The Bytom Vocal Collective is a group of nearly 30 women from the Upper Silesian-Zagłębie Metropolis who have been exploring the art of traditional singing from Poland and Ukraine together for over four years. In everyday life, they differ in almost every way – profession, interests, age, experience, musical ability, and temperament. On stage, they are united by their harmonious sound.

The collective draws inspiration from the tradition of Upper Silesian choirs and singing societies, while also symbolically paying tribute to the displaced people and settlers from Central and Eastern Europe who made Upper Silesia their home.

Their concerts are an invitation to engage with the multicultural history of the region, to understand the context and connections to the traditions of today’s Ukraine. They also serve as a platform for dialogue across generations and a way to explore questions of identity.

The group has produced four large-scale performances on the stages of Rozbark Theatre in Bytom, the S. Wyspiański Silesian Theatre in Katowice, and the Bytom Cultural Centre: All My Hopes. A Concert of Traditional Songs from Polesia (2021), WE CALL TO THE SPIRITS / we sing to you (2022), TWILIGHTS/DAWNS (2023), and In Beautiful Town Bytom. A Birthday Concert for the Residents with Power of Winds – Concert Wind Orchestra (2024).

These performances were met with great acclaim from audiences and helped build the group’s brand. As a result, they’ve received numerous invitations to perform in cities across and beyond the Upper Silesian-Zagłębie Metropolis. The collective is also part of the Post-Industrial Entertainment Orchestra Radio Hoym, with which they performed during the European Barbórka Festival at the Historic Ignacy Mine in Rybnik in December 2024.

The Bytom Vocal Collective is an original project by Marlena Hermanowicz, launched in 2021 thanks to a grant from the Mayor of Bytom for individuals working in artistic creation and promoting culture in the field of intangible heritage [folklore and tradition].