Open Road

How were the ideas developed and how did the young people, artist and teacher work together?

Open Road was designed so that the children were co-creators of the public artwork. As Kathi Burke noted, “My creative practice spans illustration, design, art, and writing, and I am drawn to collaborative work because of what happens when you make space for other people’s imaginations (especially children’s) within these disciplines.”

The sessions, led by Kathi Burke and Glucksman facilitators, introduced art-making techniques and encouraged participants to develop stories and drawings based on their dreams. The artist interpreted the material produced by the children to identify common themes, concerns, and aspirations.

The Glucksman uses the Lundy Model in creative projects with young people. Developed by Professor Laura Lundy, the model is built upon four elements:

Voice: children must be supported to express their views in a way that works for them.
Space: children must be given safe, inclusive opportunities to form and express their views.
Audience: their views must be heard by those with the capacity to effect change.
Influence: their views must be acted upon, where appropriate.

Working closely with community support workers, the sessions were designed to encourage full participation. While the concept of creating a public artwork was introduced to the children, they retained control over the content, meaning, and message of the work. They also influenced the workshop format, materials, and activities.

A key objective of the workshops was to support children in developing a range of creative skills that would enable them to communicate their ideas and experiences—not only during the project but into the future.

Over the spring, three groups of children attended two workshops each. The sessions began with a gentle approach to build confidence and draw out ideas. Each child received an art pack, including a sketchbook, pencils, and colouring pencils, allowing them to develop their ideas both during sessions and between visits to the museum.

Kathi Burke designed templates to support children with less confidence, helping them begin to visualise their ideas. Insights from the initial workshops informed the development of subsequent sessions.

Food played an important role. Conversations about favourite foods naturally emerged during the lunches provided, which were an essential element of care during the children’s visits. From these discussions, the idea of a picnic in the city emerged.

Further ideas followed, centred on making the city more fun and colourful—a child-friendly space that encourages play.

The snake motif emerged during a chalk-drawing workshop when one participant began sketching a snake, and others joined in, decorating it with flags representing the different nationalities present.

Kathi Burke’s final design brought these elements together. The artwork featured three sections: a green and white checkerboard with the word play, the snake with flags, and a picnic blanket displaying the children’s favourite foods. Together, these elements functioned like a hopscotch game, encouraging people to jump along the checkerboard, run alongside the snake, and hop across the picnic plates.

What was your personal experience of the project in terms of successes and challenges?

In June 2021, the artist and participating children painted their design onto Oliver Plunkett Street, a pedestrianised area in Cork city centre. A short film by photographer and filmmaker Clare Keogh documents how Kathi Burke incorporated the perspectives of the young participants and transformed their ideas into an imaginative urban intervention.

Cork City Council initially proposed locating the artwork on a smaller street on the outskirts of the city centre. While this offered the potential for a longer-term installation, it lacked the visibility central to the project’s aims. Siobhán Clancy, Community Arts Coordinator, and Erin O’Brien, City Centre Coordinator, provided invaluable support by liaising across council departments and advocating for a more prominent location. Ultimately, Oliver Plunkett Street was proposed and accepted.

One of the city’s main shopping streets, Oliver Plunkett Street won The Great Street Award in 2016, recognising it as the best street in Ireland and the UK. This location ensured the artwork would be encountered by thousands of people daily.

The months leading up to installation involved method statements, risk assessments, maintenance planning, insurance documentation, and traffic management plans. With the support of council staff, solutions were found at each stage.

Following discussions with paint suppliers, initial plans involving primer, acrylic paint, non-slip additives, and sealant were revised. Instead, a primer and specialist non-slip paint designed for sports surfaces were used, eliminating the need for additional sealants or additives. Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Asphalt Art Guide proved hugely helpful in the planning stages.

The artwork was installed over ten days, with access to the street limited to pedestrianisation hours (11am–6pm).

What was significant for you about the project that is worth sharing?

On Cruinniú na nÓg, Saturday 11 June 2021, the young artists took centre stage. Alongside Kathi Burke and a team of technicians, they helped paint the artwork. Passersby stopped to ask questions, offer encouragement, and celebrate their efforts. The Lord Mayor of Cork also visited to meet the participants. Surrounded by family, friends, and support workers, the children experienced a meaningful moment in which their creativity was publicly recognised and celebrated.

Alongside the public artwork, an exhibition at Cork City Library showcased the children’s drawings, stages of Kathi Burke’s design process, and photographs from the workshops.

The temporary artwork was removed in late autumn 2021. A final celebration took place at the Glucksman in December, where families gathered as each participant received a limited-edition framed Open Road print designed by Kathi Burke. As Good Shepherd community support worker Carolyn O’Regan recalled, “The event where the children were honoured at the museum for their contribution to the project, with parents and family members in attendance, was such a crucial moment in the overall project. For parents to see their child recognized in this way was so important, and it’s a memory that will stay with them forever.”

Reflecting on the experience, Kathi Burke said, “What stayed with me was the sheer joy each child brought to the process, and the way our project quietly dissolved the boundaries between very different communities. Seeing a public space in the heart of Cork city transformed by voices that so rarely get to leave that kind of mark was genuinely moving. That is what true collaboration means to me.”

Has anything changed in your work as a result of the project?

The project provided significant learning. Experience gained from concept to realisation informed subsequent initiatives, including the Rainbow Crossing on St Patrick’s Street, installed in July 2022.

The project reaffirmed several core beliefs:

Ambition. The importance of pushing boundaries and creating meaningful, original experiences for communities. Ambitious projects foster engagement, support young people in developing agency and confidence, and enable them to contribute original ideas to the wider cultural sector.

Collaboration. Meaningful work depends on committed collective effort. Collaboration provides a strong platform for young people’s creativity, strengthens projects through shared expertise, and improves outcomes through increased accountability, efficiency, and quality. Since 2022, the Glucksman has developed a range of programmes for young people experiencing homelessness, including the 2025 touring exhibition Art Space.

The title Open Road evokes a sense of freedom and possibility. It reflects the hope shared by all involved—Kathi Burke, the Glucksman team, and community support workers—that these young people’s futures will be shaped by fewer obstacles, and that they will carry forward both the creative skills they developed and the positive memories of the project.