The exhibition has been co-created with over fifty young people who have fled war, violence, conflict and persecution and yet who continue to offer stories of solidarity and hope. At the heart of the installation are multidirectional ultrasonic speakers that are positioned to create a network of intersecting telephone messages. As visitors move around the gallery, they tap into stories of home and belonging, landscape and loss, and communication and connection. In turn, visitors are invited to shape new ways of thinking about sanctuary by contributing their own voice notes as part of our evolving telephonic soundscape.

Voice Notes has been co-created with over 50 young refugees and asylum seekers living the UK and in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The exhibition is curated by poet Dr Sarah Jackson (Nottingham Trent University) in collaboration with acclaimed sound artist and founder of the Space21 international festival Hardi Kurda, and refugee arts organisation Compass Collective.

The project is supported by international partners, including New Art Exchange, Counterpoints Arts, Refugee Roots, Nottingham UNESCO City of Literature, Slemani UNESCO Cities of Literature and STEP. It is funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council.

Dr Sarah Jackson is Associate Professor in Modern and Contemporary Writing. She teaches on the BA English, BA Creative Writing, MA Creative Writing and MRes English Literary Research programmes, and supervises PhD students working in contemporary literature and creative writing. An award-winning poet and academic, Sarah publishes widely on 20th and 21st century literature, literary theory and creative-critical ecologies.

Part of the exhibition curated by Counterpoints Arts, with the support of Yorkton Workshops.