This year’s edition of East of Culture- Different Sounds took place in Lublin from June 27 to 30, 2019. For the 12th time, Lublin has become a true capital of music . For the 6th time, the festival took place under the brand of East of Culture a project that also includes festivals in Rzeszów and Białystok. The aim of the project is to exchange experiences, promote artistic dialogue and integrate creative communities from Poland and countries from the Eastern Partnership, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year.

This year’s music programme was rich in both performances by world-renowned stars and presentations of the most interesting rising stars. Without a doubt, the first category includes Ministry – an icon of the American independent scene, Lee “Scratch” Perry – one of the most important figures in the world of reggae, and The Herbaliser – a true legend of the British jazz and EDM scene. The music programme of Different Sounds was completed by: the unique duo of Einstürzende Neubauten’s bassist Alexander Hacke and instrumentalist Danielle de Picciotto, the French dub star Brain Damage, iconic representatives of Polish punk rock- the band Dezerter, the British duo AK/DK with a mix of drums and synthesiser ,Wrekmeister Harmonies – pastoral doom from the USA, leading name in Polish electronic music – Aleksandra Grünholz as We Will Fail and representatives of the contemporary Israeli jazz scene – the trio Shalosh. A highlight of this year’s festival was the presentation of the Lithuanian music scene. Lublin audiences were treated to performances by Solo Ansamblis, Garbanotas, Sheep Got Waxed, Fume, and The Infiltrators. But the “Lithuanian Focus” module went beyond music. It encompassed a range of events in literature, cinema, and photography. This collaborative effort, prepared alongside the Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania in Poland, the Lithuanian Culture Institute, and with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania, celebrated the 450th anniversary of the Union of Lublin.

The festival extends its reach beyond the stage, offering a variety of non-musical experiences. This year, attendees could enjoy film screenings, explore exhibitions of photography and contemporary children’s illustrations, and even participate in artist development sessions for the music industry. Young festival-goers were treated to “Little Different Sounds,” a cycle of music workshops specifically tailored to their age group.

The program is further enriched by premieres and literary meetings centered around the Wschodni Express series. This year, their portfolio of Polish translations expands beyond new Ukrainian and Belarusian prose to include Lithuanian prose and a further six new titles. “Absolute Zero” by Artem Check (trans. Marek S.Zadura), “Frau Müller does not wish to pay more” by Natalka Śniadanko, “Wieczorne słońce” – by Vasyl Slapchuk (trans. Bohdan Zadura) “Obrazki litewskie” by Herkus Kunčius, Oleg Sentsov’s “Lives” and “VOROKHTARIUM: Literary Trialogue with Dialogue and Monologues by Oleksandr Boichenko, Orest Drul, Yurii Andrukhovych. Author meet-and-greet sessions featured discussions on the latest literature from beyond our eastern border and the responsibility of writers in conveying historical truth. The event included distinguished authors Kristina Sabaliauskaitė (Lithuania), Ola Hnatiuk (Poland), Natalka Śniadanko (Ukraine), Herkus Kunčius (Lithuania), Yuri Andrukhovych (Ukraine), and Marcin Wroński (Poland).