The festival

The idea of 13th Bella Skyway Festival is “Event Horizon.”

You just need to look further than your eyes can see. Then it may happen that the invisible becomes visible.

Rafael Ábalos

In pre-pandemic times, our freedom of action allowed us to literally touch the horizon, overcome barriers and experience something new every day. The closing period caused many changes in our possibilities, ourselves and the space around us, but also caused that we opened our eyes to many things and began to perceive them in a new, unprecedented way. We are more aware that everything that happens around us is the result of events that we may or may not prevent. Inevitable changes take place and will take place both in human relations and in the natural environment. Just as, on the event horizon, everything that passes through it is lost at the same time, so also pandemics and climate change are forgotten when we don’t think about them. However, what will happen when we cross the border beyond which there will be no more essentials for life? Can we find ourselves in the new reality? Has our perception of the world changed so that we are ready to act? Are we open to new opportunities? The event horizon will be an opportunity to exceed the current limits, both for artists and the audience.

The cultural landscape of Toruń has been enriched by another European-scale event — Bella Skyway Festival. A festival that is fresh, unique and reality-changing. A festival that breathes new life into the gothic town walls of Toruń.

The Festival has been organised in Toruń since 2009 and its beginnings are connected with the fact that the town tried to become a European Capital of Culture 2016. The programme of this event is based on three pillars:

• Science – festival’s concept is based on astronomy and science. The way Bella Skyway Festival communicates with people taking part in it is unusual, accessible and inspiring, always inviting people to go a step further to learn something new. The experience of beauty is very important, of course, but that scientific accent should be not neglected.
• Art – the driving force of the festival. Audiovisual arts, performance, art that is electrifying, innovative and unusual, that goes well with the natural landscape of the town and its public space. Art you can simply touch. This festival pillar is important from the perspective of town’s heritage and history, as Toruń is known for its special art and science-friendly atmosphere.
• People – “culture for everybody” – this has been the motto of the festival since its very beginning. Bella Skyway Festival is an event for all generations. To start interaction with culture it’s enough to leave the house. This is an advantage of a non-commercial event. An important aspect of the festival is a possibility to get involved in special actions accompanying the event.

Science and art combined with a strong social dimension are the aspects that have always intermingled and complemented one another in Toruń. They make the town so special. So does Bella Skyway Festival.