Rights Must Take Flight

Header Image: Amy, Kate and Anton

Kanturk Culture Night Event To Showcase Collaboration Of Artists With Disabilities and Kanturk Community Artlink

About Us!

We are a family of two visual artists, Antanas (Anton) Rusinovas and Jekaterina (Kate) Rusinova. In 2010 we came with our kids from Lithuania to live and work in Ireland. Antanas has studied IT and Electronics and has held a keen interest within the art sphere as a photographer. Ever since arriving, they discovered the community of Art Link which piqued a great interest in creating sculptures/floats for various parades for Halloween and St. Patrick’s Day.

Jekaterina Rusinova had made her studies in the School of Arts in Lithuania. She went onto developing her knowledge and career by applying to St. John’s Central College in Illustration and Animation in Cork. At that time both she and her husband entered Artlink as volunteers and was heavily involved in the development and creation of floats in The Dragon of Shandon, Jazz and St. Patrick’s Day Parades.

A Bit About Kanturk Artlink

Kanturk Artlink works with people to create a sense of community identity and collective pride enabling people to learn more about themselves and the world around them while having fun. Following their move to the lovely town of Kanturk a few years ago Anton and Kate got involved with Kanturk Art Link as volunteers leading out on a variety of community art projects: In 2021 they collaborated with Kanturk Arts Festival Committee, Kanturk Scouts, Foroige, Kanturk Boys National School, Men’s Shed, Tidy Towns and Community Council producing Summer, Halloween and Christmas projects. The Summer Installation created was based on a “Magical Tipee Experience” and the Halloween Installation created focused on “scary scarecrows with attitude” brought enjoyment for the town of Kanturk.

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Details of feathers

Amy cutting out feathers

Amy glues on feathers

Artists from Cope Foundation’s Suisha Inclusive Arts are joining with Kanturk Community Artlink to host a special creative workshop and sculpture installation as part of the Culture Night Celebrations in the town.

The event titled, Rights Must Take Flight takes place in O’Brien’s Street Park, Kanturk from 5.30pm until 7.30pm on Friday, September 23rd. It will see a sculpture of a heron taking flight being completed over the course of the workshop. Participants will be invited to map their hands onto flexible foam materials and these handprints will be cut out to form the feathers of the heron. The Heron is a familiar bird around Kanturk and will be constructed from a wire frame adorned with tropical coloured wings that will also come to life in the movement of taking flight. This will symbolise and open the conversation about the cultural and creative rights of people with disabilities. Eoin Nash from Suisha Arts explains, “We’re delighted to be working with Anton Rusinovas and Kate Rusinovas from Kanturk Community Artlink for this creative workshop. We’re working hard to make arts more inclusive and we are inviting the public to make and create with us in O’Brien Park on Culture Night. The event is open to all and will be an opportunity for people to chat to and hear from the contributing artists from Cope Foundation/Suisha Arts. We hope that it will help to strengthen the community connection around the theme of arts and disability in Kanturk and to showcase the talents of people of all abilities.”

In the coming months the creative project, part funded by Cork County Council Library and Arts Service, and Cork ETB / REACH Fund 2022 will be expanded to other locations including Midleton, Macroom, Clonakilty and Mallow. Suisha Inclusive Arts is keen to connect with local groups and creatives who will work with Cope Foundation artists in these areas.

Suisha Arts was established by Cope Foundation in 2014 to promote the inclusion of people with disabilities. One of its aims is to build partnerships with arts groups in the community and help create new chances for artists and performers to showcase their talent. Cope Foundation supports over 2,800 children and adults of every ability to live ‘Your Life, Your Way’. We work to enhance the lives of people with an intellectual disability and/or autism; working in partnership with them, their families and local communities to provide a broad range of person centred services and support. Visit www.copefoundation.ie