We should open the cultural doors to refugees

If you believe some of the tabloids, you may be forgiven for thinking that an asylum seeker has no rights at all. You might even think he (and it usually is 'he') is no better than scum, and is probably a scrounger to boot. Perhaps a refugee is slightly better, though 'he' is taking our (albeit unwanted) jobs and our place in the GP's surgery.

Anxiety about employment and dissatisfaction with welfare provision may be well founded, but I think it is misdirected. Historically, refugees bring more to the British economy than they take, and visibly contribute to our culture. How impoverished we would be without Lucien Freud, Frank Auerbach, Caetano Veloso and Arthur Koestler, to name a few.

'Culture' is dynamic. It evolves—and I believe that far from being diluted it is enriched by a variety of forms of expression, which can aid mutual understanding, help overcome fear of the 'different', and add enjoyment to our lives. According to Ibrahim El-Salahi, who is an Oxford-based artist, originally from Sudan: "We come with what we have, then amalgamate what we learn. This brings something new, which is valid."

People fleeing their country of origin because of war and persecution usually arrive in Britain with little or nothing in terms of material possessions. But what they do bring with them is their courage, their beliefs—and their culture.

Imagine becoming uprooted, through force of circumstance, from your familiar surroundings. You might have had to leave unexpectedly and without choice. You may now be living in fear for your own and your loved ones' lives. In that situation how vital it would become to be able to use your hands to paint and make music, your voice to sing or your pen to write, and in this way begin to rebuild your identity, make sense of your surroundings, and gradually develop a sense of belonging.

It may indeed have been cultural intolerance—to their beliefs, customs or views expressed through the arts—that forced people to seek refuge in the first place. Among refugees in this country there are intellectuals, playwrights, painters—some of them important cultural figures. If they originate from countries where art is a more integral part of the culture, they may not in fact identify themselves as 'artists'. Nevertheless they bring with them vivid forms of expression which can also enrich our lives if only we can break down some of our preconceptions.

Says Ibrahim El-Salahi: "Here we are defined first by our ethnic identity or religious affiliation.... We are always seen as foreigners—exotic, or unknown. Being forced to explain our work keeps us separate. We are thought of as different. We should be taken as an addition. No matter what we do we are taken as third rate."

Yet, whether they call themselves 'artists' or not, the work created by displaced people may become the only evidence of their life before, of their individual journey.

Oxford has seen some important, albeit isolated, arts and cultural initiatives both in 'mainstream' and 'community' arts venues. And Arts Council England, South East is becoming more aware of the needs of artists who are refugees. But an integrated framework is needed that includes funding procedures, professional development, mentorship schemes and networks—so that cultural rights become a reality for asylum seekers and refugees. And you and I can make all the difference too—by adopting an attitude that opens doors and encourages asylum seekers and refugees to engage artistically and culturally in the society that has become their new home.

Candida Blaker

Co-founder and Executive Director of Creating Routes

Agree or disagree? Email us with your comments.

Useful links:

Senses of the City and London Arts' support for refugees 1999–2002: an evaluation

UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights