Every edition of the Focus Festival concentrates on a particular geographic location, be it a country, a city, or otherwise defined place in the world. Through a program of exhibitions, concerts, multimedia shows, film screenings and contemporary dance performances, the festival wants to give a panoramic view of all the most interesting phenomena originating in the region of its interest. After the previous editions devoted to the artistic avant-garde of Berlin and Finland, in January 2010 we will focus our attention on Switzerland. Old Brewery will host artists both well-known and highly appreciated by the Polish audience (Gilles Jobin with his latest spectacle Black Swan), as well as those whose work is influential not only in Switzerland but all over Europe, yet has never been displayed in our country.

As part of the Focus Switzerland, for the first time in Poland we will see one of the most important European performance artists La Ribot (with the action “Laughing Hole”, and a follow-up exhibition-installation, a show of the film by the artist) and renowned choreographer Marco Berrettini. The audience will have a chance also to participate in performance-concert of Zurich based collective Minimetal. The program is supplemented by a week-long workshop for choreographers from the former Eastern Block (Poland / Lithuania / Latvia / Estoinia / Czech Republic / Slovakia and Hungary) led by Jobin and La Ribot.

Festival will close on march 10th with an acoustic concert of the cult Swiss band The Young Gods – a long-awaited musical celebration for the band's faithful fans and our gift for all those who never had the opportunity to see the group live.

So you think you know Switzerland? – a wealthy land of chocolate and banks? Here is the chance to discover it again and look at Switzerland with the eyes of Swiss artists. FOCUS SWITZERLAND was curated by Gilles Jobin.