Jarosław Fret is a director, actor, Director of the Grotowski Institute, and founder and artistic leader of Theatre ZAR. Between 1999 and 2002, he undertook research expeditions to Georgia, Armenia and Iran, exploring the oldest forms of music in the Christian churches of the East. In subsequent years, together with members of Theatre ZAR, he organised research expeditions to Mount Athos, Sardinia, Corsica, Armenia, Turkey and Israel.
Together with Theatre ZAR, he received the title Best New Music Theater from the Los Angeles Times (2009) and the Wrocław Theatre Award (2010) for the trilogy Gospels of Childhood, which was presented at venues across Europe, Asia and the United States. His production Caesar’s Cut. Attempts on Suicide received the Total Theatre Award and the Herald Angel Award at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2012. He is also the creator of Armine, Sister (2013) and Medee. On Crossing (2016). Since 2021, he has collaborated with Monika Wachowicz as part of the creative duo Studio WACHOWICZ/FRET, whose work explores the interplay between theatre and performance art. In 2024, their performance T H E B O R D E R / G R A N I C A received the Fringe First Award at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. As Director of the Grotowski Institute, Fret has conceived and coordinated numerous international projects, including UNESCO’s Grotowski Year 2009, the Masters in Residence programme, and the 2016 Wrocław Theatre Olympics. He also served as Theatre Curator for Wrocław European Capital of Culture 2016. He lectures and leads workshops in Poland and abroad. He is a board member of the International Association of Theatre Leaders. In 2022, he was awarded the Bronze Medal for Merit to Culture – Gloria Artis.