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Global Refugees (City Arts)
"We just want to show English people that we have traditions, education, culture and give them a chance to see us in a different way... and they can get to know us better."
This was a two-part project combining life-history interviews and creative arts, exploring and representing the experiences of being an asylum seeker in exile in the UK. The Bosnia-Herzigovina Community Association (BHCA) worked with Sociologist Dr Maggie O'Neill, arts facilitator Bea Tobolewska, and artists Maggy Milner, Simon Cunningham and Karen Fraser.
Project one (The Bosnians in Nottingham, The Past Present and Future) sought to create a safe and confidential environment for refugees to explore personal issues of exile through visual arts work, which was subsequently exhibited at Bonington Gallery Nottingham in Refugee Week 1999.
Project two (Exile, Displacement and Belonging) explored the process of settling in the UK, and of building the BHCA. Traditional Bosnian arts and crafts, such as textiles, merged (in the hands of contemporary artists) with photography and installation, creating work exhibited at Turtle Arts Gallery Nottingham in November 2001, and nationally thereafter.
Two Bosnian boys, friends since meeting in a UN camp, photographed images and objects that related to their experiences in exile. They subsequently created a timeline of their experiences, developing new skills in graphics, writing and drawing, in order to share their stories with others.
A Bosnian woman articulated (through the image of a key baked in bread) how her Serbian neighbours had helped and supported her...giving witness to a complex personal and political history not normally understood here.
These and other works were made possible because of trust. The facilitators ensured that the refugees maintained control and ownership of the work, in a safe and confidential environment. Decisions about both the process of the work, and the material to be exhibited were made by the BHCA collectively and as individuals, and participants were empowered by the project because they gained new skills (essential when stranded in a foreign land), and because their work was made visible to others in public settings.
Networks were developed, and a number of important legacies have impacted on the integration of Bosnian Refugees locally: a successful Awards For All bid to stage a traditional cultural event open to the wider community; a Regional Cultural Strategy for Refugees commissioned (2002); and commitments made to support refugee artists, utilising their skills, supporting language aquasition, overcoming lack of understanding of the 'system', or lack of access to funding.
The arts have been used here to clarify and crystallise the concerns of a disenfranchised community. In terms of Social Capital indicators, 'bridging and bonding' has occured... sensitive listening and the removal of formal barriers to communication have forged links between a community group, individuals, arts organisations, and academics...and importantly for refugees and asylum seekers, helping to develop dialogue between themselves and the wider local and national community.
For more information contact City Arts
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EMPAF has a new website which is to be launched in September. Based on the social networking model it will enable users and members to put up profiles for individuals, projects and organisations. There is also an option to link to other profiles, send comments and update with news, events, opportunities as well as engage in debates around current issues affecting the community and participatory arts.
In addition to putting up information and resources EMPAF will also be promoting future CPD events and development opportunities.
The website is aimed at creating a vibrant and engaging online community so please get involved and make use of this site as much as possible.
The site itself in final testing but live and will transfer to the www.empaf.com address at the end of the beginning of next month. To join now please go to http://beta.empaf.com/ (note there is no www) and anything you add now will remain live during the transfer. We welcome any feedback on how to make it even more user friendly, so please email jane@empaf.com with this or any questions.
A free event for artists; arts practitioners; organisations and community groups working in, or interested in working in community and participatory arts.
The day is designed to give plenty of opportunity to network, discuss your work, ask questions, share experiences and find out more information about a range of subjects and issues affecting everyone working in participatory arts.
Including an in-depth session devoted to professional and project development subjects such as negotiating contracts, rates of pay and how to set up and run an event will be covered.
There is also be an facilitated open space session based around working in and across different arts forms, a presentation and open sharing session on International working and a presentation outlining current key trends and influences such as reforms in Public Sector funding, the Cultural Offer and Cultural Olympiad. Plus, this is your chance to influence future EMPAF work and events as each of the sessions is designed to bring out issues that are most relevant to you.
Registration and networking begins at 9.45am for 10.30am start. Lunch is provided and there is lots of time given to networking and finding out more about EMPAF, Cultivate and a wide range of other resources and sources of further information.
Taking place at St James Centre, Derby places are available on a first come first served basis. To book email Jane@empaf.com or call 07984199477 giving your name and a daytime contact number. For more details click on the title above.
EMPAF has been working to support an Arts Council England East Midlands initiative to help demystify recent developments in Local Area Agreements. ACE are running a series of mini events around the region for artists, arts practitioners and local authority arts officers to look at recent changes in terms of how they offer opportunities for arts and creative projects. The first event took place in Leicester at the beginning of June and EMPAF is publishing copies of presentation notes, supporting information and case studies used as part of all the events in the resources / essential publications section of this website (click on the title of this news item to go directly there). The next event will take place in Nottingham on 3rd July. Email info@empaf.com for more details.
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