Seeking Refuge
Forced migration is a pressing issue in the modern world, and it’s an issue that we often view from afar. The Seeking Refuge Project is a creative, collaborative programme which shares the hidden voices of people who have been forced to flee their homes. It’s an ongoing initiative that works with people seeking asylum in the UK and those who have settled in Bournemouth. We speak to Caroline Beale Johnson, the founder of the project, on how imagery and words from refugees and asylum seekers gift us a glimpse of the lives of the displaced migrant community. Not from afar, but from the inside.
What inspired you to start working with refugees and asylum seekers in Bournemouth?
The idea started when I read that by the end of 2019, there were nearly 26 million refugees in the world, with half of these being children. It’s such an important issue, but after Brexit, the way refugees were talked about in the media often created more confusion than clarity. I wanted to change that and share the real stories of refugees, so I started a photography project which was commissioned for the 2021 BEAF festival. Titled ‘Seeking Refuge’, I mentored six photographers who developed a trusting relationship with migrants who had settled in Bournemouth, helping them to tell their stories, and ensuring their voices were authentically represented. Since then, the project has become part of BEAF Arts ongoing community programme and has expanded to include weekly creative workshops in photography, textiles and music, cinema screenings as well opportunities for volunteering at the community garden at TOSH, (The Old School House) and at BEAF’s Artspace, B.A.D., (Boscombe Arts Depot). Often the result of the workshops is the production of collaborative artworks which are featured in BEAF’s exhibitions and events. An important part of the project is always to provide people with the tools and confidence to tell their own stories however they want to.
What impact do the workshops and sessions have on these vulnerable people?
The workshops create a safe space for the asylum seekers and refugees, a place where they can come together to build a sense of community as well as a space to build their confidence and skills. The creative activities also help to support their mental health and wellbeing, particularly for those who feel isolated and lonely. The positive part of the project is that many of the participants get involved in other activities taking place at TOSH and B.A.D, building new relationships and friendships with the wider community of Boscombe.
We’ve seen time and time again how deeply impactful it is when someone gains confidence and feels like a valued member of an inclusive community.
“For me, the Seeking Refuge project has been an unforgettable experience. It was great to tell my story and share it with other people from different parts of the world. Each person has something to tell from their own experience, but in the end we are all looking for a place where we can live well, safely and freely.”
Pilar Rizzo, Artist from the Seeking Refuge Project
What kind of impact do you hope the Seeking Refuge Project has on the wider community?
The project has a significant impact on our local community in Boscombe, who can come and see the incredible work that has been created in the workshops and which is exhibited as part of BEAF’s festivals each year. In 2023 members from the project were also involved in the BEAF Summer Arts Programme organised for World Refugee Week. Here they ran events and workshops in the Art Pavilion on Boscombe precinct and exhibited their most recent work, ‘A Seat at the Table’ in the gallery at B.A.D. I have personally seen how these interactions reshape people’s opinions and understanding of each other and the wider issue of world migration.
Tell us a little bit about the inspiration behind the latest installations, ‘The Stories we Thread’ and ‘A Seat at the Table’.
Our first installation, The Stories We Thread, showcased cyanotype prints on fabric made by our women’s textile group, ‘Thursday Threads’. This formed a huge tapestry piecing together images created by the women, including maps of their hometowns, personal objects with their own stories to tell, alongside plants and flora collected from the UK. Participants from the group worked collaboratively, sewing all the images together, embellishing them with gold embroidery and thread, all representing the stories and journeys of those who have fled their homes and communities. Following the success and the profound impact of this first project, the group felt inspired to create a second collaborative artwork, ‘A Seat at the Table’. The work, an 11 metre long tablecloth made from recycled bed sheets, includes embroidered plates of food inspired from the women’s native countries, with 36 different dishes represented. These two projects were facilitated by members of our arts community, Beth Brickman, Heidi Steller and Maddison Collymore, creating these two stunning artworks.
What are the plans for the future of the Seeking Refuge Project?
We are very grateful for project funding from Trusts and Foundation to allow us to continue and develop the project. This year, the Thursday Threads group will again be making items for sale at the South Coast Makers Market over Christmas. At their request, proceeds from this will feed back into the project. We hope to expand this to an online sales platform that will run all year round. We are also planning to tour the work created for the exhibitions so we can reach a wider audience and continue changing people’s perceptions about refugees and people seeking asylum in this country.
What I discovered whilst learning French in France as a complete beginner is that I felt very vulnerable and, quite often, stupid. I didn’t have a safe place in which to make mistakes. So I decided that my courses would be held in relaxed, uplifting venues (not classrooms) with super supportive teachers who give you the opportunity and self-belief to speak out. The main aim at Coffee Time French is to build your confidence. “Strong and wrong!” I say to my students. “It’s good to make mistakes as you’ll actually learn and remember more!"
Just being given the space to have a go and step out into a new language is what CTF can offer. Our motto is: courage (bravery), exposition (exposure), répétition (repetition/practice). Each lesson and topic - we learn in themes - is based around this notion.
I believe that the space we learn in influences how we feel. If we feel good in a space, we’ll enjoy ourselves, and learn more. Southbourne is the perfect place to host with its vast array of cafes and bars. We currently learn at Velo Domestique and The Brewhouse & Kitchen, and I love these venues as it feels like a little holiday away just for an hour a week. We meet on Wednesdays to enjoy a coffee (AM classes) or a glass of wine (PM classes). We also meet online, which has remained popular after setting up courses during lockdown.
Coffee Time French is much more than worksheets, verb tables and homework. It’s a French learning community where we support, listen and learn from one another. People enjoy what we do, and they stay because not only do they learn French, they make special friendships.
In September, CTF launched our first immersion retreat days where you can be around the language and culture without having to travel across the English Channel. These days include coffee, croissants and chats with natives; yoga, lunch, and even wine tasting - all in French and suitable for any level.
With autumn comes ‘La Rentrée’ (back to school). Attention turns from summer fun to a new start. We’re going into our 9th year and I am as enthusiastic to teach and learn as the day I founded Coffee Time French with those two words! I don’t know who you were, but a big merci to you as I have found my passion and purpose.
The Seeking Refuge Project is a BEAF Arts Project in partnership with Recreate Dorset, funded from grants from Peoples Health Trust, Lottery Community Fund, The Valentine Trust, Alice Ellen Cooper Dean Trust and Dorset Community Foundation's Welcome Fund.
Website → gotbeaf.co.uk/beaf/our-work/seeking-refuge
Instagram → @seekingrefugeproject
