Using Refugee Week 2024 theme of ‘Our Home’.

Home can be a place of refuge, a feeling, or a state of mind. It can be found in smells, tastes, and sounds. From the clothes we wear to the words we grew up with. It’s in food, music, and arts. It’s in our cultures and in our landscapes.

In 2023 the Whitworth was proudly awarded a Gallery of Sanctuary status from the City of Sanctuary, being the first Gallery in the Northwest to be recognised, and we wish to celebrate this with everyone and share far and wide to encourage other institutions to do the same in making everyone welcome!

On Thursday 20th June between 4pm and 8pm we will be celebrating with the following:

Pop-up Art exhibition from Afrocats Our Legacy group.

The Our Legacy project has supported unaccompanied 15-18 year old asylum seekers across Manchester to gain confidence and have new, exciting experiences of Manchester’s cultural sites. The project has given them a space to learn about history, ask questions and have their world expanded. Through bi-weekly trips and artistic expression sessions here at the Whitworth, the YPs have been able to demonstrate their learning through art.

Dance and music performances from Afrocats:

Dance around the World!
Join Afrocats on their global dance journey, exploring dance from various continents,
including Africa, the Caribbean, the Middle East, and South Asia. You will also have the chance to share your dance moves from the music you like.

Storytelling

African songs, drums, and stories to create space and build confidence with fun and engaging activities for all.

Creative Workshop in our Clore Garden Studio with Artist Rabia Begum.

Pop-up Art exhibition from Cartwheel Arts

Cartwheel Arts with support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund are exploring the rich heritage crafts flourishing within Rochdale’s vibrant communities with experience of forced migration. This programme will produce a learning resource, A ground-breaking eight-week training programme for four artists who have experienced forced migration and a celebratory event for Refugee Week 2025.

The work you see celebrates Ukrainian Petrykivka and Pysanky, Arabic Calligraphy and Kurdish, Pakistani, Argentinian, Indian and Moroccan embroidery.

All workshops and exhibitions are FREE and drop in.

There will free refreshments from MyLahore Manchester in our South Gallery, and our Whitworth Café and Whitworth Shop will be open during the evening until 9pm.