Jarosław Fret

is a founder and leader of Teatr ZAR, theatre director and actor. He is Director of the Grotowski Institute. He was a lecturer at the PWST National Academy of Theatre Arts in Kraków (Branch in Wrocław) and President of the Board of Curators of the European Capital of Culture Wrocław 2016 and Curator of its Theatre Programme. In 1999–2002, he organised a series of expeditions to Georgia, Armenia and Iran, conducting research into the oldest forms of religious music of Eastern Christianity. In the following years, together with members of Teatr ZAR, he led expeditions to Mount Athos in Greece, Sardinia, Corsica, Armenia, Turkey and Israel. He has directed four Teatr ZAR’s all performance pieces, which have been presented worldwide. In November 2013, he completed work on Armine, Sister, for which he developed an original musical dramaturgy and special stage architecture. Jarosław Fret lectures and leads work sessions in Poland and abroad. His awards and honours include: Best New Music Theater for Teatr ZAR from Los Angeles Times (2009); Wrocław Theatre Prize for the Gospels of Childhood triptych (2010); the prestigious Total Theatre Award for Physical/Visual Theatre and the Herald Angel at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival (2012). He has originated and coordinated numerous Polish and international projects of the Grotowski Institute, including the UNESCO celebrated Grotowski Year 2009, and as a member of the International Committee of Theatre Olympics: The World as a Place of Truth  2016 Theatre Olympics in Wrocław. His efforts led to the opening in 2010 of Na Grobli Studio, a new venue of the Grotowski Institute. Currently he is working on opening a new artistic venue the Bakery Centre for Performing Arts in Wrocław.