We invite you to the QUEER CHOIR SUMMER FESTIVAL – the first ever queer choir festival in Central and Eastern Europe.
The LGBTQ+ choir KRAKOFONIA celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, and for that reason we want to do something special for the rainbow community.
The LGBTQ+ choir KRAKOFONIA celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, and for that reason we want to do something special for the rainbow community.
It’s time to sing your hearts out!
Where? Kraków, Poland (Dworek Białoprądnicki, Teatr Ludowy, Nowa Huta)
When? 15-18 August 2024
Who? Approximately 150 LGBTQ+ singers from Ukraine, Czechia, Germany and Poland
PerformancesOpen-air and on stage. Each choir will have a chance to perform four times and present a diverse repertoire.
WorkshopsRamp up for choir directors, choristers and special workshops for newly started choirs.
LeisureGuest performances of local celebrities and a special anniversary concert of the host choir – Krakofonia.
Community buildingAccompanying parties and thrilling summer activities such as hiking or beach volleyball with local groups.
Performing choirs
Prague (Czechia)
Kharkiv (Ukraine)
Berlin (Germany)
Kraków (Poland)
Festival programme
All events except the closing final concert are free of charge – come join us!
All event venues are marked on the map below.
All event venues are marked on the map below.
Thursday, 15th Aug
4:30 pm – 5:30 pm
4:30 pm – 5:30 pm
Workshop: Building a base of support for your chorus
Hosted by: Richard Tucker (Steel City Men's Chorus)
Corporate and government rants are a great source of funding, but are they sustainable? This workshop will look at ways of developing a stable base of individual donors, making connections with them, and appreciating of their contributions. We will also address how to get your chorus members to think of themselves as fundraisers.
Language: English
Venue: Dworek Białoprądnicki, Papiernicza 2, chimney room
Language: English
Venue: Dworek Białoprądnicki, Papiernicza 2, chimney room
Thursday, 15th Aug
6 pm – 8 pm
6 pm – 8 pm
Choir singing workshop: Open rehearsal
Hosted by: Lew Galaksy – Krakofonia conductor
In this event, you will have the opportunity to learn vocal warmups and simple vocal exercises, then sing a round (perpetual canon) and eventually, a full four-part choir arrangement of the Polish song Chodź, pomaluj mój świat. Come join us and our guest choir members, who will also participate.
Venue: Dworek Białoprądnicki, Papiernicza 2, outdoor stage
Venue: Dworek Białoprądnicki, Papiernicza 2, outdoor stage
Friday, 16th Aug
10 am – 12:30 pm
10 am – 12:30 pm
Art workshop: Fabrics in all the colours of the rainbow
Hosted by: Joanna and Basia (Pracownia Śliczności), both Krakofonia singers
In this workshop, we will be splashing colours on fabrics, using different techniques, patterns and stencils. All are welcome to bring an item of clothing/ tote bag to paint on!
Venue: Dworek Białoprądnicki, Papiernicza 2, tents
Venue: Dworek Białoprądnicki, Papiernicza 2, tents
Friday, 16th Aug
6 pm – 9 pm
6 pm – 9 pm
Concert: Guest choirs performance
Performers: Doodles (Prague), Queer-Essence (Kharkiv), Steel City Men's Chorus (USA)
This is the main musical performance of our guest choirs from Czechia, Ukraine and Germany, with each concert taking about 45 mins. The repertoire will range from pop and entertainment classics to folk tunes and classical pieces – you can’t miss it!
Venue: Dworek Białoprądnicki, Papiernicza 2, outdoor stage
Venue: Dworek Białoprądnicki, Papiernicza 2, outdoor stage
Saturday, 17th Aug
11 am – 2 pm
11 am – 2 pm
Pop-up concerts around Nowa Huta
Performers: Doodles (Prague), Queer-Essence (Kharkiv), Krakofonia (Cracow)
Join us in a series of short (ca. 15 mins) pop-up concerts in Nowa Huta landmarks – these flashmob-like events are meant to engage passers-by and advertise the festival, which in turn will (hopefully) raise the visibility and foster acceptance of the LGBTQ* community.
Route: os. Centrum E 1 (in front of the Museum of Nowa Huta) – Jana Pawła II – Plac Centralny im. R. Reagana (stop) – Aleja Róż – Park Ratuszowy (stop) – Aleja Róż – Żeromskiego – Obrońców Krzyża – os. Teatralne 34 (in front of Teatr Ludowy)
Route: os. Centrum E 1 (in front of the Museum of Nowa Huta) – Jana Pawła II – Plac Centralny im. R. Reagana (stop) – Aleja Róż – Park Ratuszowy (stop) – Aleja Róż – Żeromskiego – Obrońców Krzyża – os. Teatralne 34 (in front of Teatr Ludowy)
Saturday, 17th Aug
7 pm – 10 pm
7 pm – 10 pm
Closing final concert
Performers: Doodles (Prague), Queer-Essence (Kharkiv), Krakofonia (Cracow)
This is the main celebration of Krakofonia’s 10th anniversary with all our invited guest choirs. We will present a new repertoire of songs representing all the colour spectrum of the rainbow, from (fittingly) Somewhere Over The Rainbow from The Wizard of Oz to the opening performance of our own arrangement of Kolorowe Sny by Just 5.
Tickets (PLN 35) are available on the Teatr Ludowy website.
Venue: Teatr Ludowy, Duża Scena (main stage), Osiedle Teatralne 34
Tickets (PLN 35) are available on the Teatr Ludowy website.
Venue: Teatr Ludowy, Duża Scena (main stage), Osiedle Teatralne 34
Sunday, 18th Aug
1st group: 10:30 am – 12
2nd group: 12 – 1:30 pm
1st group: 10:30 am – 12
2nd group: 12 – 1:30 pm
Jewelry workshops: String Along!
Hosted by: Megi Rychlik (stylist and fashion designer)
You'll make your first necklace by your own hands! We'll be using a lot of colourful beads, semi-precious stones and natural materials such as shells or linen strings. You can take your old bracelet or other piece of jewelry, so it will be a part of your new design. In zero-waste we trust! For your comfort we will work in small groups (6-8 people).
Price: PLN 50
Registration: via kontakt@krakofonia.org till the end of Tuesday, 13th Aug. Your registration will be confirmed after we receive a bank transfer from you (details will be sent back to you in our answer for your message). Please tell us which hour you prefer.
Venue: Cracow's Center of Equality DOM EQ, Czyżówka 43
Price: PLN 50
Registration: via kontakt@krakofonia.org till the end of Tuesday, 13th Aug. Your registration will be confirmed after we receive a bank transfer from you (details will be sent back to you in our answer for your message). Please tell us which hour you prefer.
Venue: Cracow's Center of Equality DOM EQ, Czyżówka 43
Why is this event needed?
Our mission is to shine a spotlight on the LGBTQ+ community and raise awareness about the unfair treatment they face in the CEE region. Unfortunately, most CEE countries are lagging behind in the race to create a safe and accepting environment for the LGBTQ+ community, with legal and policy human rights far behind other European countries.* But we won't let that stop us from stepping up for equality!
*Source: ILGA-Europe
Why do we need your help?
We want to tear down economical barriers, not build them. Since international travel is a significant cost on its own, we are not collecting any participation fees. We plan to fund the event entirely with the help of sponsorship deals, individual donations and crowdfunding – which is why the crowdfunding page was created!
What are the expected festival expenses?
First things first – we need to cover the costs of renting venues and paying the sound and lighting engineers. We also need to pay licence fees to ZAiKS (Polish music copyright institution) and other copyright holders.
These costs are estimated to reach around PLN 30,000. Promotional materials and welcome packages for the choir member participants we invited will be a further PLN 10,000.
These costs are estimated to reach around PLN 30,000. Promotional materials and welcome packages for the choir member participants we invited will be a further PLN 10,000.
If you like the idea of the festival, you can help us here:
Any donation as well as social media exposure (like and share) helps!
Thank you!
Thank you!
Do you have any questions for us?
Do you want to stay up to date?
Do you want to stay up to date?
Do you have any questions for us?
Do you want to stay up to date?
Do you want to stay up to date?
Organizers and partners
Collaborators welcome!
Media patrons
Kraków (Poland)
Krakofonia
Krakofonia is Cracow’s first and so far, only choir of LGBTQ+ people who love to sing together, grow as singers and share their energy with their audiences. It’s also a safe space where everyone is free to be who they are, make friends and be an active member of the rainbow community.
We are an amateur choir founded in 2014. We sing a diverse repertoire in multiple languages, ranging from queer classics to new arrangements of contemporary music. Our live performances are usually held in Cracow but we have also participated in national and international choir festivals. We are a member of Federacja Znaki Równości (Signs of Equality Federation) and the LEGATO Choirs association.
Our conductor, who is also the artistic director of the choir, is Lew Galaksy
We are an amateur choir founded in 2014. We sing a diverse repertoire in multiple languages, ranging from queer classics to new arrangements of contemporary music. Our live performances are usually held in Cracow but we have also participated in national and international choir festivals. We are a member of Federacja Znaki Równości (Signs of Equality Federation) and the LEGATO Choirs association.
Our conductor, who is also the artistic director of the choir, is Lew Galaksy
Prague (Czechia)
Doodles
Doodles is a gay men’s chorus based in Prague. We have around 35 members of all ages and professions and we sing a colourful palette of musical genres including renaissance music, folk songs, classic male voice choir repertoire, opera, spirituals, musicals and 80s/90s pop and rock.
Besides Czech, Slovak, English, French, German and Italian, we also sing in Latin, Estonian, Romany, Yiddish, and Swahili.
Our choir conductor is Marek Stanka
Besides Czech, Slovak, English, French, German and Italian, we also sing in Latin, Estonian, Romany, Yiddish, and Swahili.
Our choir conductor is Marek Stanka
Kharkiv (Ukraine)
Queer-Essence
Queer-Essence Choir is an LGBTQ+ choir from Kharkiv, Ukraine, which in 2023 represented Ukraine at the international LGBTQ+ Various Voices choir festival in Bologna.
The choir performs a variety of musical styles and genres: from covers of world hits and the latest rock to traditional Ukrainian folk songs in modern renditions. Arrangements are prepared especially for the choir by Queer-Essence choristers. The choir's repertoire also includes original compositions written by its members.
Queer-Essence choristers are united by their love of music, their desire to fight for human rights and, of course, their great love for Ukraine and their hometown of Kharkiv.
During concerts, Queer-Essence takes its listeners on a journey where MAGIC is accomplished through sound and voice.
The choir performs a variety of musical styles and genres: from covers of world hits and the latest rock to traditional Ukrainian folk songs in modern renditions. Arrangements are prepared especially for the choir by Queer-Essence choristers. The choir's repertoire also includes original compositions written by its members.
Queer-Essence choristers are united by their love of music, their desire to fight for human rights and, of course, their great love for Ukraine and their hometown of Kharkiv.
During concerts, Queer-Essence takes its listeners on a journey where MAGIC is accomplished through sound and voice.
Berlin (Germany)
Classical Lesbians
Classical Lesbians – that means a cappella music filled with energy and joy – we are about 20 enthusiastic singers from Berlin who are united since 1996 by their love for women and for classical choir music. We love singing together under the inspiring direction of our musical director Camille Caradeuc and we are fond of our repertoire which includes madrigals, pieces by female composers as well as modern choir pieces. Why do we particularly like ancient music? Well, we’ve found that it often describes very accurately the ups and downs of lesbian love.
For us the choir also has a political side: we perform and we are visible as a lesbian choir. But we are not just passionate about music, we also love to socialise! After choir practise on Friday nights we regularly go to a pub in Berlin-Kreuzberg where we refill our batteries with beer and French fries.
Moreover, we retreat to North-Eastern Germany for our choir week-end once a year. Between forests and lakes we rehearse, eat, drink and sing by the fire site. Thus refreshed we return to Berlin where we organise a big concert every year.
We regularly participate in Various Voices festivals throughout Europe, in Nordakkord – the Northern German LGBTQIA+ choir festival - and perform at events like Lesbian Visibility Day.
We are looking forward to coming to Krakow where only a small group of the Classical Lesbians will be able to participate due to summer holidays, but we will do our best to support the first Eastern European LGBTIQA+ choir festival!
For us the choir also has a political side: we perform and we are visible as a lesbian choir. But we are not just passionate about music, we also love to socialise! After choir practise on Friday nights we regularly go to a pub in Berlin-Kreuzberg where we refill our batteries with beer and French fries.
Moreover, we retreat to North-Eastern Germany for our choir week-end once a year. Between forests and lakes we rehearse, eat, drink and sing by the fire site. Thus refreshed we return to Berlin where we organise a big concert every year.
We regularly participate in Various Voices festivals throughout Europe, in Nordakkord – the Northern German LGBTQIA+ choir festival - and perform at events like Lesbian Visibility Day.
We are looking forward to coming to Krakow where only a small group of the Classical Lesbians will be able to participate due to summer holidays, but we will do our best to support the first Eastern European LGBTIQA+ choir festival!