As part of Refugee Festival Scotland, artist Sadia Sikander shares the inspiration behind their powerful exhibitions. Sadia’s Unwritten Milestones captures the hidden struggles of asylum seekers in limbo, using portraiture to reflect on resilience, mental health, and the urgent need for change.

In Live in Art, recently shown at the CCA as part of Refugee Festival Scotland, artist and curator Syeda Sadaf Zaida brought together diverse voices to explore identity, memory, and resilience. Co-created with 12 artists, Syeda’s reflects on her dual journey as both artist and curator for an exhibition rooted in storytelling, emotion, and care.

Roots of Refuge, at The Hidden Gardens, aims to celebrate inclusion, solidarity, and diversity in Scotland whilst amplifying the urgent call from the national campaign, Fair Begins Here, urging the UK Government to discontinue the Rwanda scheme.

Refugee Festival Scotland has announced an exciting line-up of events sharing the stories of people and communities who have settled in Scotland. Including a whole host of events in Glasgow’s Southside, including Govanhill and the surrounding areas.

A poignant piece on the challenges of motherhood from Mary and how the asylum system shaped her experiences of birth.

In the run-up to Refugee Festival Scotland 2023, Greater Govanhill ran a series of filmmaking workshops for New Scots that helped them to create short films on the stories that matter to them. Watch the shorts below.

The Bowling Green and Love Jam Glasgow brought the community together to celebrate the summer solstice and the Refugee Festival during Refugee Week and local residents from all walks of life joined in the festivities.

When the group of New Scots we supported to produce a radio show won runner up at the Refugee Festival Media Awards, it was one of the proudest moments for Greater Govanhill – and a reminder of how important it is to pass the mic and provide a platform for new voices.

Artists, Ragini Chawla and Hussein Mitha have been facilitating mango workshops to explore the political and nostalgic elements of the fruit. To celebrate the mango in all its forms Rumpus Room hosted its very own mango party.

If you have experience of the asylum system, you can sign up to take part in a series of video storytelling workshops that we will run through May. The films made will then be screened as part of the Scottish Refugee Festival in June.

The annual, and consistently brilliant Refugee Festival Scotland is in full swing. The theme this year is storytelling and there are so many events to choose from, it’s hard to know where to start. We rounded up some of those we’re most looking forward to in and around Govanhill.

As part of Refugee Festival Scotland on Wednesday 22nd June, Radio Buena Vida will be airing the show as a culmination of a number of workshops with those with experience of the asylum system.