Kaunas Accents 2020 invites artists with a penchant for surprise

The municipality funds the works selected under the programme which are meant to decorate urban spaces

While walking the streets of Kaunas, you can chance upon a sculpture of a St. Bernard dog, bump into a Pine Cone Man, sit on a bench next to Vaižgantas (Roman Catholic priest and activist of the Lithuanian National Revival), put on the shoes of Blessed Teofilis Matulionis or greet novelist Abraomas Mapu, who has climbed on a cafe chair in the street bearing his name.

Close encounters of the strange kind

These are just some of the strange encounters awaiting the visitors of Lithuania’s second largest city due to the competition of ideas "Kauno akcentai" (Kaunas Accents). The programme, now in its fourth year, invites artists from all over Lithuania to give uniqueness to various city spaces and surprise Kaunas residents and guests with unexpected artistic solutions.

So far, almost 40 works have decorated different places in Kaunas. Gazing up, you cannot but notice the Garden Alley or the nests inspired by interwar architecture, located along the entire Mindaugas Avenue, which delight both passers-by and many visiting birds. Those who get to know the city by bike can tie the vehicles to unique telegraph or radio-themed bicycle stands.

Kauno Accents has significantly complemented the acclaimed city street art gallery. In Šančiai, the neofresco “Winter is over” tells the history of the district, and the old Drobės factory has been decorated with a large-sized drawing “PS”. The street art work “Light Carrier” illuminates Daukanto Street, and in Vilijampolė, residents and visitors are greeted by the robot-painted work “Takas namo”. 

“Although the city is already adorned with a solid number of art objects, we are not going to stop. We invite artists to present their ideas, and in return we offer everything they need to implement them,” says Kaunas Deputy Mayor Andrius Palionis, quoted by the municipal website.

Participation is a piece of cake

Participants can easily submit their ideas online. Projects are expected throughout the year and will be evaluated by a commission of experts on a monthly basis.

Kaunas Accents welcomes ideas for sculptures, design objects, light installations, lighting, street painting or other areas of art, be it contemporary art or a reflection of the city history. Kaunas Municipality finances the implementation of the works selected by the Commission up to 100 percent.