In the old days, each coalmine used to have its own orchestra. Music was played both during formal events and in parks and neighbourhood squares, making life pleasant for the miners on their days off. After the mining industry was restructured in the early 1990s, many of the coalmines were compelled to let go of their orchestras. The orchestra of KWK Halemba used once to be a favourite of Edward Gierek, the leader of the communist party in the period 1970-1980. In 2007, the orchestra was faced with a dilemma. Kompania Weglowa, the corporation that used to financially support the miners' orchestras, found no money for it in the forthcoming budget. The orchestras were supposed to reinvent themselves as associations or corporations, and become self-sustainable. Eventually, these plans were dropped. However, Barborka 2007 might have been the last miners' holiday to have a real miners' orchestra play its tunes.