Scottish Polish Cultural Association

03/09/2026

The Scottish Polish Cultural Association warmly invites all talented children to showcase their musical abilities.

For over 20 years - except during the pandemic - we have proudly organised the Young Talent Concert, a cherished annual event where musically gifted children aged 10 to 18 take the stage. We welcome children who play musical instruments, as well as those with strong vocal abilities.

Each year, we aim to discover these “uncut diamonds”, whom we continue to support and celebrate through the Association.

The concert will take place on Sunday, 27 September 2026, at 4:00 PM
at the Edinburgh Society of Musicians

If your child would like to participate, please contact Anna Ruszel by email at [email protected] by 18 September 2026.

In your email, kindly include the following details:

Child’s full name and age
Instrument or voice
Parent/guardian’s contact phone number and email address
We look forward to hearing from you and discovering the next generation of talent!

Photo: 2025 concert

01/06/2026

On Wednesday 10 June at 19.00 we are pleased to invite you to another online event, this time involving bees! :-)

Bees and Bee Products, Touch, Word, and Music: Beekeeping as a Path to Well-being and Self-Discovery
The talk will be delivered by Anna Garnett, Co-Founder of Carnie Bees and “Here I Am”, Author and Spoken Word Artist.

For Anna, beekeeping was never merely a career choice; it was a path to salvation. When she first began her journey with bees, she was seeking a sanctuary from illness, unaware that within the hive she would find not only health but also her true self. It was the proximity to the bees — their soothing rhythm and natural order — that helped her regain balance and return to full vitality.

This profound healing became the foundation of her creative life today. It was only after finding peace alongside her bees that the spoken word, music, and the healing power of touch were born within her. Today, as the founder of Carnie Bees and “Here I Am”, she weaves together traditional craftsmanship with artistic sensitivity, believing that bees and their products, touch, word, and sound are inseparable elements of the journey back to oneself.

In her lectures, Anna does not speak in theories; she shares lived experience. She presents beekeeping as a gateway to personal well-being, teaching others how to draw from the wisdom of nature to quiet the body, soothe the mind, and rediscover their own voice in a fast-paced world.

To register, please email [email protected]. The Zoom link will be sent to registered participants closer to the event or via Eventbrite:

Beekeeping as a Path to Well-being and Self-Discovery

29/05/2026

Wednesday 3 June at 19.00 :-)
We are delighted to invite you to an online event on a special book which is currently being published: Eagle and Lion: Polish Poems and Scots Translations, edited by Derrick McClure and Tom Hubbard.

This wonderful and important project brings together Polish poetry and Scots translation, creating a unique cultural dialogue between Poland and Scotland. During the event, we hope to explore the story behind the book, the process of translating Polish poetry into Scots, and the wider cultural significance of this publication.

The evening will include: a short introduction to the book and its background, a conversation about how the project came about, reflections on translating Polish poetry into Scots, readings of selected poems in both languages, and a short Q&A with the audience.

To register your interest, please email us at: [email protected] The Zoom link will be sent to registered participants closer to the date.
We're looking forward to seeing you there!

13/05/2026

The Scottish Polish Cultural Association recently held its AGM, and we are delighted to announce our newly elected Management Committee for the coming year:

🔹 Chair – Kiro Zabinska-MacIntyre
🔹 Vice-Chair – Magdalena Durant
🔹 Secretary – Anna Ruszel
🔹 Treasurer – Jola Debicka-MacLennan
🔹 Committee Members – Joanna Bienkowska and Colin MacLennan

We would also like to extend our heartfelt thanks to our valued long-term Chair, Izabella Brodzinska, who has now become our Honorary President, in recognition of her many years of dedication and commitment to the organisation.

We are equally delighted to have Elizabeth Rychlik-Sharp, another long-standing member and an invaluable source of support to the Association in the role of Vice-President.

As we look ahead, we are excited for another year of promoting Scottish-Polish links, friendship, and cultural exchange — including supporting the Edinburgh–Kraków partnership. We hope to welcome our members to a range of events very soon!

We are also looking for additional Committee members, as well as new members to join the Association. If you feel you have the right skills, enthusiasm, and ideas to contribute to the continued development of our organisation, we would be delighted to hear from you.

Thank you to everyone who continues to support the Scottish Polish Cultural Association — we look forward to another exciting year together!

📸 Photos: Highlights from some of our events and activities over the past 12 months.

01/05/2026

We're passing on an invitation from the Folk Film Festival, which this year features a special Polish film - the classic 'folk horror' film LOKIS: A MANUSCRIPT OF PROFESSOR WITTENBACH - presented with a live oral storytelling performance from Eastern European storyteller Daiva Ivanauskaite.
4 May at 18.15 in Edinburgh

Further information about the screening can be found here:

Our second film to explore Eastern European folklore of shapeshifters, Polish folk horror classic Lokis follows Wittembach, a young pastor and folklorist studying local customs in a remote part of 19th-century Lithuania, who is invited to stay with a young nobleman who the locals believe t

09/04/2026

We've received a request from Polish students at the University of Edinburgh, looking for Polish participants for the research they are conducting. Please find more information below.
Mieszkasz w Szkocji i mówisz po polsku? 🇵🇱
Potrzebujemy dosłownie 10 minut Twojego czasu.
Prowadzimy badanie naukowe na Uniwersytecie Edynburskim i szukamy Polaków w Szkocji, którzy chcieliby wziąć udział w krótkiej, anonimowej ankiecie.
Twój udział pomaga wypełnić lukę w badaniach naukowych dotyczących Polaków za granicą.
👉 Wypełnij ankietę tutaj: https://edinburgh.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_37zIGcucd2SZILc
👉 Dowiedz się więcej: https://multilingualism-and-religious-experience-project.notion.site/
Możesz też po prostu przekazać link dalej - rodzinie, znajomym, czy też na grupę. Każde udostępnienie jest dla nas ogromnie pomocne! 🙏

Hosted by Notion Sites — The easiest way to get a website up and running.

08/04/2026

We're happy to pass information from our friends at Festival Europe Scotland, taking place between 7-17 May 2026, about events with a special Polish connection: Studies in Photography: Focus on Poland - Festival of Europe Scotland 7 May, Edinburgh
European Comedy Short Films - Festival of Europe Scotland 8 May, Edinburgh (this includes a Polish film)
Polish Heritage Day - Festival of Europe Scotland 9 May, Glasgow
Russia's campaign against Europe: hybrid war, disinformation, influence - Festival of Europe Scotland 11 May, Edinburgh (with expert speakers from Poland, Germany, and France)
More information:

Join us to strengthen the ties between Scotland, the UK and Europe. Taking place each year around Europe Day, this festival brings together everyone who believes cooperation and shared values can shape a more peaceful, democratic, sustainable and free Europe.

07/04/2026

Sunday 19 April at 16.00. Our next Spring Recital, featuring a dynamic multinational clarinet quartet: The Silver Keys!
The tickets for the concert can be bought on the SPCA website. After the performance you're welcome to join us for light refreshments.

07/04/2026

Thursday 16 April at 18.00. We are delighted to invite you to an in person talk with Prof Robert Frost (Aberdeen) and Dr Karol Żojdź (Warsaw) : Tales of Other Days: Walter Scott, Henryk Sienkiewicz, and the National Past as Historical Fiction, held in the Polish Ex-Combatants House in Edinburgh. The entry is free but due to the limited number of seats, early booking is highly recommended! Please find more information and the QR code below. Looking forward to seeing you there!

21/02/2026

Sunday 22 February at 18.00: another great evening full of music and songs! :-) Programmes are printed (thank you very much, Out of Hand Scotland for another job well done!), refreshments are getting ready, musicians are tuning their instruments... We are looking forward to seeing you tomorrow, doors open at 17.45. There might be a small number of tickets available at the door (cash only), but if possible, you can help to speed up the entry process by reserving yours at www.scotpoles.co.uk See you tomorrow! :-)

Scottish Polish Cultural Association Tomorrow, Sunday 22 February at 18:00, they warmly invite you to a special concert! Continuing the tradition of ‘Sangs and Clatter’, inspired by Rabbie Burns, the evening will feature a delightful blend of and and songs. It promises to be a truly enjoyable and entertaining experience for everyone.

After the concert, please join them for refreshments and a chance to meet the performers. Together with our wonderful artists — Queen Anne Singers, Ivor Klayman, Rafał Żywotek and Za Miastem — who will present a rich selection of classical and folk music, they very much look forward to welcoming you for an evening of music, warmth and good company!

Tickets can be bought at www.scotpoles.co.uk

W niedzielę 22 lutego o godz. 18:00 serdecznie zapraszamy na wyjątkowy koncert! Kontynuując piękną tradycję „Sangs and Clatter”, inspirowaną twórczością Roberta Burnsa, zaprezentujemy wieczór pełen szkockiej i polskiej muzyki oraz pieśni. Zapowiada się prawdziwie radosne i pełne wrażeń wydarzenie dla wszystkich.

Po koncercie zapraszamy na poczęstunek oraz spotkanie z artystami. Wraz z naszymi wspaniałymi wykonawcami — Queen Anne Singers, Ivorem Klaymanem, Rafałem Żywotkiem oraz zespołem Za Miastem — którzy zaprezentują bogaty repertuar muzyki klasycznej i ludowej, z radością będziemy Państwa gościć podczas wieczoru pełnego muzyki, ciepłej atmosfery i dobrej energii!

Bilety można nabyć na naszej stronie www.scotpoles.co.uk