The cultural traditions of Polish Słupsk date back to the first weeks after the end of the military operations on the area. One of the first cultural institutions founded in July 1945 in Słupsk, still ruled by the Soviets, was the semi-professional Polish Theatre. At the same time, the city library was launched, and two months later – the city museum, later transformed into the Museum of Central Pomerania. For the first two decades after the war, its main building was in Nowa Brama, today an exquisite castle complex. The highlight of the museum is the world’s biggest collection of works by Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz, or Witkacy..

The city’s cultural offer became more and more comprehensive each year, with new cultural posts and institutions appearing on the scene. For forty years, there has been the world class Polish Pianist Festival, attracting the most eminent pianists and music fans. The celebrities are accompanied by the Polish Philharmonic “Sinfonia Baltica” which does not need to be advertised. Its album recorded in cooperation with the american saxophonist Greg Banaszak several years ago was even nominated for Grammy, a musical equivalent of what an Oscar is for the film industry.

For over 60 years Słupsk have boasted a Puppet Theatre “Tęcza” which is the winner of numerous prizes at Polish and international theatre festivals as well as the organiser of such events.

Equally acknowledged at home and in Europe is the 35-year-old amateur theatre Rondo. It used to be compared (although it is different) to the famous New York Bread and Puppet Theater for its innovative open air spectacles, among others. Another activity of “Rondo” is the organisaton of important, rather private theatrical events such as “Witkacy pod strzechy” or “Urodziny czy imieniny Stasia (Witkacego)” devoted to Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz*. For a number of years, the Theater Association elected “Rondo” as the organiser of the General Show of the Winners of the National Recitation Contest.

The extensive repertoire of the Nowy Theatre, which was brought back to life after 13 years of absence, involves spectacles that will please the most fastidious audience, from the farce such as “Out of Order” and “Vengeance”, to ancient tragedies, the sensational “Fiddler on the Roof” or the monumental “Amadeus” by Peter Schafer performed in the open air in front of the city hall in Słupsk.

Each year, the best Polish woman artists take part in Women’s Art Encounters, and the festival is so highly esteemed that soon it will not be necessary to talk anyone into joining it. Similar attention is paid to the Komeda Jazz Festival, international theatre festivals of the European Union nations, and many many other periodic and occasional events.

Słupsk offers many culture and sports events every month. In the summer they are mostly large-scale events with the likes of such stars as Maryla Rodowicz, Zbigniew Wodecki, Blue Cafe, Kombii, Feel and many others, some also popular throughout Europe like Scooter, InGrid or Kate Ryan. Each Sunday at the castle complex Rynek Rybacki is devoted to the famous Griffins Fair that always attracts countless crowds of Słupsk residents and tourists.