Presented by journalist Antonio Martínez Asensio, the Instituto Polaco de Cultura launches Polska Podcast, a new audio space dedicated to sharing Polish culture in Spain through interviews, stories, literature, music, theater, art, film, and current cultural events. A monthly journey through Polish culture to hear Poland on iVoox, Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
There are many ways to travel without moving, but few as intimate as a voice that tells, asks, and connects Polish stories. With this idea, Polska Podcast was born, a new offering from the Instituto Polaco de Cultura that invites you to explore, once a month, the diverse landscapes of Polish culture… in Spanish, for and from Spain. Each episode will feature artists, writers, and cultural managers with ties to Poland and Spain.
The podcast, which premiered on March 27th, is presented and hosted by cultural journalist Antonio Martínez Asensio, a familiar voice to Cadena SER listeners from programs like Un libro una hora (A Book in an Hour) and Un autor en una hora (An Author in an Hour). While the setting changes, the intention remains the same: to continue exploring culture with curiosity, depth, and a personal touch.
Far from a rigid format, Polska Podcast is conceived as a dynamic space. Each episode, approximately one hour long, combines in-depth interviews, brief conversations, cultural recommendations, and short stories that connect Poland and Spain. Literature, music, film, art, and theater intertwine in a journey that seeks both to discover and to surprise.
The premiere episode perfectly captures the spirit of the project. María Ślebioda, director of the Instituto Polaco de Cultura, participates to explain the origins of this initiative, envisioned as a bridge between two cultural scenes -the Spanish and the Polish- that share more than meets the eye.
Contemporary art also makes an appearance, thanks to gallerist Elba Benítez, who is currently hosting the exhibition The Forgotten Ones by artist Mirosław Bałka in Madrid.
Literature, music, and film each have their own space in short segments: from the rediscovery of poet Anna Świrszczyńska -with the participation of her translator Teresa Casas Hernández- to a conversation with cellist Michał Dmochowski about the Paderewski Competition, or a commemoration of filmmaker Andrzej Wajda on his centenary with Joanna Bardzińska, director of the AVA Arts Foundation, the organization behind the Andrzej Wajda retrospective in Spain and Latin America.
Beyond the interviews, the podcast plays with discovery. In The Anecdotes, thanks to Ernest Kowalczyk, head of historical and linguistic projects at the Instituto Polaco de Cultura, little-known links between Poland and Spain are unearthed—some with an unexpected Iberian flavor. Meanwhile, in Did You Know He Was Polish?, Inma Flor, head of communication and institutional relations at the Instituto Polaco de Cultura, highlights universal figures whose identity surprises, such as Joseph Conrad.
One of the most unique moments comes with Crossed Voices, where Polish and Spanish converse in the reading of the same poem. In the first episode, Klaudia Tenoudji lends her voice in Polish to a text by Anna Świr, while Antonio Martínez Asensio interprets it in Spanish, creating a small shared space between languages.
The Poland on the Move section compiles some of the Polish cultural events in Spain: from the new Polish audio guide at the Prado Museum to exhibitions in Madrid and Barcelona, and the presence of Polish artists at festivals and literary gatherings.
The Instituto Polaco de Cultura in Madrid, under the auspices of the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has a simple yet inspiring objective: to bring Poland closer to the Spanish people and showcase all that our country has to offer—its history, its creativity, its talent, and its vibrant cultural life.
The Instituto Polaco de Cultura in Madrid expresses its desire to share a current, open, and diverse vision of Polish talent, aimed not only at professionals and experts but also at all audiences curious to discover new voices and perspectives.
This commitment was recently recognized with the Cultural Diplomacy Award at the inaugural edition of The Diplomat in Spain 2025 International Awards, held at the Gran Meliá Fénix Hotel in Madrid and presided over by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Global Affairs, Diego Martínez Belío.
