The mass influx of Poles to the United Kingdom since the European Union broadened its reach in 2004 is well documented. According to recent statistics, there are around 100,000 Polish nationals in Scotland, with a third of them in Edinburgh alone. The Polish community in the Scottish capital has even brought comparisons to Chicago – probably the most Polish city outside Poland. Over recent months, a creative synergy has emerged amongst Poles in Edinburgh.
Polish Art Scotland (PAS), a community-based organisation supporting Polish artists living and working in Scotland, was founded in October 2006. It was the brainchild of Gemma Bentley and Nathaniel Clark, both having recently graduated in Art History at the University of Edinburgh. Impressed with the depth and quality of Eastern European art, they set out to expose it to the Edinburgh public.
