Journeys Festival International 2021 to Bond Three Cities Through Cultural Exploration And Community

Journeys Festival International 2021, the UK's first festival of Sanctuary, is going to bring thousands of people together to explore cultures from around the globe in the cities of Portsmouth, Manchester and Leicester across the same ten days from 15 to 24 October. Over 20 creative organisations from all over the UK and 21 venues are working together to deliver the festival with the aim of improving community cohesion and inspiring hope and understanding through a series of events, exhibitions, film viewings and performances. With the overarching theme of welcome, Journeys Festival International wants to break down the stigma attached to sanctuary seekers arriving in the UK, by sharing and celebrating art and events created by and with community members and artists with experience of forced migration.

20 artists ranging from as far as Syria, Iran and Zimbabwe are teaming up with UK and European artists to celebrate this creative and cultural exploration of global cultures.

Creative Director Lorna Fulton explains that "We aim to celebrate the people from the UK and all over the globe that come together and create our inspiring and unique communities. Now more than ever, we see a great need to increase acceptance and understanding in society, alongside a better understanding of mental health. This festival wants people to come together to explore the wonderful traditions and celebrate the creative talents the world has to offer. International Artists will share their experiences and explore their cultures through a varied programme of events, exhibitions and experiences for us to enjoy and that is what the festival is all about. We want people to share and discover new art, new experiences and new cultures together with friends, neighbours and family, which is why we keep the majority of the festival free where we can."

Where There is Light by Squidsoup is an audio-visual installation that brings people together to share a sense of connection and hope. Illuminated globes surround the audience in moving patterns and colours, while a sound track - created by members of sanctuary-seeking communities - shifts around the installation with mesmerising sights and sounds.

The Global Kitchen Supper Club, inspired by a recipe book made by members of the sanctuary-seeking community who shared the favourite dishes from their home countries at community meals, is taking the project to another level:

Artist Parham Ghalamdar, whose virtual reality project and outdoor exhibitions are featured this year, has worked on the festival before and says: "Journeys Festival International has been a major platform supporting and nurturing my practice in the past years. It's an impressive event bringing people together to have conversations about important matters shaping our society."

The festival is featuring films, food, exhibitions in- and outdoors, large scale projections, virtual reality experiences alongside performances and cultural experiences - giving us opportunities to explore and share together.

You can find out more on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram with @journeysfest, visit www.journeysfestival.com.