Marcin Pączkowski is a composer, conductor, digital artist, and performer working with both traditional and electronic media. Born and raised in Poland, he earned Master’s degrees in both Music Composition and Symphony and Opera Conducting from the Academy of Music in Kraków. He subsequently earned a Ph.D. in Digital Arts and Experimental Media (DXARTS) from the University of Washington. Dr. Pączkowski serves as the Music Director for the Polish Choir Vivat Musica in Seattle and

Last week we presented the Seattle‑Gdynia Sister City Association and the organizer of the Seattle Polish Film Festival. Today, we continue our series by introducing another important institution shaping our local Polish community: the Polish American Chamber of Commerce Pacific Northwest (PACCPNW).

Founded in 2012 by a group of local entrepreneurs and volunteers, PACCPNW has become a key resource for Polish businesses exploring opportunities in the United States. Over the years, the Chamber has hosted numerous government and business delegations from Poland and has served as a primary point of contact for companies seeking to enter the U.S. market.

Since 2016, PACCPNW has also partnered with the Indie Games Poland Foundation to support Polish video game studios exhibiting at PAX West—the largest video game trade show in the United States and one of the biggest in the world. This collaboration has helped showcase Poland’s rapidly growing gaming industry and has opened doors for many emerging studios.

More information about the Chamber, its mission, and its programs is available on its website.

The Polish American Chamber of Commerce Pacific Northwest (PACCPNW) is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit business and professional organization dedicated to promoting Polish‑American industry, entrepreneurship, and innovation. The Chamber works to build strong, lasting bridges between Polish and American enterprises and enhances the economic vitality of its members through networking, mentoring, and education. PACCPNW collaborates with academia, NGOs, government agencies, and a wide range of industries across the Pacific Northwest, throughout the United States, and internationally. Through

The Seattle Polish Film Festival has announced the winner of its 2026 Poster Competition — Everett Goodyear, a Vancouver‑based screenwriter and graduate student in Cinema and Media Studies at the University of British Columbia. His bold, cinematic design was selected from 59 submissions, reflecting one of the strongest and most diverse pools of entries the festival has seen in recent years.

Festival organizers expressed gratitude to all participating artists, noting that the quality of this year’s submissions made the selection process both exciting and challenging. They emphasized that they “wish [they] could use all of the amazing designs” and encouraged artists to return with new work next year.