Meet The Charities: Art Refuge
by Clemmie Borthwick
Get to Know Art Refuge: The Bristol-based charity supporting refugees and asylum seekers through art and art therapy.
“Art Refuge uses art and art therapy to support the mental health and well-being of people displaced due to conflict, persecution and poverty, both in the UK and internationally.” -ART REFUGE
FUZE 2021 is not just supporting one charity but two! Alongside Black South West Network (BSWN), FUZE is excited to announce that we are also supporting Art Refuge, a charity based in Bristol working to support safe and imaginative spaces for refugees and asylum seekers.
Art Refuge has had a base in Bristol since 2014 where they have collaborated and worked with many organisations such as Creative Young Network, The HOPE Virtual School, St Paul’s Darkroom, East Central Bristol Children’s Services and Bristol Refugee Rights.
Art Refuge has been able to offer both closed art therapy spaces and open drop-in spaces. Art Refuge has used photography as a tool by which to help young refugees adjust to a new life in an unknown urban environment, an incredibly innovative approach that the charity has focused on in Bristol.
Art Refuge therapy session using building bricks to support the mental health and well-being of refugees.
“Those accessing our groups in Bristol often originate from Afghanistan, Vietnam, Somalia, the Kurdish regions of Iraq, Iran and Syria, and non-Kurdish Syria. Since 2017 we have reached over 250 young refugees in the city directly, more than 600 people indirectly, and have supported around 25 foster carers due to our art therapy groups and photographic workshops, while our online campaigning activities regularly reach thousands within the general public.” -ART REFUGE
The highly creative team at Art Refuge consists of artists and art therapists who are equipped to deliver dynamic, culturally relevant and responsive programmes. While the charity is based in Bristol their ongoing projects take place in the UK and northern France. Art Refuge currently works on a project in partnership with Médecins du Monde and the charity Secours Catholique, in a refugee day centre, a safe house and alongside a mobile clinic in which around 70 refugees take part in their fortnightly art-based groups.
Most recently Art Refuge responded to the community-level displacement due to coronavirus by launching a local/global virtual quilt making project called CORONAQUILT.
Fuze is very excited to be partnering with such an innovative and creative charity like Art Refuge. If you would like to find out more about Art Refuge’s amazing work check out their website: https://www.artrefuge.org.uk/
You can help FUZE support this inspiring charity by visiting our Just Giving page
