Led by The Friends of Polish Art of Detroit in 1948, twelve other organizations including The Polish University Club of Los Angeles; The Polish Arts Club of Chicago; The Paderewski Club of Michigan City, Indiana; The Polish Fine Arts Club of South Bend Indiana; The Friends of Polish Culture in Boston; Sarmatia Universal, Boston, New Bedford, and New York; Polanie Club of Minneapolis-St. Paul; Club Polonaise of Passaic, NJ; The Polish Arts Club of Newark; The Polish Arts Club of Buffalo; The Polish Arts Club of Youngstown; and The Polish Arts League of Pittsburgh founded the ACPC. The oldest affiliated organization, the Polish Arts Club of Chicago, was established in 1926.
The founders realized a need and understood the benefits that can come from unity, sharing, and camaraderie. Their motivation was solidarity. Due to their foresight and leadership, today the ACPC has tripled in size, still adhering to the initial vision and mission, and continues to expand. The Council’s member organizations persist in furthering the awareness of Polish culture, history, and traditions. All share a deep pride and passion for their Polish roots.
We are an ‘umbrella’ organization that brings together numerous Polonia organizations whose individual missions are Polish culture and history-focused. Please click on each member organization’s name on the organizations tab to visit their respective websites.
Polish Heritage, our newsletter on cultural and historic subjects of interest as well as reports on the current activities of the ACPC and its member organizations, is published tri-annually. Please click on the newsletters under the “NEWS” tab to view the present and past issues.
The Council meets each year in a convention, its signature event, at sites around the country, usually sponsored by one of its member organizations. Please click on the conventions tab to learn more about our convention history and the upcoming convention.
View historical national project highlights by clicking on projects under the “ABOUT” tab. The ACPC is always alert for new national-level project opportunities.
From the beginning, competitions and scholarships have been a central feature of the Council.
Zapraszamy! Witamy Was! Unification continues to proceed…and we invite other like-minded Polish American organizations to bond with us. The Council also welcomes individual members which now total over 250 in number.
“Unity is strength…when there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved.” – American poet Mattie Stepanek
As an old Polish proverb says…
“Zgoda buduje, niezgoda rujnuje.”
“Unity builds, division ruins”
Status
The American Council for Polish Culture was incorporated in the State of Illinois as a non-profit corporation in 1948. The Council holds a tax-exempt status with the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) charitable and educational entity.
