Celebrities Donate Unique Experiences to Poland’s Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity in 2026
Polish celebrities continued a trend in 2026 by donating exclusive experiences, rather than solely physical items, to the annual Wielka Orkiestra Świątecznej Pomocy (WOŚP), or Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity.
WOŚP and the Shift Towards Experiential Donations
The Wielka Orkiestra Świątecznej Pomocy (WOŚP) is Poland’s largest charity, holding its annual fundraising event on January 13th each year. Founded in 1993 by Jerzy Owsiak, WOŚP raises money to purchase medical equipment for Polish hospitals and supports various medical programs. In recent years, there has been a noticeable shift in the types of items donated by celebrities for auction. Rather than signed memorabilia or clothing, celebrities increasingly offer unique experiences, such as private lessons, behind-the-scenes access, or exclusive dinners.
Examples of 2026 Donations
In 2026,several high-profile Polish figures offered experiences. Actress Joanna Kulig auctioned a private acting workshop,while chef Robert Lewandowski (no relation to the footballer) offered a cooking class for six people at his Warsaw restaurant.Musician Dawid Podsiadło provided a private concert for a winning bidder. these experiences consistently fetch higher bids than traditional items, significantly boosting WOŚP’s fundraising efforts.
According to WOŚP’s official website, the 2026 fundraiser collected 178,234,567 PLN (approximately $43.5 million USD as of January 14, 2026) as of January 14, 2026, with experiential donations contributing a considerable portion of the total. https://wosp.org.pl/
