Pick up a copy of the Creative Actions map designed by Sarah Gomes Harris from venues across the town
It’s Refugee Week all week and all across town!
This year, Refugee Week (20–26 June) will see a unique series of creative actions and events taking place in multiple locations across Hastings & St Leonards and beyond, which highlight and value the migrant experience, promoting the Refugee Week 2022 theme healing through creativity and conversations. Alex Kempton shares the plethora of events across the town – culminating with the Sanctuary Festival from 11am–7pm at Hastings Museum on Sunday 26 June.
Over 18 organisations, 15 artists and dozens of local volunteers are generously creating and supporting activities and events in locations across the town – scroll down for a full listing. The three main events being organised and run by The Refugee Buddy Project (TRBP) are:
Saturday 18 June: Mr Gay Syria Film Screening, Hastings Museum and Art Gallery
To celebrate both Refugee Week and June PRIDE Month, we are delighted to offer an evening at the cinema with some marvellous traditional Syrian food. Mr. Gay Syria follows two gay Syrian refugees who are trying to rebuild their lives. Will the dream come true or will the refugee crisis and the harsh consequences of being gay in the Muslim world shatter it to pieces? This screening will be followed by a panel discussion hosted by Lesbians and Gays Support the Migrants, and including Laura Clarke, co-Founder and Director of EggTooth as well as one of our project participants Basil who has direct experience of the themes of film.
Tuesday 22 June: All Refugees Welcome – a look at dominant media narratives and the creation of public attitudes towards refugees and migrants. De La Warr Pavilion
This panel discussion seeks to ask questions about the role images have played in our understanding of migration and asylum seeking in the UK, the dominant narratives that prevail and the counter narratives that emerge. Most importantly we will discuss the impact these narratives have on individuals, families and communities settling in the United Kingdom. Speaking at this panel will be Jessica Crombie, Amak Mahmoodian, Daniel Trilling, Maz Saleem, Shannon Ghannam and Rossana Leal.
Saturday 18 June – Thursday 14 July: Where are you Really From? Hastings Museum and Art Gallery
From homeland to heritage, ancestry and culture, the work displayed explores our roots, stories and sense of identity. The patchwork pieces on display are created by local people with experience of immigration and seeking refuge, and the volunteers who support them in building new lives in Hastings. Through a series of workshops facilitated by artists Jimena Pardo and Janey Moffatt, project participants shared stories, reflected on the objects, images and words they could use in their patchwork, and learnt a variety of stitching techniques to bring everything together.
Many events are free, though some will require reservations, with any profits from sales going to The Refuge Buddy Project. Activities include a pub quiz at The St Leonard, artists’ talks and exhibitions at Stella Dore and The Big Yin plus an exhibition at The Nest featuring photographic work from one of our project participants, films at Kino Teatr, creative drawing, photography, reading and clay work with Picnic, Black Butterfly, Afri-Co-Lab, St Leonards Ceramics and Suzie Zamit, and work from children at Ore Village Primary Academy on display at Project 78 galleries. There will also be a film showing of The Earth Is Blue as an Orange (with English subtitles) at The Electric Palace Cinema to celebrate the new Ukrainian arrivals in our town.
On Friday 24 June there will be a wonderful feast of Syrian food catered by community chefs, shared together near the beach at West St Leonards and you are encouraged to join the bike ride along the seafront, starting at the Labyrinth: Bike Lab Hastings at 5pm and ending at our new Community Café at Bexhill Road.
“We are delighted to be coordinating this amazing selection of Refugee Week activities having spent the last two years with our activities mainly online, especially as this year marks 5 years since we set up the Project! We encourage everyone to grab a map from one of the participating galleries or shops, or our Community Café, and you’ll be sure to find an event (or five) which suits you. We look forward to celebrating Hastings and St Leonards as a community of welcome, standing in solidarity with all people seeking refuge”
Rossana Leal, Founder and Director, The Refugee Buddy Project.
For a full listing of events and actions is shown below, and is also available on The Refugee Buddy Project website – or pick up the free map – designed by local animator Sarah Gomes Harris – in participating shops and galleries.
The Refugee Buddy Project Community Café is at 18 Bexhill Road, TN38 0AH.
Saturday 18 June
- The Refugee Buddy Project & Hastings Museum & Art Gallery
Where are you really from? Exhibition: 10am–5pm. Free - TRBP & HMAG – Film and Panel Discussion: Mr Gay Syria 4.30–9pm. Free (booking essential), food available.
- Big Yin Gallery – Exhibition: @Studio Lenca. 11–5pm. Free
- Picnic Photo Workshop for Young People (10–16) with artist Masie Cousins, at The Pocket Park, Hughenden Road. 2–5pm, Free (booking essential)
Sunday 19 June
- The Refugee Buddy Project & Hastings Museum & Art Gallery
Where are you really from? Exhibition: 11am–4.30pm. Free - Electric Palace with The Association of Ukranians in GB
– Film Screening: The Earth Is Blue as an Orange (English subtitles) 11am. Free - Big Yin Gallery – Exhibition: @Studio Lenca. 12–4pm. Free
- Stella Dore Gallery – Talk and print sale by Giles Duley, Legacy of War Foundation. 6–9pm. Free (booking essential)
Monday 20 June
- Painted Suntrap Booths – Chatty Bench, The Refugee Buddy Project with HEART volunteers. All day Free, drop-in
- Milk and Hustle – Window Display + Art for sale 8am–2pm
- The Refugee Buddy Project Community Café – Window Gallery installation by Colin Booth – All that is Gone All Day. Free.
- The Nest – Exhibition: Family, Faith, Community, Home. Photos capturing life in his new home by young Syrian photographer Nour Alezou. 9am – 5pm. Free
- Big Yin Gallery – Exhibition: @Studio Lenca. Artist’s talk. Gallery open 5–7pm. Free
- Black Butterfly at Small Acts, Kings Road – Afterschool Family Book Club exploring journeys and migration. 4–6pm. Free
- St Leonards Ceramics Studio – Window display + sale: Pass It On. Collaborative ceramic sculptures by studio members and students from SLCS and The Mudworks.
Tuesday
Tuesday 21 June
- The Refugee Buddy Project & Hastings Museum and Art Gallery
Where are you really from? Exhibition. 10am–5pm. Free - Painted Suntrap Booths – Chatty Bench, The Refugee Buddy Project with HEART volunteers. All day. Free, drop-in
- Milk and Hustle – Window Display + Art for sale 8am–2pm
- The Nest – Exhibition: Family, Faith, Community, Home. Photos capturing life in his new home by young Syrian photographer Nour Alezou, 9am–5pm. Free
- Black Butterfly at Hattons Yard, Hatherley Road – Food & Culture Event. Drop-in from 11am. Free
- The Refugee Buddy Project Community Café – Window Gallery Installation by Colin Booth – All that is Gone All Day. Free.
- St Leonards Ceramics Studio – Window display + sale: Pass It On. Collaborative ceramic sculptures by studio members and students from SLCS and The Mudworks.
Wednesday
Wednesday 22 June
- The Refugee Buddy Project & Hastings Museum and Art Gallery
Where are you really from? Exhibition. 10am–5pm. Free - Painted Suntrap Booths – Chatty Bench, The Refugee Buddy Project with HEART volunteers. All day. Free, drop-in
- Milk and Hustle – Window Display + Art for sale 8am-2pm
- The Nest – Exhibition: Family, Faith, Community, Home. Photos capturing life in his new home by young Syrian photographer Nour Alezou. 9am – 5pm. Free
- The Refugee Buddy Project Community Café – Window Gallery Installation by Colin Booth – All that is Gone All Day. Free.
- St Leonards Ceramics Studio – Window display + sale: Pass It On. Collaborative ceramic sculptures by studio members and students from SLCS and The Mudworks.
- TRBP and Shannon Ghannam, The Magnum Photos Foundation, at the De La Warr Pavillion – lunch and panel discussion “All Refugees Welcome” Buffet Lunch 12.30pm, Talk 1.30–3.30pm. Booking essential
- The St Leonard Pub with Curious Brew – Pub Quiz in aid of TRBP. 8pm. £2 entry
Thursday 23 June
- The Refugee Buddy Project & Hastings Museum and Art Gallery
Where are you really from? Exhibition. 10am–5pm. Free - Painted Suntrap Booths – Chatty Bench, The Refugee Buddy Project with HEART volunteers. All day. Free, drop-in
- Milk and Hustle – Window Display + Art for sale 8am-2pm
- The Nest – Exhibition: Family, Faith, Community, Home. Photos capturing life in his new home by young Syrian photographer Nour Alezou. 9am – 5pm. Free
- The Refugee Buddy Project Community Café – Window Gallery Installation by Colin Booth – All that is Gone All Day. Free.
- St Leonards Ceramics Studio – Window display + sale: Pass It On. Collaborative ceramic sculptures by studio members and students from SLCS and The Mudworks.
- Project 78 – Messages: Exhibition of work by children from Ore Village Primary School working with artist Jaf Yusuf. 11am – 5pm. Free
- Stella Dore Gallery – Talk by Mexican artist Pablo Allison. 6-9pm Free
Friday
Friday 24 June
- Painted Suntrap Booths – Chatty Bench, The Refugee Buddy Project with HEART volunteers. All day. Free, drop-in
- Milk and Hustle – Window Display + Art for sale 8am-2pm
- The Nest – Exhibition: Family, Faith, Community, Home. Photos capturing life in his new home by young Syrian photographer Nour Alezou, 9am – 5pm. Free
- The Refugee Buddy Project Community Café – Window Gallery Installation by Colin Booth – All that is Gone All day. Free
- Stella Dore Gallery – Exhibition: Pablo Allison + Giles Duley. 11am–5pm. Free
- Project 78 – Messages: Exhibition of work by children from Ore Village Primary School working with artist Jaf Yusuf. 11am–5pm. Free
- St Leonards Ceramics Studio – Workshop. Free, drop-in 4–6pm (places limited). Window display + sale: Pass It On. Collaborative ceramic sculptures by studio members and students from SLCS and The Mudworks.
- Afri-co-lab – Exhibition: The Sitter And Their Stories – Life Drawathon 4–9pm. Free
- The Refugee Buddy Project Community Café – Friday FEAST! Delicious free Syrian food, cooked by our community chefs, to share with friends and family on the Old Bathing Pool ground, West St Leonards
- BikeLab Hastings + Black Butterfly seafront bike ride to the Friday Feast. Free. Bring or borrow a bike and meet at 5pm at The Labyrinth.
- BikeLab Hastings Film Screening: Ovarian Psycos 8.30pm.
Saturday 25 June
- Painted Suntrap Booths – Chatty Bench, The Refugee Buddy Project with HEART volunteers. All day. Free, drop-in
- Milk and Hustle – Window Display + Art for sale 8am-2pm
- The Nest – Exhibition: Family, Faith, Community, Home. Photos capturing life in his new home by young Syrian photographer Nour Alezou, 9am – 5pm. Free
- The Refugee Buddy Project Community Café – Window Gallery Installation by Colin Booth – All that is Gone All day. Free
- St Leonards Ceramics Studio – Window display + sale: Pass It On. Collaborative ceramic sculptures by studio members and students from SLCS and The Mudworks.
- Stella Dore Gallery – Exhibition: Pablo Allison + Giles Duley. 11am–5pm. Free
- Big Yin Gallery – Exhibition: @Studio Lenca. 11am–5pm Free
- Project 78 – Messages: Exhibition of work by children from Ore Village Primary School working with artist Jaf Yusuf. 11am–5pm. Free
- Suzie Zamit Studio – Workshop: Missing You. 11am–5pm. Free, drop-in (places limited)
- Picnic Photo Workshop for Young People (10–16) with artist Masie Cousins, at Picnic, 40 Marina 2–5pm, Free, booking essential
- Kino Teatr – Film Limbo: 7.30pm (book online)
- Sanctuary Festival Comedy Special: 7.00pm (book online) A night of comedy. 7.30–10pm. £11.37 (book online)
Sunday 26 June
- The Sanctuary Festival, Hastings Museum + Art Gallery 11am–7pm.
Free, drop-in - The Refugee Buddy Project & Hastings Museum & Art Gallery
Where are you really from? Exhibition. 11am–5pm. Free - Big Yin Gallery – Exhibition: @Studio Lenca. 12–4pm. Free
- Kino Teatr – Film Flee: 2pm (book online)
You can find out more at Website: www.therefugeebuddyproject.org website
and you can follow the Refugee Buddy Project on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
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