As part of Pride Month 2024, Micro Rainbow is celebrating the creativity of LGBTQI refugees and asylum seekers with its first ever exhibition of dance art made as part of its innovative Body and Movement programme.
The Body and Movement programme uses the power of dance to create community, offering a safe space for LGBTQI refugees and asylum seekers to connect with themselves and with others in joyful, supportive ways. The “Dance Your Freedom” exhibition showcases the creativity that emerges from that community as well as the testimonies of its members as they dance their own emotional healing in new lands.
Following a path through graphic artworks, costumes, dance films, audio works and photos, the visitor to the exhibition can witness powerful stories from LGBTQI refugees and asylum seekers as they redevelop a positive relationship with their bodies and themselves. The joy of these inclusive networks is shared through the exhibition as the visitor is invited to take part in dancing the freedom to be ourselves, with safety, confidence and pride.
Jill Power, Micro Rainbow’s Head of Social and Economic Inclusion:
“The Body and Movement programme has been transformative for our community of LGBTQI refugees and asylum seekers. It provides a safe space to explore creativity and fun, reclaim the body and mind, build confidence and empowerment and finding friendships and new networks. It is a place to escape the day-to-day stresses of being an asylum seeker.”
Fearghus Ó Conchúir, Creative Lead
“Dance has the power to build connection, community and joy. In a world where we don’t always feel welcome, it’s been a privilege to be part of the supportive and creative space we’ve made for Micro Rainbow beneficiaries, queer dance artists and allies. And we’re proud to be able to share some of that in the exhibition.”
The exhibition’s content has been created with LGBTQI refugees, asylum seekers and by a team of Queer artists from across the UK who have led and developed Micro Rainbow’s Body & Movement Programme, funded by Paul Hamlyn Foundation.
This exhibition is open to everyone, is free to attend with no advance booking required. It will take place in Birmingham, London, and Cardiff on the following dates:
12th – 15th June, 9am – 3pm, Stryx Gallery, Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham
18th – 21st June, 9am – 4pm, Norwegian Church Arts Centre, Cardiff
26th & 28th June, 9-5pm
27th June, 9-8pm, Royal Society of Arts, London
About the Body and Movement Programme
Dancing together is a way to find joy, fun and affirmation in our own physicality, to express our creativity and to build a supportive and safe community. For LGBTQI refugees and asylum seekers who often experience isolation and low self-esteem as a result of inhospitable experiences, Micro Rainbow’s Dance programme offers an important space to help LGBTQI refugees and asylum seekers to overcome social exclusion, increase their confidence and fulfil their potential.
Funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation this programme is organised and delivered by a Creative Team of independent dance artists-facilitators and a producer.
Dance Your Freedom team:
Leo Menezes, Exhibition Curator
Kevin Lloyd Exhibition Graphic Designer
Sam Williams, Film Maker
Heidi Chiu, Sound Designer
Kate Green, Photographer
Fearghus Ó Conchúir, Artistic Lead
Louisa Borg Costanzi Potts, Producer
Bethany K Knowles, Exhibition Production Manager
Kate Wakeling, Project Evaluator
The Creative team is:
Angela Dennis, Fearghus Ó Conchúir, Osian Meilir Ioan, Devon Nelson, Gerrard Martin, Poppy Norwood, Jerry Lee Dawson, Oluwaseun Olayiwola
Johnny Autin, Shivaangee Agrawal, Kate Taylor , Stephanie Schober, Takeshi Matsumoto.
Dance Ambassadors: Lister M & Hiba N
Volunteer as an invigilator
We are looking for members of our community of LGBTQI refugees and people seeking asylum to volunteer as invigilators for these events. An invigilator is someone who supervises the exhibition to help visitors get the most out of their visit. They keep the exhibition safe and they answer any questions that visitors may have. There will be a team of
two invigilators at every session, so you have company when the exhibition is
quiet and support when it’s busy. You
will be trained to support audiences as they navigate the exhibition and
provide additional context for the work.
