ZEPHIE // ART

Compassion was the theme of Refugee Week 2023, and St Augustine's Centre Halifax wanted to send a message, locally and nationally, to say that refugees are welcome and appreciated.

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Zephie was Creative Producer on the project, which featured a huge piece of land art in the centre of Halifax, highlighting the relationship between a woman who had fled war and persecution and her friend who she had met through the centre's befriending support service.

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The land art, created by Sand in Your Eye and participants from local communities, schools and St Augustine's Centre members, featured thousands of stencilled birds. Birds were selected as a symbol of freedom and migration and became a theme for the whole project.

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Zephie produced a series of workshops with local schools, connecting them with artists in order to produce thousands of paper birds with messages of hope and welcome for refugees and asylum seekers, which were then installed in an exhibition at Everybody Arts, alongside art work from the refugee community.

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A large celebration event brought together 300 people from the refugee community alongside music and food, where people came together to celebrate the theme of compassion and the collective achievements of the project.

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The project was funded with support from Arts Council England and Counterpoints Arts.

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