The 7th edition of the festival, and the first under the banner of East of Culture took place from July 8 to 13, 2014.

We hear 26 zespołów from all over the world, including: Goldfrapp | GBR – one of the biggest stars of the global club and electronic scene, founded in 1999 by Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory Asian Dub Foundation | GBR – one of the legends of the world music, reggae, and bhangra scene; The Tiger Lillies (GBR) – A musically colorful blend of pre-war German cabaret, gypsy music, classical sounds, and the songwriting style of Weill, Brecht, and Brel Yat-Kha (The Republic of Tyva,), fusing traditional throat singing from their culture with the heavy guitar sound of punk rock and hardcore.

We also encountered Big Lao Che Band (POL/BLR), a project conceived and produced specifically for the East of Culture – Different Sounds Festival. The outstanding Polish group Lao Che, enriched by an exceptional brass section and unique guests, including Yegor Zabelov (accordion) and Sviatlana “Bieńka” Bien (vocals) from Minsk; Serebryanaya Svadba (Silver Wedding) (Belarus) – the greatest hope of the Belarusian independent scene, led by Sviatlana “Bieńka” Bien, a group from Minsk, combining in an amazing whole, among others, French cabaret song, Eastern folklore, a big band orchestra with a touch of ska and jazz, and the latest multimedia. Kilogram Records – the label of Ola and Mikołaj Trzaska
– also presented its achievements in the form of concerts, workshops and meetings with artists
East of Culture – Different Sounds is more than just music. The festival consists of 10 modules, creating a coherent yet highly diverse programme: “Orient Station” is a project that brings closer to the public lesser-known artists from beyond our eastern border. Cinema lovers were treated to the “Move East Movie” outdoor screening series, which presents films from selected Eastern European countries. The premiere edition was dedicated to Georgian cinema. The festival also delved into the visual arts. Street photography enthusiasts were treated to “Eastreet vol.2,” while “Armenian Ark” offered a breathtaking panorama of contemporary Armenian art. Adding to the festival’s vibrancy was the inauguration of the international residency project, “Social Art Lab.” For those seeking intellectual engagement, “Wschodni Express” provided a platform for meetings and debates with writers, artists, and intellectuals from Eastern European countries, with a particular focus on Ukraine. Throughout the festival, a vibrant book club and reading room buzzed with activity, offering a treasure trove of publications from Eastern Partnership countries, Russia, and Poland, all dedicated to exploring the rich tapestry of contemporary culture and art. For the youngest, we crafted “Little Different Sounds,” a delightful series of workshops tailored especially for their enjoyment. And for all ages, we presented “Eastern Tales” a captivating journey through dramatised folk tales, legends, and lore from the Eastern Partnership countries.