A potent program of art and performance created by refugees in Australia will feature in the Homelands Tour, which visits Newcastle Museum for a performance on Thursday, June 22, at Newcastle Museum.
The tour is described as "an itinerant roadshow of multimedia, digital art, visual art, short films and a performing arts showcase in celebration of Refugee Week [June 18-24]."
The evening program, from 6pm to 9.30pm, will be emceed by Kat Skoumbas on behalf of the organiser, SSI (Settlement Services International).
The performance includes a light installation, spoken word and music acts.
It is free, but attendees must register (through eventbrite.com.au, homelands tour).
The program producers were instrumental in the New Beginnings festival at the National Maritime Museum in Sydney during the Festival of Sydney, and also produced elements of the Vivid festival in 2022.
The performance program will conclude with a feature performance of Love, Always Love, a collection of personal stories and original songs of courage, love and family connection by Lebanese musician and singer Samira El Koussa, with arrangements featuring western and Arabic instruments by Greta Kelly, composer Corrina Bonshek and electronic music songstress May Lyn.
The Homeland Tour also features an exhibition of artworks and short films.
The exhibition is already installed and open for free viewing from 10am to 4pm in the foyer of the Q Building, University of Newcastle, 16 Honeysuckle Drive, in the city, through Tuesday, June 20.
The exhibition features Stories of Welcome, a multi-arts storytelling project of artworks and photography by members of the refugee and asylum-seeking community from the Mid-North Coast of NSW. It features work of eight artists - refugees from Ethiopia, Kurdistan, Myanmar and Yemen, among others.
The other element of the exhibition is Urban Stories, from Sydney-based Curious Works's refugee artist development program. It features work by artists who have sought haven from Iran, Syria and India.
