Location: Obyorky, Prokhori, Katsyri, Baturyn United Territorial Community, Chernihiv Oblast, Ukraine

Year of foundation: 2007

Current members: 22

Specialization: Educational events, festivals

Languages spoken in the settlement: English, Russian, a little Spanish and Italian

Settlement description:

Obyrok art homestead is one of the first art villages in Ukraine. It was created in 2007 by Leonid Kanter and Diana Karpenko. They called it a test of their ability to build alternative life in the face of the upcoming world crisis.

The village is located near the city of Baturyn (with interesting history), between a big forest and the Seym river.

Obyrok hosts many art festivals: Hlib (Bread), Kinosaray, Mama Africa and other ones, smaller. It is home to the history of Ukrainian culture of the last 10 years of life in nature. In 6 seasons, there have been different agrarian festivals here: wheat planting and harvesting, baking bread with the use of traditional technologies and help of many volunteers.

Obyrok was formed on the basis of a village: it was re-shaped to suit educational needs. There is a big house there for gathering, learning, and practical workshops in the village. The hostels are located in 100 year old traditional huts. There is a bath-house, a public dining house, and good infrastructure before the entrance to the village. The settlers have good experience with organization, including organizing big international events, as well as self-organization; they are open to communication and speak English fluently.

Obyrok is an educational space:

Iryna Koyda: “We live the way that doesn’t make us borrow from our children”.

At the moment, Obyrok is learning how to create a sustainable society. Only one family is living there all year long, and it is now more of an educational space for the local children, for interacting with the local community. The rest of the people in Obyrok come here seasonally and practice organic gardening as well as permaculture.

Rarely open to visitors

Phone: 095 790 8120; 098 330 96 31

E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Social networks pages: https://www.facebook.com/Obyrok/

Working with volunteers:
yes, conditions for volunteers are still in development

Contact person: