event-factory krakow will undertake the production of an enormous event under the working title „Strike” which will commemorate the 30-th anniversary of the August agreements. The event will be staged at the postindustrial facilities of the former Warsaw Steelworks. The mass event will probably be organized in the old ArcelorMittal Warsaw drawing mill. The libretto for the musical has been written by Maryna Miklaszewska – co-author of the lyrics to the cult Polish musical „Metro”, the music itself has been composed by Michał Lorenc. The show will be directed by Jarosław Staniek and Jerzy Jan Połoński. Staniek will also prepare the choreography for the event.

The organization of the Warsaw festivities commemorating the 30-th anniversary of Solidarity was entrusted to event-factory by the European Solidarity Center in Gdańsk, headed by father Maciej Zięba.

Event-factory was chosen to organize the show in part due to our unique experience in producing and organizing mass events such as those produced as part of the Sacrum Profanum festival, which we co-created and co-initiated, which took place in the postindustrial facilities of the former Lenin Steelworks in Cracow.

The Warsaw Steelworks ( currently ArcelorMittal Warszawa) is a place which played a major role in the history of the solidarity movement. It is here that father Jerzy Popiełuszko conducted his first masses for the striking steel workers. That’s why ECS chose the Warsaw Steelworks.

The event is to be the culmination of the Warsaw festivities commemorating the anniversary of August 1980. It will be attended by the highest government officials, including President Bronisław Komorowski as well as representatives of the city magistrate with the president of Warsaw Mrs. Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz.

Currently we are carrying out construction and technological studies to ascertain the feasibility of producing a musical at the ArcelorMittal Warsaw facility. We are also in contact with local administration officials in order to receive all the necessary permits for organizing a mass event at a steelworks plant. The matter is complicated by the fact that this is the first such initiative in Warsaw. It is necessary to carry out construction and technological studies which would confirm the possibility of using the facility’s roof as a support for light and sound elements as well as elements of the scenography. A vibro-acoustic study will also be conducted in order to check the effect of sound waves on the building’s structure.

The drawing mill is truly impressive, as it is over 400m long and almost 100m wide, that is the area of almost 6 football fields! Due to the character of the structure and it’s industrial character we have to transform it into an entertainment venue practically from scratch. An amphitheater audience will be built based on a scaffolding system, access and exit paths as well as emergency exits will be prepared. We must also install emergency and evacuation lights. Probably, due to the building’s sheer size we will not be erecting a real stage – the stage will be organized on the floor of the building, which will be appropriately modified with the use of special effect lights, large format multimedia displays and pyrotechnics. Elements of the steelwork’s „equipment” will also be used as elements of the scenography. Those include diggers, cranes and other heavy equipment which will help create a realistic and monumental setting for the musical.

We have a long road before us, but we already know it is worth the journey, because the greater the challenge the more interesting the outcome. We hope the Strike show will be memorable and proves to local authorities and sponsors that the organization of such events, musicals and shows outside theater walls is a very good idea for unconventional art. Such productions and events should be organized in such a city as Warsaw more often.