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Windows of Welcome
June 2025
Our project 'Windows of Welcome' is an art project supporting young refugees and strengthening communities in Gloucester. Thanks to the Big Give campaign in March 2025, Windows of Welcome animated the Gloucester high street this summer. Along with our ambitious artworks, we celebrated Refugee Week with the whole of Gloucester and enjoyed the Moomin 80 celebrations!
We heard amazing comments, such as...
“They are beautiful - brought tears to my eyes to see such a visually impactful welcome to Gloucester's communities”
"I saw this last night in King's Square at the end of a hard day and it really cheered me up! It's beautiful.”
We co-created three ambitious artworks for Gloucester.
We engaged with young refugees to co-create the first artwork for the city with Joke Amusan. Genaro Martinez Medina ran collaging workshops at Gloucester City Council on welcoming refugees to Gloucester, and designed artwork based on the images and ideas that came out of it. Thirdly, Nadiyaa and Soozy worked with Matson Makers to create drawings that Sherina created into a banner, exploring themes around home and welcome.
Why?
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.
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 often 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.
All three artworks were displayed on 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.
Joke Amusan
Joke Amusan is a German-Nigerian artist based in London - and we’re so excited to work with her again, after exhibiting her work at GAWP 2024.
Her art practice illuminates the rich and multifaceted experiences of Black womanhood. Through her exploration of identity, heritage, and migration, she creates immersive installations and evocative sculptures that engage multiple senses.
Joke worked with a group at Tuffley Library and young refugees on a unique installation for Gloucester to animate the high street.
Genaro Martinez Medina
Genaro Martinez Medina is an illustrator and designer originally from Mexico City, who works predominantly with traditional materials such as posca pens, watercolours, coloured pencils, gouache, combining the layers digitally to create a final image. Taking inspiration from surroundings and Mexican culture, with a love for editorial illustration.
Genaro started with a love of drawing and graphics, pursued a career as a Tattooist in Mexico City, then shifted towards editorial illustration and visual communication, creating distinctive and powerful images full of colour. We think Genaro’s addition to the Gloucester high street will look incredible.
Genaro ran collaging workshops at Gloucester City Council on welcoming refugees to Gloucester, and designed artwork based on the images and ideas that came out of it.
"I have really enjoyed the project, from organising the workshops and getting participants to create some really interesting imagery. Their ideas have helped me develop the final artwork which will be displayed in Kings Square.”
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Sherina Steele & Matson Makers
Matson is such a green part of the city, at the foot of Robinswood Hill, and nature is really important to our Matson Makers members. So we thought it would be really nice to think about diversity in nature, how that connects with our community, and how it creates the feeling of home, welcome and belonging.
“Community is our superpower” - the #RefugeeWeek2025 theme - felt really apt because Matson is really proud of the strong community. Nadiyaa and Soozy worked with Matson Makers to create drawings that Sherina transformed into a banner.
Refugee Week 2025
Gloucester
Gloucester was bursting at the seams with everything going on for Refugee Week this June, and our Windows of Welcome in Kings Square adorned the 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 came to Gloucester for Refugee Week, 14-22 June. Find more information at www.gloucesterguildhall.co.uk/moomins.
All celebrating #RefugeeWeek2025
Refugee Week is the world’s largest arts & culture festival celebrating the contributions, creativity and resilience of refugees and people seeking sanctuary.
Established in 1998 in the UK, Refugee Week takes place every year around World Refugee Day (20th June) and has since grown into a global movement.
Visit the Refugee Week Event Calendar to discover activities in the area, and find these beautiful inspirations such as Simple Acts - everyday actions we can all do to stand with refugees and make new connections in our communities.
Stay updated
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