Warwickshire County Council Libraries have delivered professional art workshops for two groups of refugees...
Warwickshire County Council Libraries have delivered professional art workshops for two groups of refugees through ‘Warwickshire Libraries Alive’, a participation, literature and arts project helping members of the community to engage with their local library spaces.
The project most recently worked with two groups of refugees housed in temporary hotel placements in Warwickshire. Both groups took part in visual arts workshops with professional artists in library settings, with the artwork created currently being displayed in Rugby Library and Kenilworth Library until Friday 5 August 2022. The project supported the two groups of refugees to visit their local libraries by providing transport, putting on special events, and supporting them with signing-up for free as library members.
Working across Warwickshire, the Libraries Alive project, which was funded by Arts Council England, aimed to enhance residents’ engagement with literature and their local library spaces. Through a series of workshops, participants had the opportunity to work with professional literature consultants and artists. Depending on the group’s interests, art forms included visual arts, music, performing, writing their own spoken word poetry, right through to podcasting, illustration, and everything in between. Each group that took part shared their work with the general public at an event at their local library, welcoming everyone to enjoy the culmination of their creative process.
Cllr Andy Jenns, Portfolio Holder for Customer and Transformation, said:
“The Warwickshire Libraries Alive project aimed to engage with those who may not typically access the library services because of barriers they face in their everyday lives.
“Warwickshire Libraries are friendly and welcoming spaces, and our staff are happy to help anyone who is new or is considering exploring their local library. They will continue to work supportively with residents who need to overcome any boundaries, reinforcing that our libraries are vibrant, safe and inclusive community spaces for all.”
Warwickshire Libraries offer a huge range of books and resources that can be accessed for free through a no-cost library membership, available either in-person, through the online library catalogue, or by browsing the BorrowBox collection which includes a great range of eBooks and eAudiobooks. To join your local library for free, visit www.warwickshire.gov.uk/jointhelibrary.
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