Born in Lublin, Poland, she is a graduate of the Department of Multimedia Communication at the Academy of Fine Arts in Poznań. In 2003 she defended her MA diploma specialising in animated film. (2011 – PhD at MCSU in Lublin, 2019 – habilitation at AAD in Wroclaw, 2019 – title of professor PJAIT in PJAIT in Warsaw). Joanna Polak is a director of more than 100 animated films of which more than 30 were made with and for children. Her animations, video installations, photographs, sculptures and paintings were presented at more than 800 exhibitions and festivals in Europe, Australia, Africa, USA, South America and Asia, as well as at various TV channels in Europe, China and USA. The artist won 62 awards and distinctions worldwide.