Let creativity be a sanctuary

In March, refugees and asylum seekers who were promised resettlement in the UK were left stranded when schemes to welcome them here safely were suspended. Home Office ministers took the understandable but heartbreaking decision to close our borders to reduce Covid-19 transmissions. This left displaced people and families destitute in some of the most unstable regions on earth, trapped in war zones or refugee camps with little to no medical support.

Charities and organisations that support new arrivals to the UK were forced to suspend face-to-face activity and close their doors. The isolation that most refugees and asylum seekers feel when they first arrive was compounded as the networks usually open to them became unreachable and existing inequalities grew. In recent weeks we’ve watched the Government find Covid-secure ways to deport people, but not safe ways to open resettlement routes.

Company of sanctuary

Stand and Be Counted Theatre are the UK’s first 'Theatre Company of Sanctuary'. We deliver educational programmes, co-create touring theatre and build community projects that give a platform to sanctuary seekers. 

We were founded to champion and fight for the fundamental human rights for everyone. That’s why earlier this year, with the support of the extraordinary Culture Commons, we delivered an open letter to the Home Office asking for the immediate reinstatement of our resettlement schemes. Many countries – including many in Europe – reopened routes as soon as it was safe to do so, yet the UK’s borders remain closed. People are forced to risk their lives at sea and then arrested for doing so.

We’ve also asked Home Office officials to recognise the effectiveness of arts programmes as a tool for learning English and building networks. We’ve requested that funding for English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) include arts organisations because we know they provide so much more than language learning. Basema Hashas, a participant and friend who took part in our work, puts it better than we ever could: 

“Now I can speak English without being shy, I have learned how to plan my own life, which is not in our tradition to do so – we don’t think about our own needs. I want to do so much and now I think I can. Using my imagination helped me to deal with stress and I feel like I can fly. (This course) taught me what I am capable of, to understand myself, gain confidence and I no longer feel nervous to speak. I looked forward to getting up every day I knew we had a session. I have lost a lot in my life and I never thought it would come back but now I believe in myself and I feel I can start again.”

Creativity offers more

We are not unique. We are part of a growing movement of ‘Theatre Companies of Sanctuary’ who each work with and for people seeking sanctuary. In recent years, these companies have played a part in delivering English classes for newcomers, preparing refugees and asylum seekers for interviews, finding local employment and volunteer opportunities, building their confidence and providing wellbeing support while they adapt to the UK. 

Each one of us has been incredibly agile and instinctive in adapting to the needs of refugees throughout the pandemic. Statutory support for new arrivals focuses on the basics of physical health and housing, but we’ve spent years refining a series of creative programmes that can offer much more. Organisations like ours serve communities up and down the country, informed by what people tell us they actually need. 

Our Creative Skills for Employment Programme sees 30% of participants secure sustainable employment – ten times the national average. We had to quickly move it online when the pandemic hit. We continue to run ‘Use Your Voice’ workshops to stay connected with our participants and help them become activists in their communities. Instead of making campaign theatre, we’ve produced documentaries and computer games designed by our participants.

Let us help

Over the last five years, resettlement schemes have brought local authorities and civil society together in a way that we can all be immensely proud of. Together we have created supportive community networks that promote social cohesion and integration, as well as urgent, joyful and educational performance projects.

Despite the prevailing rhetoric surrounding refugees and the hostile environment policies in place here, we know and have seen that the British public want to welcome people safely and support them to build lives in the UK. The kindness of strangers and our audiences has seen Stand and Be Counted raise over £10,000 to keep our ‘Use Your Voice’ programme for sanctuary seekers going this year. This generosity demonstrates a real commitment from the public to protect and listen to those with lived experience of displacement and seeking asylum.

There are so many of us ready and waiting to do our job. We just need the Home Office to listen and let us get on with it.

Rosie MacPherson is Artistic Director of Stand and Be Counted theatre.
 sbctheatre.co.uk
 @SBC_Theatre