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The Launch
The Spirit of Flight was launched at the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum on Tuesday 9 October 2007.
Many of the groups attended the launch, along with representatives of the Arts Council Northern Ireland, Arts Officers from a number of local council areas and representatives from Belfast Metropolitan College.
Formally opened by the Chairman of National Museums Northern Ireland, Margaret Elliott, the three-dimensional, overhead installation marked the culmination of 18 months of work by over 20 groups, including those with visual and hearing impairments, ethnic minority groups, senior citizens, as well as adults and young people with learning difficulties. Designed to inspire participation and creativity, the project provided community groups from areas such as Keady, Banbridge, Newtownards, Ballycastle, Coleraine and Omagh with a unique platform to showcase their originality.
Congratulating those involved in the success of the project, Mrs Elliott said, “I am delighted that so many diverse groups from across Northern Ireland have benefited from the collections of National Museums Northern Ireland. I really want to congratulate everyone involved in this project, especially those whose artwork is now on display at the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum."
Edel Murphy, the Arts Development Officer for Community Arts at the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, expressed her delight at the exhibition launch commenting, "The Arts Council of Northern Ireland is committed to developing access to the arts through non-traditional venues and spaces and in doing so inspire and empower new audiences to make creative links with these organisations. This beautiful installation is an impressive example of collaborative artwork linking artists and community groups with one of our important institutions, the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum."
Tim Cooke, Chief Executive of National Museums Northern Ireland said, “A primary aim of The Spirit of Flight was to create wider access to our services and the project has succeeded in doing this through its outreach work and the innovative learning opportunities at the Museum.”
Mr Cooke thanked all those who contributed to the project and said, “National Museums Northern Ireland are committed to broadening their partnership base with others in the field of community arts, access and audience development, to achieve mutually beneficial objectives. This imaginative exhibition is a fine outcome of such collaboration and engagement and those groups and individuals who participated should be immensely proud.”

The Spirit of Flight exhibition will remain on public display at the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum for three years.