Reflecting on Cross Borders – Call to Action
As the end of 2024 approaches, we are reflecting on three years of Cross Borders which has now come to an end. Since 2021, we have supported over 100 community organisers, activists, artists, creatives and journalists with professional and creative development.
You gave me the tools and the mentor to start. I didn’t know where to start. Now I know the directions. Now I have the tools.
Through our mentoring programme, training, events and collaborations we have supported over 110 arts and culture organisations and practitioners to have a greater understanding of the experiences and barriers faced by refugees, and to embed good practice into the wider sector. We are proud of the relationships and community developed through our projects, and trust that the connections made will continue for years to come. The work isn’t over – we call for the cultural sector and beyond to uphold and sustain the rights, care and protection of artists and communities who have been displaced.
I want to emphasise again how important it was that I was in a setting that was far away from my ‘refugee experience’. All I want to say is that I felt alive, I felt like a fish IN water – something I haven’t felt for a very long time.
We published the good practice report, Where We Meet (2024), which has collated together learning from our work with artists over the years, who have shared their knowledge and experiences collectively and individually. Where We Meet challenges arts organisations to think critically about their practices and to embrace discomfort as part of the growth process. It invites genuine engagement with international talents, cultural practices and perspectives. By centring the voices of artists with lived experience of displacement and committing to long-term, systemic change, organisations can play a vital role in creating a more equitable and inclusive arts sector.
For artists, it is also a tool to navigate the complexities of the creative industries while staying true to their values and vision. Remember, your voice matters. Your lived experience is not just a label or a theme – it is a source of strength, resilience, and creativity that can transform the arts and support broader social change.
The Cross Borders project .. has given me confidence and a sense of identity that was once stripped away by censorship. Your efforts have allowed me to stand in a place where I always dreamed of, and for that, I am eternally grateful.
You can access Where We Meet here:
Summary for arts organisations