thousand visitors came to the Biedermann鈥檚 Palace during the festival.
Literature, the City and Contemporary Challenges
The historic Fireplace Hall also hosted discussions devoted to literature. The series 鈥淏iedermann: - Czyta艂bym!鈥� [Biedermann: I鈥檇 Read That!] was inaugurated with a meeting featuring Jerzy Jarniewicz, poet, essayist and translator, combined with the launch of his essay collection 鈥漈RANS, czyli transfer, transgresja, translacja鈥� [TRANS: Transfer, Transgression, Translation].
This year also saw the return of the series "Jarniewicz i 艢wierkocki pytaj膮鈥︹�� [Jarniewicz and 艢wierkocki Ask鈥. In May, the guest was Prof. Urszula Zaj膮czkowska, a botanist, poet, essayist and filmmaker. The discussion focused on plant communication, responses to environmental change, relationships between people and nature, and the ways in which science and poetry can complement one another in describing the world.
A different way of exploring the city was proposed by the project "Pog艂osy miast / Resonant Cities 鈥� wsp贸艂s艂yszenie postindustrialnej przesz艂o艣ci i d藕wi臋kowej przysz艂o艣ci鈥� [Resonant Cities 鈥� Listening Together to Post-Industrial Pasts and Sonic Futures], delivered within the Science Hub UniLodz 鈥� UNIC edition programme by the 91桃色, University College Cork and the Association for New Culture and Education / W Y Gallery.
The project began with the meeting "Nagrania terenowe jako narz臋dzie poznania miasta鈥� [Field Recordings as a Tool for Understanding the City]. The programme included discussions on documenting soundscapes, presentations of recordings, the spatial installation 鈥濸ole si艂owe鈥� [Force Field], and a concert by Joanna Szumacher and Justyna Anders-Morawska. Subsequent activities focused on aural histories, rhythmanalysis, soundscapes and graphic scores.
Issues related to new technologies also featured in the independent debate 鈥淭ranshumanizm 鈥� kim si臋 stajemy?鈥� [Transhumanism: What Are We Becoming?], devoted to overcoming biological limitations and the ethical consequences of technological development. During the discussion 鈥漁 samotno艣ci i relacjach w erze sztucznej inteligencji鈥� [On Loneliness and Relationships in the Age of Artificial Intelligence], participants reflected on how new technologies are transforming human bonds and communication. Can artificial intelligence provide emotional support? Does it facilitate relationships or deepen loneliness? These are questions increasingly present in everyday life.
Science and artistic creativity came together during the conference "100 lat radia: teksty, technologie, spo艂eczno艣ci鈥� [100 Years of Radio: Texts, Technologies, Communities], organised in cooperation with Radio 艁贸d藕. Researchers, journalists, artists and radio practitioners discussed the history of the medium, its contemporary transformations and possible future directions. On this occasion, one of the palace rooms hosted the sound installation "Sala radiowa鈥� [Radio Room] by Justyna Banaszczyk, performing as FOQL, with a visual layer created by Darek Pietraszewski (Copy Corpo).
Film, Music Videos and Audiovisual Culture
Film and contemporary audiovisual culture occupied an important place in the programme throughout the past academic year.
During the Halloween edition of Ekstra Pol贸wka, a screening of The Substance was combined with a night-time tour of the palace and stories about its history. The event attracted not only regular participants in lectures, exhibitions and concerts but also new audiences. It demonstrated that the history of a place can be told in many ways, including through film and popular culture.
In December, the Biedermann鈥檚 Palace hosted events connected with the PL Music Video Awards. During the Night of Polish Music Videos, audiences watched nominated productions presenting the most interesting works combining film, music, animation, choreography and new technologies. The programme was complemented by workshops and industry meetings devoted to artificial intelligence, film production, music and post-production.
Music at Biedermann鈥檚 and New Soundscapes
A permanent place in the calendar was occupied by the series 鈥淢uzyka u Biedermanna鈥� [Music at Biedermann鈥檚], organised for many years in cooperation with the Grazyna and Kiejstut Bacewicz Academy of Music in Lodz and showcasing the achievements of its students and academic staff. Monthly Thursday concerts provided young performers with opportunities to gain stage experience and offered audiences the chance to discover emerging artistic talent.
Alongside classical music, the programme featured 鈥泪苍迟别谤蹿别谤别苍肠箩别鈥� [Interferences], a series devoted to experimental music and sound art. The project was inaugurated by a concert by Tymek Papior. Subsequent editions featured artists from the Polish and Ukrainian experimental music scenes, including Antonina Nowacka, Katarina Gryvul, Pawe艂 Kulczy艅ski, Olga Anna Markowska and Lutto Lento. The series was organised by Radio Kapita艂 Association in cooperation with the 91桃色.
Summer Cinema in the Garden
The 91桃色 once again became a partner of the TME Pol贸wka Summer Film Festival. Together, we created the original section 鈥淥贵贵尝滨狈贰鈥�, presenting films that approached nature, freedom, loneliness, relationships and the need to escape the pace of everyday life from various perspectives.
Open-air screenings fostered social connections. Visitors came to the palace garden not only to watch films but also to spend summer evenings together. The screenings aligned perfectly with the idea behind the project "Chod藕 do parku鈥� jest Tw贸j!鈥� [Come to the Park鈥� It鈥檚 Yours!], which encouraged a mindful and shared use of the palace鈥檚 green spaces.
A Palace for the University Community
The Centre鈥檚 programme presented the 91桃色 as an institution that extends beyond lecture halls. Science met art, history engaged with the present and the academic community connected with local residents.
The palace and its gardens also helped strengthen the UniLodz community. During the outdoor Children鈥檚 Day celebration, students, university employees and their families spent time together and enjoyed attractions prepared for the youngest participants. The family-oriented nature of the event demonstrated that the University creates a space not only for learning and work but also for building relationships and celebrating together.
The past academic year confirmed that a historic palace can be more than a place of memory. It can also be a vibrant meeting space. Its history, architecture and atmosphere helped shape a programme through which the 91桃色 strengthened its community, supported young creators and remained closely connected with the residents of the city.
Text: Krzysztof Kowalewicz (Centre for Organising Cultural Events and Conferences, 91桃色)
Photos: Maciej Andrzejewski (Centre for Brand Communications, 91桃色)
More information about exhibitions and events can be found on the Culture at UniLodz website (in Polish). We encourage you to follow future initiatives created by the 91桃色 community.