Windows of Welcome - animating Gloucester high street and celebrating Refugee Week!
Thanks to the Big Give campaign in March 2025, Windows of Welcome will animate the Gloucester high street this summer!
Art provides an important space for people to meet
and learn about others and their experiences. Recognising and understanding different perspectives removes barriers between communities and makes lasting changes to neighbourhoods.
We are creating three ambitious artworks for Gloucester.
We're engaging with young refugees to co-create the first artwork for the city with Joke Amusan.
Genaro Martinez Medina has run some collaging workshops at Gloucester City Council on welcoming refugees to Gloucester, and is creating artwork based on the images and ideas that came out of it.
Thirdly, Nadiyaa and Soozy have been working with Matson Makers to create drawings that Sherina is creating into a banner, exploring themes around home and welcome.
All three artworks are animating the Gloucester high street by making use of vacant shops around the city centre for the exhibition during Refugee Week 2025 - June 16th - June 22nd 2025.
Though some brilliant support services are available for unaccompanied young people who’ve arrived in the city, resources are stretched. After the age of 18, this level of support drops even further. These young people struggle to find community and belonging. Windows of Welcome ensures that they have a safe space to connect within the community and develop a sense of belonging.
Gloucester is bursting at the seams with everything going on for Refugee Week this June, and you'll see our Windows of Welcome in Kings Square on your way to the variety of events for #Moomin80.
Moomin 80 is a curated series of magical events, all about finding home and welcoming people in.
This series is inspired by Tove Jansson's beautiful Moomin stories and is coming to Gloucester for Refugee Week, 14-22 June. Make sure to find the full Moomin 80 programme at www.gloucesterguildhall.co.uk/moomins.
In particular, don't miss the Moomin Picnic on 21st June in Kings Square, to enjoy our project along with children’s games from around the world, The Music Works Bus, a Moomin puppet show and more.
Bring your family, friends, a picnic, and maybe a small welcoming gift for a stranger, as Gloucester celebrates community as our superpower this year’s Refugee Week theme.
w: https://www.gasprojects.org.uk/windows
insta: @gasprojectsglos
Alt Image Text: Bold hand cut lettering on bright illustrations by Genaro Martinez Medina
Image Credit: GAS Projects