Xmas Songwriting Workshop & Carol Singing

Part of Thursday Gathering – Christmas Edition, by Venture Cafe Foundation Warsaw

• Location: CIC Warsaw, Hall 1, Chmielna 73

• Time: 18:00–20:00 (2 hours)

• Language: [EN] / [PL elements during carol singing]

As part of the Thursday Gathering Christmas Party, Venture Cafe Foundation Warsaw, invites you to step away from pitch decks and panels and into something far more human: creating music together.

Thursday Gathering is a globally recognized weekly community format powered by Venture Cafe Foundation, connecting entrepreneurs, creatives, investors, and innovators in an open, inclusive environment. Each week, the Gathering transforms CIC Warsaw into a shared space for ideas, conversations, and unexpected collaborations. The Christmas edition leans into what this format does best: bringing people together around shared experiences, not just professional titles.

This year’s festive highlight is the Xmas Songwriting Workshop & Carol Singing, a warm, informal session designed to replace passive listening with active creation. If you’ve had enough of endlessly replayed holiday hits and are curious what it feels like to write a Christmas song yourself, this is your moment.

About the Workshop

Led by songwriter and producer Jelia, the workshop invites participants to explore the basics of songwriting in a relaxed, welcoming setting. No formal music education is required. The session introduces simple techniques of lyric writing and melody creation, followed by a collaborative songwriting process, where attendees co-create an original Christmas song together.

But the evening doesn’t stop there.

In a nod to a deep local tradition, the workshop naturally flows into communal carol singing. Poland has a strong culture of gathering around music during the holidays, and this session embraces it fully, bringing together songs created during the workshop alongside well-known Polish and international Christmas carols. It’s an intimate, joyful way to close the year: voices together, differences aside.

Agenda

• Live music on entry – 15 minutes

• Songwriting techniques & creative warm-up – 30 minutes

• Collaborative songwriting workshop – 45 minutes

• Carol choir: singing together – 30 minutes

About the Host

Jelia is an artist, songwriter, and music producer with an international career bridging independent artistry and mainstream media. She was nominated for the Youth Music Awards 2022 for her debut single “each time you fall” and for the Adobe Edge Awards 2023 for her “500 days” music video. Her work has been featured on Netflix (Love Is Blind), BBC One, and TV productions in the UK and USA.

Jelia has collaborated with industry figures such as DJ Ironik (producer for Elton John), Alysha, SAI (Ariana Grande credits), and Max Sarre, and performed at major venues and events including the 10th Anniversary of the Commonwealth Games, BIMM Hot Top 10 at Bush Hall, and The Great Escape Festival for Amazon Music.

She holds a BA in Songwriting from BIMM University London, has participated in leading songwriting camps such as Hype & Genius, Amplify Her, SongTeller Camp, and MT LGBTQ+ Camp, and later completed Sound Engineering Training at Start Small Studios. Beyond her artistic work, Jelia is actively engaged in building a more inclusive music industry. She is a Greenhouse Enterprise awardee for her work increasing female participation in music technology and currently leads the Producers’ Group at SoulGirl Collective.

Why Attend

This session is not about performance, it’s about participation. It’s for people who want to connect beyond business cards, create something together, and end the year with shared laughter, music, and genuine human energy. Whether you come alone or with friends, you’ll leave having created, sung, and connected.

Xmas Songwriting Workshop & Carol Singing is a reminder that community is built not just through ideas, but through voices raised together.