Refugee Festival Scotland is back for its 15th year this June. With events running across the county, the festival celebrates the contribution refugees and asylum seekers make to the richness of cultural life in Scotland. Produced by Scottish Refugee Council, the festival has something for everyone, from family and community events to music, dance, performance and visual arts. Here are some of the highlights running throughout June.
For the drama lovers
Glasgow GirlsPhoto: Robert Day
Go see ‘The Glasgow Girls: Ten Years On,’ (CCA, Sun Jun 14). The BBC documentary charts the girls' award-winning campaign to end the forced detention and deportation of asylum-seeker families.
The short play, Judge or be Judged (Scottish Youth Theatre, Wed Jun 17), looks at the lives of youngsters across Glasgow, exploring their experiences of dignity, respect and protection.
For the party people
The Queer Gaylidh Dance Party (Garnethill Multicultural Centre, Sat Jun 6) should pique your interest with a night of celebration and dancing with the LGBT unity Solidarity Group.
Enjoy an evening of outdoor ceilidh dancing and BBQ picnic feasting to celebrate the cultural diversity of the Gorbals at the Rising Roses Gorbals International Ceilidh (Gorbals Rose Garden, Fri Jun 12).
For the music lovers
Can't Be SilentPhoto: Neue Visionen
Visit The Glad Café for a screening of the film 'Can’t Be Silent' (Tue Jun 16), which tells the story of musicians from Africa, the Balkans and Iran who are asylum seekers in Germany, followed by live music from local refugee musicians.
Listen to the Glasgow Integrated Voices women's choir perform Songs of Freedom, an evening of songs and storytelling to celebrate their cultural diversity and female empowerment (Garnethill Multicultural Centre, Fri Jun 19).
Immerse yourself in Turkish traditional music and cuisine with Hayat Yolu, a musical play performed in both Turkish and English (Citizens Theatre, Fri Jun 19).
Have a local choir, with members from the local refugee community, musical groups from north East Glasgow and local schools, sing you Sounds in the Key of Life (Rosemount Lifelong Learning, Fri Jun 19).
For the crafty
Write a handcrafted letter to your own personal heroine to celebrate refugee and asylum seeking women whilst sharing stories at the Glasgow Woman’s Library (Thu Jun 11).
Help create a collective arts and crafts collage that celebrates Scotland’s diversity, humanity, and respect at Craftivism (Glad Foundations, Sun Jun 7).
Create a piece of jewellery that reflects your personal interpretation of human rights, dignity and protection. The Make and Celebrate workshop will teach you etching and soldering to create your own individual badge (The Project Room, Fri Jun 12).
One for the kids
Bring the family to join in Refugee Festival Football tournament (Palace of Art, Sun June 21) with pitch-side refreshments, family games and a trophy presentation.
Head down with the family to the Glasgow Museums Resource Centre to try out some fun arts and crafts, and to look at amazing objects from all over the world, at Next Stop Glasgow! (Sun Jun 7).
Just for the visuals
Iman Tajik
In a special exhibition at The Arches, Being Human is a program of visual art by Iranian artists living in Scotland. The exhibition explores the theme of ‘Being Human’ (June 4–21).
For the foodies
The Arches change up their café bar menu to include a selection of dishes inspired by Iranian recipes to complement the Being Human event (Jun 4–21).
A one-off pop up café will celebrate the food and culture of Sighthill at St Rollox Church of Scotland. A variety of dishes will be on offer for you to try, with accompanying African music performed by a local choir (Thu Jun 11).
For the political
Head to The Tron Theatre to see the Freedom Theatre Company perform The Siege. The company, based in occupied Palestine, has united artists from Britain and Palestine to tell the story, inspired by true events, of a siege that paralysed Bethlehem and kept thousands under curfew (Jun 17–20).
Refugee Festival Scotland runs at venues across the country from Jun 3–21 – see the RFS website for more info.