This festival united creative people of Kherson with the idea of art-revitalization of former industrial territories, located in the city centre. 24 artists from Kherson, Odessa, Mykolaiv, Kyiv created their art-works in Urban Garden since April to June 2019. Graffiti, street-art, photo gallery, collages transformed former industrial territory of machine-building plant into the real centre of creativity. 

 

This year territory of former factory was opened for visitors on May15 with special guided tour of art-curator Olena Afanasieva. Evening program included music and video-art. Over 800 inhabitants of the city visited Urban Garden this day, however after official opening artists continued their work, and visitors have possibility to see them in the process of work, talk to them, help them or join creative activities.

During Urban ART festival  28 public events were organized in the space of Urban Garden – musical concerts, master-classes for children, art exhibitions, literary quests, etc. For example, together with First Kherson cinema school and Centralized library system of Kherson opened master-class «Urban cartoon» was organised for children and youth. June 17, 2019 the first in the city outdoor Art Gallery in revitalised post-industrial space of former factory was opened.

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Due to support of the owner of the factory we got possibility to create installations of metal details, which factory gave us for free. Now Urban Carden is decorated by real creation of steampunk, which reminds the model of locomobile kept in regional museum. This model was made by Kherson master in 1909, and that year machine-building factory started to produce such machines. By this way we add interesting historical method to our conception of revitalisation of the space.

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Festival Urban ART attracted over 8 thousand visitors. Over 100 volunteers helped us! Almost all participants and guests recognized the results of the festival: due to work of artists abandoned industrial territory became attractive and comfort for townspeople.

Welcome to Kherson and Urban Garden!  

 

The project is realized with support of the program Culture Bridges. It is financed by European Union, supports development of professionals in Ukrainian cultural and creative sectors and assist to their collaboration with organizations and individuals in EU.