20TH INTERNATIONAL FOLK MEETINGS
ŻYWIEC, 5th - 8th AUGUST 2009

held during 46th Beskidy Highlanders' Week of Culture
Wisła, Szczyrk, Żywiec, Maków Podhalański, Oświęcim
1st - 9th August 2009

PROGRAMME

5th August - Wednesday - 6.00 p.m.
3.00 p.m. - ENSEMBLES' STREET PARADE
6.00 p.m. - concert
MAŁY HAŚNIK from Żabnica (out of competition)
BAČA from Valašské Meziříčí - CZECH REPUBLIC
LYKEIO HELLINIDON from Ioannina - GREECE
NÓGRÁD from Salgótarján - HUNGARY
GROJCOWIANIE from Wieprz - POLAND
BOLU ARMELÍT from Bolu - TURKEY
KEMEN DANTZA TALDEA from Irun - BASQUE COUNTRY
Guest of TKB: ĎUMBÍER - SLOVAKIA

6th August - Thursday - 6.00 p.m.
VATRA from Tlmače - SLOVAKIA
BUREVESTNIK from Kharkiv - UKRAINE
PELITA HARAPAN UNIVERSITY DANCE GROUP from Jakarta - INDONESIA
TUROPOLJE from Velika Gorica - CROATIA
SOKOŁOWIANIE from Sokołów Podlaski - POLAND
QUITUS from Quito - ECUADOR
Guest of TKB: JEDWABNO from Jedwabno - POLAND

7th August - Friday - 6.00 p.m.
LA ZJTE from Gravina in Puglia - ITALY
ILINDEN from Demir Hisar - FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA
LIKSME from Riga - LATVIA
FLORI DE MAI from Reşiţa - ROMANIA
TANEW from Biłgoraj - POLAND
GRUPO DE DANZAS FOLKLÓRICAS CARMEN LÓPEZ from Santiago de Cali - COLOMBIA
Guest of TKB: VULKANLAND - AUSTRIA

8th August - Saturday - 6.00 p.m.
FINAL CONCERT OF THE 20th INTERNATIONAL FOLK MEETINGS
- presentations given by all participating groups
- awarding the prizes to the laureates
- fireworks

REGULATIONS
OF 20TH INTERNATIONAL FOLK MEETINGS
ŻYWIEC, 5th - 8th AUGUST 2009

§ 1
The International Folk Meeting (IFM) are a presentation of amateur folk groups coming from a certain region of a certain country with the use of traditional rituals, connected with rites, family and annual customs, etc.
IFM aim at cultivating and popularising the richness of folk culture of various countries through folk groups presenting the most valuable and authentic cultural heritage of various nations and to start co-operation and exchange knowledge among Polish and foreign groups.

§ 2
Groups cultivating folk traditions of a certain region of one's country are allowed to take part in IFM. It is required for the songs, music and dance to be presented in their traditional style and to be combined with ritual, custom, work and play. The character of the performance must, in natural way, function in traditional, local culture. The reconstruction of costumes, instruments, songs, rituals and rites in countries where there is no living folklore is allowed.

§ 3
There are 12 foreign groups participating (invited by the CIOFF - Polish Section or the Regional Culture Centre in Bielsko-Biała). Also there are 3 Polish groups; one chosen by the Regional Culture Centre in Bielsko-Biała and two by CIOFF - Polish Section.

§ 4
The International Artistic Council will judge all performances. It will grant awards for the best groups for certain elements of the performances such as: authentic and exact dancing, pure and real singing appropriate for a certain region, exact presentation, authentic and appropriate for a certain region, music and other, defined by the Artistic Council, elements of the performance. The Artistic Council may grant a Grand Prix to one group for its performance as a whole. All groups will receive honorary diplomas of participation.

§ 5
The International Artistic Council will judge the groups according to the following criteria:
- the purity and level of the presentation of traditional folk culture as well as the ability to present it on the stage
- the choice of programme, its variety and fidelity in the presentation of rituals and rites
- traditional costume or its exact reconstruction appropriate to the performance (including age and social status of the performers)
- the choice of instruments appropriate to the traditions of a certain region (playback and electronic instruments are out of the question)
- authenticity of basic elements and choreotechnics and folk choreography.

§ 6
Professional groups, children groups and those using playback are not allowed in International Folk Meetings.

§ 7
Groups, which have taken part in previous IFM are obliged to present a new programme.

§ 8
The organisers oblige all the groups to take part in the opening and closing ceremonies of IFM as well as in street parades. The groups are also obliged (should need be) to perform twice a day.

§ 9
The length of the performance: 40 minutes. The size of the group (including drivers): up to 35 people.

§ 10
The foreign groups invited by the organisers will be granted accommodation and food.

§ 11
Groups from European countries are obliged to come to Poland by bus. The organisers will grant petrol to cover travelling within Poland during the festival but in the amount not bigger than 300 litres.
The organisers will provide a means of transport (a bus) to group flying to Poland from other continents. The groups are obliged to arrange the return flights bookings themselves.

§ 12
The organisers do not cover the expenses of travelling to Poland and potential costs connected with the crossing of the Polish border. They do not cover the costs of break downs and technical repairs of the buses, either.

§ 13
The organisers of provide food and accommodation and partial covering of costs of transport to Polish groups. Groups from Bielsko-Biała, Cieszyn, Oświęcim, Sucha Beskidzka and Żywiec regions will be granted transport and money for food.

§ 14
The participants of IFM are obliged to bring insurance policy (covering cost of illnesses and accidents) from their country of origin. The organisers do not cover any costs of illnesses or accidents.

§ 15
The organisers reserve the right to take photographs, record the music, to film to record on video the performances in order to file and promote the Beskidy Highlanders' Week of Culture and International Folk Meetings. For using this material the performers are not entitled to be paid. The organisers do not cover any expenses connected with the rights of the authors.

§ 16
All groups are obliged to send the carefully filled in forms and the video cassettes, DVD and folders, photos etc. before 15/03/2009.
Filled in forms of participation in the International Folk Meetings are to be sent to:

Biuro Organizacyjne
Międzynarodowych Spotkań Folklorystycznych
Regionalny Ośrodek Kultury
street: 1 Maja No. 8
43-300 Bielsko-Biała
POLAND
tel. (+48) 33-812-52-76, fax (+48) 33-812-33-33
e-mail: tkb@rok.bielsko.pl

§ 17
The final interpretation of the regulations depends on the organisers. The Organising Bureau of the International Folk Meetings before 15/05/2009 will make the final decision about the participation of the group in IFM.