Running from 17-23 June, Refugee Week Scotland is part of a UK-wide arts and cultural festival that celebrates the unique skills and talents refugees from around the world bring to Scotland.
Now in its 15th year, this year’s programme – co-ordinated by Scottish Refugee Council and packed with music, comedy, theatre, literature, community celebrations and more – has plenty of big names attached from the likes of Scottish musicians (and Scottish Album of The Year nominees) Malcolm Middleton and Karine Polwart to international comedy stars like Tom Stade and Dave Fulton.
But it’s not just about the well-known artists. The diverse programme, which encompasses over 100 events in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee, Perth and as far afield as Mull and New Galloway, is stuffed with high quality performance, carnivals, football and films from all walks of life.
Suzi Simpson, Arts and Cultural Development Officer at Scottish Refugee Council said: “With over 100 events happening across the country we truly believe that this is a festival for everyone. Anyone can join in, whether that’s by organising a unique community celebration, taking part in a workshop or simply attending one of our professional theatre, music or arts events.”
“This year we are celebrating heritage, which is relevant to each of us in Scotland today. It’s about what we inherit from the past; stories, objects, culture and experience, and the way we use this to shape our lives and build our futures.”
Highlights include a play by AJ Taudevin which explores the heart-breaking story of family breakdown in Some Other Mother, while Terra Incognita’s work in progress, My Friend Selma, celebrates Victoria Beesley’s memories of growing up in an old boarding school housing Bosnian refugees.
The Lajee Dance Tour brings 16 young people from Aida Refugee Camp in Palestine to Glasgow, Dundee and Perth, providing a unique insight into a culture hidden by decades of conflict. And Here We Stay, a partnership project between Scottish Refugee Council and the Citizen’s Theatre, brings together the songs and stories of local Scots from the Gorbals with refugees from around the world who have settled in Glasgow.
Two exhibitions offer a fresh look at life in Scotland. The Open Aye for Natural Scotland exhibition at Kelvingrove Art Gallery Community Space, showcases the photography of young refugees in Scotland. Living in the Sky, on display at the Arches throughout Refugee Week, tracks the lives of residents of the Red Road flats in north Glasgow.
A dazzling array of community celebrations are also on offer including a Sudanese wedding event inviting you to witness the beautiful and intricate customs involved in the traditional ceremony. There’s sport on offer at the Refugee Week Football Tournament, and film in the form of Glasgow Film’s Pop-Up Programmers screening of Nicolas Roeg’s classic The Man Who Fell to Earth.
There’s a massive selection of events besides these around the city throughout the week. To view the full brochure of events, head over to the Official Website of Scottish Refugee Week, and let us know in the comments below what you’ll be getting out to!
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