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This work is part of a larger project developed by Maggie O'Neill (Staffordshire University) that includes working across the East Midlands with Bea Tobolewska (City Arts) funded by the AHRB and East Midland Arts to develop a cultural strategy for working with asylum seekers and refugees in the region. The latter work will be published and launched in September 2002. An international conference was also hosted recently at Staffordshire University to explore themes of exile, displacement and belonging 17-19th April 2002 with a view to developing a sociology of forced migration (exile, displacement and belonging). The methodology for our collaborative work is based upon Participatory Action Research and Participatory Arts. The communities are centrally involved in the research and outcomes of the work. The research seeks to develop alternative forms of re-presenting and raising awareness of the lived experiences of 'refugees' from Bosnia-Herzegovina living in the East Midlands, and from Afghanistan living in London at the start of the twenty first century. Life story narratives are re-presented in visual and photographic form. The participants (artists) are the co-creators of the research. The research team includes the Bosnia-Herzegovina Association, Nottingham, City Arts, Nottingham, the Afghan Youth Association, London, Exiled Writers Ink!, University of East London and Staffordshire University. The artist collaborating on the work and facilitating the work of the group is Maggy Milner. An exhibition to launch the work opens at Watermans Arts Centre, near Kew Gardens in London 19th October 2002, followed by a workshop at Watermans on the 20th October The work of the Bosnian Association is by Fahira, Enisa, Leyla, Adnan, Rabija, Sulio, Vesna, Selma, Shemsa and Senad, from the Bosnian Association. Bea and Hilary(City Arts), Maggy, and Maggie facilitated the art work for the Bosnian association. The work of an Afghan community is presented by Suhaila, Manija, Zarah, Karim,Karim, Berang, and Hamid. Evlynn, Nelissa and Jennifer from Exiled Writers Ink! facilitated the Afghan work alongside Anna from STAR and UEL and Maggie from Staffordshire University. The Arts and Humanities
Board (AHRB), Staffordshire University, City Arts, and Watermans funded
the work. |
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