New artwork by young refugees to be showcased in Glasgow

A new art exhibition exploring how young refugees rebuild their everyday lives in new countries will be hosted in Glasgow from 17-28 June during Refugee Festival Scotland 2023.

This free event is a showcase for a three-year research project, ‘Drawing Together’, led by Professor Ravi KS Kohli from the University of Bedfordshire, working with research centres in Scotland, Finland, and Norway. CELCIS provides research support to the project’s Scottish team.

Since 2020, the Drawing Together project has facilitated art workshops, photoshoots, films, and interviews to learn more about young people’s lives and what matters in adjusting and establishing to life in new places.

Using visual art approaches combined with audio narration, the artwork on display highlights young people’s memories of wellness in childhood, wellbeing in their everyday lives now, and in their hopes for the future. It also explores how social networks and relationships evolve over time, and considers how Scotland, Finland and Norway have made room for young refugees in their new countries.

The exhibition will be formally opened by Roza Salih, Glasgow Councillor for Greater Pollok.

Professor Ravi KS Kohli, Professor of Child Welfare at the University of Bedfordshire, who is leading the project, said:

“In the exhibition we show that young refugees want to help replenish a nation’s diversity and wealth. They bring talents and ambitions. They contribute to everyone’s wellbeing. It shows their will to make a home. It’s a story of conviviality. It’s story of hope.”

One young participant from the Drawing Together project said,

“We can restore the refugee stories that exist now; they are black and white. We bring colour.”

Sister exhibitions are being held in Turku, Finland from 8 September to 22 October, and Bergen, Norway from 19 October to 5 November.

Read more about the Drawing Together project and its exhibition here.