Skimstone Arts is marking Refugee Week 2020 (15 to 21 June) alongside other organisations in the North East.
We had been commissioned to perform our new work, Peace Procession3: Standing Together, in Sunderland during Refugee Week. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, performances are currently on hold. Instead, we will be sharing stories from refugees who are now living in the North East.
Before lockdown, we worked with the Friends of the Drop-In group in Sunderland, which provides support for refugees and asylum seekers, to create and perform a new song, inspired by different ways of saying hello.
Refugee Week 2020 from Claire Webster Saaremets on Vimeo.
“The group at FoDI (Friends of the Drop In) were amazing, full of energy and ideas and we worked quickly to create a song/movement piece about…saying hello! We then performed it to 100+ people downstairs…great stuff!”
Claire, Artistic Director, also met Claudia on Zoom, through FODI and listened to her story.
“I thought Claudia was brave, clear and inspiring to share her powerful story via Zoom. It’s moving and also uplifting and talks about how sunderland has made a difference. I look forward to meeting Claudia in person when we are eventually in post lockdown.”
Claudia from Claire Webster Saaremets on Vimeo.
Aby’s story from Claire Webster Saaremets on Vimeo.