Foundation · Warsaw and Tharoiseau
We promote Polish culture, artists and entrepreneurs in France. We organise concerts, exhibitions, workshops and meetings that bring Poles and French people closer together. We work in Warsaw and in Burgundy, and hold our events at a château overlooking the hill of Vézelay.
About us
We make Polish art, language and traditions visible and alive in France. We support Poles living in France, introduce Polish artists to French audiences and help Polish companies connect with French partners.
For us, culture is also a way of helping others. We run art classes for children and young people, organise meetings for older people and work for those at risk of social exclusion.
We give special support to children from Polish-French families who are discovering the language and history of both countries. We bring Poles and French people together through shared art, food and conversation.
„Litwo! Ojczyzno moja! ty jesteś jak zdrowie:
Ile cię trzeba cenić, ten tylko się dowie,
Kto cię stracił.”
“Lithuania, my homeland! You are like good health: only those who have lost you know how much you are worth.”
Adam Mickiewicz, Pan Tadeusz, written in Paris (1834), our translation
What we do
The foundation’s goals are set out in its statute, but behind each of them there are people, meetings and places. We have grouped them into six areas in which we work, in France and in Poland. They share the belief that art, education and a shared table bring people closer together than borders keep them apart. We draw inspiration from the Vézelay valley, where pilgrims, artists and craftspeople from all over Europe have met for centuries. Each of our activities, from a concert to a cooking workshop, leaves a lasting mark of friendship between our two countries. In each of them we look for partners who share our sensibility.
We introduce Polish artists to French audiences.
We teach about Poland and talk about the future of Europe.
We bring together Poles living in France and their families.
We help Polish companies in the French market.
We get to know each other around a shared table.
Through art, we support those who need help.
„Lecz zaklinam – niech żywi nie tracą nadziei
I przed narodem niosą oświaty kaganiec.”
“But I implore you: let the living not lose hope, and carry the lamp of learning before the nation.”
Juliusz Słowacki, My Testament (1840), our translation
Where our events take place
All our events in France take place at Château de Tharoiseau, a family château in Burgundy overlooking the hill of Vézelay and its Romanesque basilica. Its salons, library and park remember fireside conversations and long summer evenings on the terrace.
Tharoiseau is a small village at the foot of Vézelay, among vineyards and fields. We hold concerts in the nearby basilica and work with local farms and winemakers. The château’s rooms are filled once again with music, with Polish and French voices, and with the scent of dishes cooked together.
Branch addressFundacja Pro Arte Futura Oddział Tharoiseau
37 Grande Rue, 89450 Tharoiseau, France
The salons host chamber concerts, lectures on the history of Polish art and open debates.
In the library we meet authors, read literature and listen to Polish reportage.
Snails or Polish pickles? We run Polish and French cooking workshops in the kitchen and invite you to shared dinners in the dining rooms.
In the park we meet in the open air and watch the sun set over Vézelay.
Photos: Château de Tharoiseau
Sacred art
The Romanesque Basilica of Sainte-Marie-Madeleine, built in the 12th century, overlooks the countryside around Tharoiseau. Together with the hill of Vézelay, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At sunset the pale stone of its facade turns the colour of honey, and inside there is a silence in which music and the spoken word sound beautifully. We hold concerts and meetings there in which Polish and French Christian traditions meet through art. The alternating light and dark stones of its arches inspired our logo. In such a place, Chopin’s music and Gregorian chant sound like a conversation between two close traditions.
Basilica photos: Benjamin Smith, Wikimedia Commons (1, 2, 3), licence CC BY-SA 4.0. Images resized.
„Gościu, siądź pod mym liściem, a odpoczni sobie!
Nie dojdzie cię tu słońce, przyrzekam ja tobie.”
“Guest, sit beneath my leaves and take your rest! The sun will not reach you here, I promise you.”
Jan Kochanowski, To the Linden Tree (1584), our translation
The surroundings
Vineyards, fields and forests stretch around Tharoiseau, and at dawn the Cure valley disappears into a milky mist. In spring the hillsides turn green with young vines, in summer the grain ripens, and in autumn the shrubs turn red with berries. This is where we show how bread and wine are made and meet the people who work this land. The rhythm of the seasons teaches a patience and attentiveness that also serve art, education and community life. Anyone who comes to Tharoiseau can slow down, breathe and rediscover the beauty of simple things: bread, wine and light.
„Bo piękno na to jest, by zachwycało
do pracy – praca, by się zmartwychwstało.”
“For beauty exists to inspire work, and work so that we may rise again.”
Cyprian Norwid, Promethidion (1851), our translation
First projects
The foundation has been active since July 2026. Our first events are in preparation, and we will announce their dates on this website. We are starting with gatherings that best capture the spirit of the foundation: cooking together, talking about literature and sharing music that brings generations together. We prepare every project with care and close to people, so that everyone goes home with new knowledge, new friendships and a little Burgundy light in their heart. Our events follow the rhythm of the seasons and the holidays celebrated in both countries, and participants help to shape the programme.
Food
We invite families to Polish and French cooking workshops. We cook together, compare flavours and swap recipes.
Culture
We meet a reportage writer and talk about how to tell French readers about Poland.
Art that helps
We run music and dance classes for older people and children. Together we sing, dance and read poetry.
„Mierz siłę na zamiary,
Nie zamiar podług sił.”
“Measure your strength by your aims, not your aims by your strength.”
Adam Mickiewicz, Ode to Youth (1820), our translation
Partners
We are looking for people and institutions who want to work with us on both sides of the border. Artists, companies, schools, local authorities and volunteers bring what we could not create alone: talent, knowledge, contacts and time. Together we can prepare a concert in the basilica, an exhibition in a château salon or a meeting of Polish and French entrepreneurs around one table. Every collaboration starts with a conversation, and we will welcome every proposal with joy. We particularly value ideas that connect generations and open culture to people who find it harder to reach.
Would you like to show your work in France? Tell us about your project.
Looking for partners in France, or want to support culture? Let’s talk about cooperation and sponsorship.
We invite cultural institutions, schools and local authorities from Poland and France to work with us.
Do you speak Polish and French, or have some spare time? Help us at our events.
Support us
The foundation is non-profit. All donations go to its statutory aims: cultural events, activities for children and older people, and help for those in need. Even a small donation can pay for materials for an art workshop, sheet music for a choir or an artist’s journey from Poland to Burgundy. With your support, Polish culture can resonate ever more fully in France. You can support us once or regularly, and every donation is used with care and transparency.
You can also help with your time, knowledge or contacts. Get in touch.
Contact
We will gladly answer any question about our events, partnerships, volunteering or supporting the foundation. We speak Polish, French and English. If you are planning a trip to Burgundy or have an idea for a project that connects our countries, write to us or give us a call. Every message is an invitation to a conversation, and the best meetings grow out of good conversations. If you would rather talk in person, we will gladly meet you in Warsaw or in Tharoiseau, over a cup of coffee with a view of the Burgundy hills.