Hiraeth 2019

This project involved working with refugees, mainly from Syria, with the aim of supporting them to integrate with their local communities in Newtown and Wrexham while sharing their and representing their stories. In Wrexham artists Fiona Collins and Catrin Williams used storytelling and the visual arts to engage with families, adults and children in schools. The project resulted in an exhibition at the Wrexham Museum and a touring banner artwork that was exhibited at the Senedd. In Newtown artists Nicky Arscott and Elin Crowley worked with children in primary schools and with families which resulted in a mural and a buddy bench. The project helped participants improve their English / Welsh language skills and other skills, improved community cohesion and contributed to a better understanding and mutual acceptance between people and increased the participant’s health and wellbeing.

We finished this project with 7 additional sessions with 6 participants. Catrin supported the group to create artworks based on the archives in Wrexham Museum which had a personal connection for them – often reminding them of their childhood. Fiona then supported them to create interpretation labels though dictation and writing. Each participant created and kept a scrapbook of photos of their chosen objects, original artwork and writing (‘their legacy’). The work done by this group is being displayed in the community cases at Wrexham Museum from Feb 2020 for 1 year.

The project was funded by Awards for All and Arts Council of Wales.

It helped me learn that everyone can be brave
I learnt to stick up for people
The project really supported our newly arrived Syrian people and aided cultural understanding

Diben y prosiect hwn oedd gweithio gyda ffoaduriaid, o Syria’n bennaf, gyda’r nod o’u cefnogi i integreiddio i’w cymunedau lleol yn y Drenewydd a Wrecsam wrth rannu a chyfleu eu straeon. Yn Wrecsam bu’r artistiaid Fiona Collins a Catrin Williams yn defnyddio sgiliau dweud straeon a’r celfyddydau gweledol i ymgysylltu â theuluoedd, oedolion a phlant mewn ysgolion. Arweiniodd y prosiect at arddangosfa yn Amgueddfa Wrecsam a chrëwyd baner o waith celf i fynd ar daith oedd yn rhan o arddangosfa yn y Senedd. Yn y Drenewydd, yr artistiaid Nicky Arscott ac Elin Crowley fu’n gweithio gyda phlant ysgolion cynradd a theuluoedd, ac arweiniodd hyn at furlun a mainc bydi. Mae’r prosiect wedi helpu cyfranogwyr i wella sgiliau iaith Cymraeg/Saesneg a sgiliau eraill, a gwella cydlyniant cymunedol yn ogystal â chyfrannu at well dealltwriaeth rhwng pobl o ran derbyn ei gilydd, a gwella iechyd a llesiant y cyfranogwyr.

Cyllidwyd y prosiect trwy Arian i Bawb a Chyngor Celfyddydau Cymru.

Mae wedi fy helpu dysgu y gall pawb fod yn ddewr
Dysgais sefyll fyny dros bobl
Mae’r prosiect wedi rhoi cefnogaeth wirioneddol i’r bobl oedd newydd gyrraedd o Syria ac wedi helpu gyda dealltwriaeth ddiwylliannol