Kołobrzeg Named Polish Capital of Culture 2028

The news in Polish

1. Bałtyk  (m.)
   Morze Bałtyckie, zbiornik wodny w Europie Północnej. ↩︎
2. stolica  (f.)
   Główne miasto kraju lub regionu, siedziba władz. ↩︎
3. organizować
   Planować i przygotowywać jakieś wydarzenie lub działanie. ↩︎
4. kulturalny
   Związany z kulturą, sztuką lub życiem społecznym. ↩︎
5. publiczny
   Dostępny dla wszystkich ludzi, należący do społeczeństwa. ↩︎
6. studia  (n.)
   Nauka na poziomie wyższym, np. na uniwersytecie. ↩︎

Translation

Text comprehension

Question 1: What body of water is Kołobrzeg situated on?

Question 2: Where will cultural events take place in Kołobrzeg during 2028?

Vocabulary

Polish	English
Bałtyk  (m.)	Baltic Sea
stolica  (f.)	capital
organizować	to organise
kulturalny	cultural
publiczny	public
studia  (n.)	studies

Read the full story

Kołobrzeg, a coastal resort on Poland’s Baltic Sea coast, has won the prestigious title of Polish Capital of Culture and will officially hold it in 2028, following Bielsko-Biała and Katowice.

Ilona Grędas-Wójtowicz, the deputy mayor of Kołobrzeg for social affairs, accepted the title on behalf of the city’s team. She described the award as an opportunity to broaden how Kołobrzeg is perceived — not solely as a beach destination and Poland’s largest spa town, but as a place with a rich cultural identity. “I want culture to permanently join those associations, making our city an ideal place both to live and to spend free time,” she said.

The city plans to build its programme around four thematic areas developed during an earlier bid for the European Capital of Culture: the sea, the city, the source, and the body. Organisers say these themes reflect Kołobrzeg’s location, history, and spa traditions, as well as contemporary city life.

One of the stated goals is to break the town’s seasonal pattern. As a spa resort, Kołobrzeg is strongly associated with the summer months, and officials want the 2028 programme to attract visitors and engage residents throughout the entire year. The cultural calendar will be structured so that each month has a leading theme — February focused on literature, March on film, and subsequent months on dance, visual arts, and interventions in public urban spaces.

Rather than constructing expensive new buildings, the city intends to bring cultural events into existing public spaces. “Poland’s Capital of Culture really does not need grand buildings to exist. It can simply be right next to you, within arm’s reach,” said Grędas-Wójtowicz.

Preparations are already under way. The city is piloting projects and opening venues ahead of 2028 so that they are fully operational by the time the title year begins. Officials also want the initiatives launched in 2028 — such as a literary festival or a short film competition — to continue in subsequent years as permanent fixtures in the city’s cultural calendar.

Community involvement is described as central to the project. The city is already cooperating with local associations on events such as the I SEA YOU festival. One group, the Association of Kołobrzeg Poets, presents new editions of its projects annually, while another group of enthusiasts is restoring historic neon signs and creating new ones, with one unveiled in September during the Kołobrzeg Night of Colours.

Grędas-Wójtowicz also addressed the challenge of retaining young people, noting that Kołobrzeg has no university, meaning students typically leave for cities such as Warsaw, Gdańsk, or Poznań. She suggested that a stronger cultural offer could help persuade them to return after their studies.