Ephemera Returns to Warsaw in June. Festival Passes Now on Sale Along With Tickets to Hania Rani, Arooj Aftab and Cabaret Voltaire

Ephemera, Warsaw’s muti-arts festival celebrating the summer solstice, returns June 8-14 with a multidisciplinary program spanning the city. Passes and tickets for concerts by Hania Rani, Arooj Aftab, and Cabaret Voltaire are already on sale.

Produced by Unsound, Ephemera brings together artists from Poland and around the world, showcasing the freshest voices and cult figures across music, performance, dance and visual art. Drawing inspiration from Slavic rituals, Ephemera unfolds across unique, contrasting venues throughout Warsaw, where space itself becomes part of the dramaturgy and sound.

Ephemera opens on Monday June 8 at the majestic Grand Theatre – Polish National Opera, with Hania Rani – winner of the European Composer Award for the score to Sentimental Value – presenting the Polish premiere of Shining. Inspired by the work of minimalist composers such as Steve Reich and Philip Glass, Rani will perform Shining accompanied by Warsaw’s Hashtag Ensemble. The evening will also feature the Grammy-winning Pakistani vocalist Arooj Aftab, whose hypnotic music blends classical singing, jazz, and delicate electronics. This is her first concert in Warsaw. Tickets are already on sale.

On Wednesday June 10, Ephemera heads to Klub Palladium for Cabaret Voltaire, the legendary industrial/new wave group celebrating 50 years of existence. Chris Watson and Stephen Mallinder return to the stage for a final tour under the moniker, marking the final chapter of this iconic band. Opening is Polish artist and musician Olga Anna Markowska. Tickets available here.

Dance and performance remain central to Ephemera. This year, the Zurich-based collective Young Boy Dancing Group will make their long-awaited Polish debut, presenting a raw, intimate performance that uses structured improvisation to explore the materiality of bodies, queerness and sexuality. Celebrated Warsaw-based choreographer and dancer Wojciech Grudziński is also part of the program – details of his performance coming in the next announcement.

2K88 continues his collaboration with British artists Lauren Duffus, Rainy Miller and Bianca Scout, returning to Ephemera after delivering one of the most acclaimed performances at last year's Unsound. Ephemera will also host the Polish premiere of Microplastics, the UK underground supergroup formed by aya, Jennifer Walton and 96 Back.

Continuing another Ephemera tradition, we’re again teaming up with KEM Collective’s Dragana Bar for a clubnight. The evening will include DJ sets by Stockholm’s Oli XL – whose Warp debut Lick the Lens Pt. 1 arrived last year – and Colombia-born Mexico-based Rosa Pistola, alongside Warsaw’s dj neurospicy. As always, Dragana Bar will present performances during the night, with additional artists to be announced.

This year Ephemera invited Katarzyna Wyszkowska to collaborate on the festival’s visual identity. Her multilayered painting serves as the event’s key artwork: a multiverse-like composition filled with small gestures, fragments of scenes, and multiplied portraits that reflect on looking, being seen, and the ongoing performance of the self. Wyszkowska’s painting is used courtesy of the Import Export.

Until our next announcement, follow the last news on Instagram and Facebook, and see you on the other side of spring!