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Case Study: The Van Gogh project: ‘’Van Gogh and I’’ (Nationwide, The Netherlands)
Stichting de Vrolijkheid, translated as Foundation the Joy, has created a series of workshops for youths who are staying in asylum centres, to make a collage in the style of Van Gogh. For this project, they also paid a visit to the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam and were given the opportunity by the museum to exhibit their works during the annual Museum Night of Amsterdam. Organization Stichting de Vrolijkheid currently has 67 locations across the Netherlands, where they organize activities for children, teenagers, young people and families staying in asylum centres. The workshops that the foundation provides vary in form and duration, depending on the resources available near the…
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Case Study: SMAK’s Chocolate Workshops (Gent, Belgium)
The Municipal Museum of Contemporary Art (SMAK) in Gent organized chocolate-making workshops in 2017 for people who fled due to war. The outcome was part of an exhibition, which was intended to be seen as a form of art. The objectives of this project were to tackle multiple social issues by connecting them in one workshop. Organization Since 2015 Europe has dealt with a migrant issue due to the war in Syria. Like many other European countries, Belgium had to come up with a plan to house those who sleeked asylum. In the following years, Belgium became more creative in housing people in need as more institutions opened their facilities.…
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Case Study: Relabeling in Leicester (United Kingdom)
In the year 2018, a remarkable event unfolded at the New Walk Museum in Leicester, UK. Two captivating museum takeovers were orchestrated, wherein refugees and asylum seekers played a pivotal role in reimagining the labels of the museum’s permanent collection, if only for a temporary period. The driving force behind these transformative endeavors consisted primarily of the refugees and asylum seekers who frequented creative writing classes hosted by City of Sanctuary. Assisting them were a devoted creative writing instructor and the esteemed Outreach Officer from the New Walk Museum. Through their collective efforts, the once-lifeless and detached objects found a newfound vitality as engrossing stories were interwoven with them. The…
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Case Study: Refugees as global guides in Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, USA)
At the University of Pennsylvania (US), the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology recognizes the wealth of knowledge that refugees possess regarding their home countries. Since 2018, the museum has taken an innovative approach by employing a select group of refugees as ‘global guides’. These knowledgeable individuals serve as invaluable resources, offering contextual explanations and insights into the exhibits showcased in the museum’s recently renovated Middle East Gallery. With their personal experiences and connections to the objects on display, these tour guides seamlessly bridge the gap between the museum’s collection and their own rich cultural backgrounds. Organization Nestled within the University City neighborhood of Philadelphia, the Penn Museum, formerly known as…
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Case Study: The Multaka project (Berlin, Germany)
The Multaka project was initiated in 2015 and supports newcomers from Arabic countries to help them integrate into German society. This project was carried out by four museums in Berlin that housed Arabic tours given by Arabic newcomers, making this a perfect example of a sustainable ‘by, with and for refugees’ project. Background In 2015 there was a European migrant crisis due to the war in Syria. Many of them fled across Europe and stranded in Germany. That same year, some refugees opted for work in the Syrian Heritage Archive of the Museum of Islamic Art. The request inspired the director to take action and engage Arabic speakers as guides…
