Threads of Migration

This project was run on behalf of Community Arts by ZK and funded by Lancashire County Council. For more photos of workshops and the zine please click here.

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In support of Refugee Week 2023 and their theme of ‘compassion’, myself and Becca Toop ran ‘Threads of Migration’ - a project which used hand embroidery to tell the stories and lived experiences of local refugee and asylum seeker women.
 
Over a series of 5 workshops, I taught different embroidery techniques, with many of the ladies bringing their own expertise to the group. Through this they then expressed themselves in a medium that crosses language barriers, and to rediscover a skill that has historically been a way for women to record important events. 
 
Their work was then put into a booklet that was handed out locally, with the hopes of changing perceptions and creating a more welcoming environment for refugees, as well as being exhibited in Nelson Library during refugee week and beyond. 
 
We also had a stall at Nelson’s Festival of Culture, where the ladies shared their embroidery skills with members of the public, and created a collaborative ‘Welcome’ banner to show that Nelson welcomes refugees, asylum seekers, and anyone that chooses to make their home here. 
 
This project was led by community artists, Emily Forbes (https://www.emily-forbes.com/ @emilyforbes_art) and Becca Toop (https://www.rebeccatoop.com/), and funded by Lancashire County Council.

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