Norwich Theatre has announced its latest activities for Refugee Week (17 – 23 June). All workshops and activities are completely free and encourage attendees to explore the week’s theme, Our Home.
Refugee Week, held around World Refugee Day on 20 June every year, is the world’s largest arts and culture festival celebrating the contributions, creativity and resilience of refugees and people seeking sanctuary.
A workshop in partnership with Norfolk and Waveney Mind will explore stories of belonging, our sense of home, and our experiences of feeling like an outsider. Welcome Home? Explorations of Our Sense of Belonging (20 Jun) will use simple creative activities and gentle, reflective tools. You will be able to draw out the things we have in common and a sense of our connection. This workshop is open to people from refugee communities, asylum seekers, those who identify as migrants to the UK, and UK nationals.
There is also an opportunity to see and share in the ongoing work of Norwich Theatre’s Theatre Makers: Being Migrant (22 Jun) group. The free session is a chance to join in and begin your creative journey with Norwich Theatre.
Step up to the mic or simply watch the local talent with Refugee Week Open Mic House Party (20 Jun). The evening is an open-mic for you, us… or anyone to showcase performance skills on the mic! Bring your voices, instruments, spoken word, or other acts – we have a stage, comfy seating, and a encouraging friendly crowd. Tickets are free but must be booked- if you would like to perform, please come along with your act!
Norwich Theatre will be hosting a free film screening Name Me Lawand (22 Jun). Void of any language, communication or true sense of self, Lawand struggles to piece together his surroundings in his new home in Derbyshire after a traumatic and turbulent year of seeking asylum through Europe. An inspirational and touching coming-of-age story.
During the week, Norwich Theatre Stage Two will host a visual and poetic material exhibition which includes poems written by asylum seekers and a beautiful tapestry created in partnership with the RSC.
The following week, the Sunday Screening will be Migration (30 Jun). The animated film from Illumination is about a family of ducks who decide to leave the safety of a New England pond for an adventurous trip to Jamaica. However, their well-laid plans quickly go awry when they get lost and wind up in New York City. The experience soon inspires them to expand their horizons, open themselves up to new friends, and accomplish more than they ever thought possible.
Norwich Theatre is a Theatre of Sanctuary and is committed to being a place of support, safety, and hospitality for refugees and people seeking sanctuary.
Sam Beal, Creative Engagement Project Manager at Norwich Theatre, said: “We are really proud at Norwich Theatre to be a theatre of sanctuary, which means we’ll take every opportunity we can to give welcome and hospitality to those seeking refuge and sanctuary.
“In a world marked by division and displacement, theatre can play a powerful role in enabling compassion across our communities. It can offer a sense of belonging and a place to call home, and at Norwich Theatre, it is our job to hold the doors of our venues open wide.”
To book or to find out more, visit norwichtheatre.org or call the Box Office at 01603 630 000.