Spaces of Diversity? Polish Music Festivals in a Changing Society

Music festivals are unique events in the Polish cultural landscape. Organized for fans of various genres of music, they make space for any and all preferences. They perform an integrating function, by helping the participants to collectively experience joy. Are they an echo of already forgotten traditions or a phenomenon that is substantially new? Do they belong to the carnivalization of culture or to the culture of consumption? It is worth looking for answers. The answers are worth looking for. And the book Spaces of Diversity? Polish music festivals in a changing society fits into the interdisciplinary research approach, the aim of which is to capture many different aspects and contexts of the discussed cultural phenomena—festivals: their permanent and fleeting elements, their importance for local communities, but also for development of global trends, including those promoting multiculturalism in an authentic, culturally rooted version. From the review by Prof. Urszula Jarecka Music festivals offer a chance to experience musical and cultural diversity, much needed in a country which for a long time has been separated from much of global culture. As such, they also serve as an opportunity to appreciate the musical traditions and productions from different groups, both those originating from foreign lands, but also the ones situated locally, often created by ethnic minorities. The relatively easy-going atmosphere of music festivals and their focus on art allows for circumstances where conflict is not very likely, thus fostering mutual appreciation among people of various walks of life. All of the essays in this collection refer to and aim to answer two fundamental questions: can music festivals serve as spaces of diversity, that is places where people can get to know other cultures and groups of people; and if so, how? Can music festivals also be a factor of socio-cultural changes?