Editing Bielsko-Biała (section)

==Culture==
=== Cultural centres ===
The most important public institutions organising cultural life in the city are: Maria Koterbska Bielsko-Biała Cultural Centre (''Bielskie Centrum Kultury im. Marii Koterbskiej'', BCK), Regional Cultural Centre (''Regionalny Ośrodek Kultury'', ROK), Municipal House of Culture (''Miejski Dom Kultury'', MDK) made up of thirteen facilities including district culture centers including eight district cultural centres, Military Cultural Centre "Soldier's House" (''Wojskowy Ośrodek Kultury "Dom Żołnierza"'') and Cooperative Cultural Centre BEST (''Spółdzielczy Dom Kultury BEST'').

=== Theatres and cinemas ===
[[File:Polish Theatre in Bielsko-Biała, December 2020.jpg|thumb|Polish Theatre]]
[[Polish Theatre, Bielsko-Biała|Polish Theatre]] (''Teatr Polski'') is a drama theater that was established after World War II as a successor to the German ''Stadttheater Bielitz'', founded in 1890, and took over its historic building at 1 Maja Street. [[Banialuka Puppet Theatre]] (''Teatr Lalek Banialuka'') was founded in 1947 on the initiative of [[Jerzy Zitzman]] and [[Zenobiusz Zwolski]]. It is one of the leading institutions of its kind in Poland. In addition, numerous performances are staged at BCK cultural centre, and non-professional theater activities are conducted by the Bielsko-Biała Artistic Association ''Teatr Grodzki'', founded in 1999.
[[File:Bielsko-Biała, Studio Filmów Rysunkowych - Centrum Bajki i Animacji OKO, plac zewnętrzny i willa Rotha.jpg|thumb|Headquarters of the animation studio and the Interactive Centre of Fairy Tales and Animation in 2024]]
Bielsko-Biała is known as the city where ''[[Studio Filmów Rysunkowych]]'' (SFR)—one of five [[animation studio]]s established in post-war Poland—is headquartered. It has existed since 1947, and has produced such cartoons as ''[[Reksio]]'', ''[[Bolek and Lolek]]'', ''[[Margo the Mouse]]'' and a number of others. Among the most recent works is the series ''Kuba i Śruba'', filmed between 2011 and 2016. In 2024, the OKO Interactive Fairy Tale and Animation Centre (''Interaktywne Centrum Bajki i Animacji OKO'') was opened on the studio premises at 22-24 Cieszyńska Street, which serves as a museum and thematic entertainment and educational centre based on the SFR's heritage. The centre includes the Kreska cinema, the only arthouse cinema in the city. Apart from it, Bielsko-Biala has two [[Multiplex (movie theater)|multiplexes]]: ''Helios'' in the [[Sfera (mall)|Galeria Sfera]] shopping mall and ''Cinema City'' in the Gemini Park shopping mall.

=== Art galleries ===
[[File:Bielsko-Biała,_Galeria_Bielska_BWA_2.jpg|thumb|Main site of Galeria Bielska BWA]]
The largest [[art gallery]] is ''[[Galeria Bielska BWA]]''. It is a municipally owned institution founded in 1994 based on the transformation of the former Art Exhibition Bureau (''Biuro Wystaw Artystycznych''). It is located in the former Artists' Pavilion at 3 Maja Street, and since 2020 it has also had a second location in the historic Villa Sixt. There is a club café Aquarium at the main BWA site which hosts numerous cultural and social events.

Among private establishments, the Wzgórze Gallery, founded in 1987 by Franciszek Kukioła, and the Contemporary Art Gallery (''Galeria Sztuki Współczesnej''), the Ars Nova sculpture and ceramics studio, which has existed since 1991, and the Photography Gallery B&B, established in 1992 by [[Inez Baturo|Inez]] and [[Andrzej Baturo]], have the longest and most vibrant tradition.

=== Museums ===
[[File:Muzeum_Sułkowskich_-_niebieski_salonik.JPG|thumb|Interiors of the Historical Museum of Bielsko-Biała]]
The Historical Museum of Bielsko-Biała (''Muzeum Historyczne w Bielsku-Białej'') has its seat in the [[Bielsko-Biała Museum and Castle|Bielsko Castle]], where the permanent exhibition is divided into nine parts: "History of Bielsko-Biała and its surroundings" (historical and archaeological exhibition), "Biedermeier" or bourgeois salon of the second half of the 19th century, "Music salon", "Hall of ancient art", "Shooting gallery" (collection of weapons), "Gallery of European and Polish painting of the 19th and 20th century", "Gallery of portrait painting of the 19th and first half of the 20th century", "Gallery of graphics of the turn of the 19th and 20th century", "Gallery of contemporary art of the Bielsko-Biała region" (works of the second half of the 20th century with special emphasis on artists from the Beskid Group around Ignacy Bieniek). In addition, the museum has three branches:
* The Old Factory (''Stara Fabryka''): an exhibition dedicated to the history of Bielsko-Biała's industry with a collection of historical machines placed in the space of a former textile factory at Żwirki i Wigury Square
* [[Weaver's House Museum|The Weaver's House]] (''Dom Tkacza''): a reconstruction of the interior of a pre-industrial [[Weaving|weaver]]'s house and workshop in an 18th-century house at Sobieskiego Street in Górne Przedmieście district
* ''Fałatówka'': a museum dedicated to the life and work of [[Julian Fałat]] in a villa in [[Bystra, Bielsko County|Bystra Śląska]], where the artist lived from 1910 to 1929

There are several private museums in the city: the Automotive Museum (''Muzeum Motoryzacji'') with a small collection of old cars and other automotive exhibits made available by the Beskidy Car Club (''Automobilklub Beskidzki''), the Fiat 126p Museum with a collection of [[Fiat 126p]] cars produced since the 1970s at the [[Fabryka Samochodów Małolitrażowych|FSM factory]] in Bielsko-Biała run by Antoni Przychodzień, the Museum of Armored Weapons and Militaria (''Muzeum Broni Pancernej i Militariów'') with a collection of military vehicles collected since the 1980s by Rafał Bier, and the Museum of Minerals "Treasures of the Earth" (''Muzeum Minerałów "Skarby Ziemi"'') run by Piotr Kotula.
[[File:Bielsko-Biała,_Muzeum_Literatury_3.JPG|thumb|Handwritten copies of the ''[[The Promised Land (novel)|Promised Land]]'' at the Władysław Reymont Museum of Literature]]
At the end of 2023, the activities of the Władysław Reymont Museum of Literature (''Muzeum Literatury im. Władysława Reymonta''), which was run in an old town house at 1 Pankiewicza St. by Tadeusz Modrzejewski, who had devoted himself to transcribing the works of [[Władysław Reymont]] by hand since the 1980s, were suspended. The collection secured by ''Książnica Beskidzka'' is to be made available again after the renovation of the building.

=== Music ===
[[File:020211017 172851 Aqua, Bielsko-Biała.jpg|thumb|Cavatina Hall]]
In 2021, a modern concert hall named ''Cavatina Hall'', with philharmonic parameters, was put into operation.

There are several orchestras and musical ensembles affiliated to the Maria Koterbska Bielsko-Biała Cultural Centre: Bielsko-Biała Chamber Orchestra (''Bielska Orkiestra Kameralna''), Bielsko-Biała Brass Band (''Bielska Orkiestra Dęta''), Bielsko-Biała Chamber Choir (''Bielski Chór Kameralny''), Ave Sol youth choir, "Bielsko" Song and Dance Ensemble (''Zespół Pieśni i Tańca "Bielsko"'') and children's "Jarzębinki" Dance and Song Ensemble (''Zespół Tańca i Piosenki "Jarzębinki"''). In addition, the Telemann Orchestra (''Orkiestra im. Telemanna'') has been active in the city since 1993, aiming to promote [[early music]].

From Bielsko-Biała come musical bands such as [[Akurat]], [[Eye for an Eye (band)|Eye for an Eye]], [[Grupa Furmana]], [[Kapitan DA]], [[Newbreed]] and [[Psio Crew]].

=== Events ===
* Jazz Blizzard (''Bielska Zadymka Jazzowa''), an annual [[jazz music]] festival organized since 2002 by the Sztuka Teatr Association, headed by Jerzy Batycki. ''Zadymka'' is traditionally held (with the exception of the 2022 edition) in February or March using various stages in Bielsko-Biała (Teatr Polski, Klimat club, Cavatina Hall, outdoor concerts in the Market Square and others), as well as in [[Katowice]] and [[Zabrze]].
* Jazz Autumn (''Jazzowa Jesień''), an annual jazz music festival held since 2003 at the end of November or the beginning of December by BCK
* International Festival of Puppetry Art (''Międzynarodowy Festiwal Sztuki Lalkarskiej''), a theatre festival held every two years in May since 1966 by the Banialuka Puppet Theatre
* Bielsko Autumn (''Bielska Jesień''), a national painting competition held since 1962 (until 1995 as an annual event, since then as a [[biennale]]) in November and December by Galeria Bielska BWA
* Bielsko-Biała Festival of Visual Arts (''Bielski Festiwal Sztuk Wizualnych''), a visual arts competition for artists connected to the Bielsko-Biała region held every four years since 2007 in summer by Galeria Bielska BWA
* [[FotoArtFestival]], an international [[art photography]] biennale organized since 2005 in October by the Centre for Photography Foundation ([[Inez Baturo|Inez]] and [[Andrzej Baturo]])
* Henryk Górecki Festival of Polish Composers (''Festiwal Kompozytorów Polskich im. Henryka Góreckiego''), a [[classical music]] festival held annually since 1996 in October by BCK
* International Sacred Music Festival "Sacrum in Musica" (''Międzynarodowy Festiwal Sztuki Sakralnej "Sacrum in Musica"''), a [[religious music]] festival held annually since 2000 in April by BCK
* International Choir Festival "Gaude Cantem" (''Międzynarodowy Festiwal Chórów "Gaude Cantem"''), a choir competition held annually in October since 2005 by the Polish Association of Choirs and Orchestras in cooperation with ROK
* "Fermenty" Comedy Festival (''Festiwal Kabaretowy "Fermenty"''), a comedy festival organized annually in September since 1999 by the "Fermenty" Creative Group in cooperation with BCK and MDK
* Week of Beskid Culture (''Tydzień Kultury Beskidzkiej''), an international folklore festival held every year at the turn of July and August since 1964 by ROK, primarily in [[Wisła]], [[Szczyrk]], [[Oświęcim]], [[Żywiec]] and [[Maków Podhalański]], but some events take place also in Bielsko-Biała
* Beskidy Oldtimer Rally (''Beskidzki Rajd Pojazdów Zabytkowych''), an annual [[classic rally]] held in July since 1977 by the Beskidy Car Club (''Automobilklub Beskidzki''). The culmination of the event is the presentation of the cars at the Town Hall Square in Bielsko-Biała, followed by the "Parade of Elegance" through the streets.
* Days of Bielsko-Biała (''Dni Bielska-Białej''), a series of diverse cultural events held annually at the turn of August and September
* Summer with Culture (''Lato z Kulturą''), a series of weekend outdoor concerts during July and August