A full day drop-in workshop at The Gulbenkian in Canterbury as part of Platforma 5, a festival which supports and develops arts by, about and with refugees and migrants.
Workshop Aims
- For participants to share, celebrate and learn about different languages including the visual appearance of alphabets from around the world.
- To get children and their families thinking about how to communicate in different languages and the challenges that might bring.
- To give strangers a commonality to connect with at the event
- To learn and make art together.
- To have fun.
Activity
- Participants of all ages and abilities were invited to create a pin badge which said ‘hello’ in any language. Using brightly coloured papers, pens, alphabet stickers and a user friendly badge making machine.
- Participants added their badges to the ‘Badge Swap Shop’ (hanging fabric banner) and then selected someone else’s ‘hello’ badge to wear and take home.
- Participants were encouraged to spot other people wearing a ‘hello’ badge at the event and to then say hello, perhaps even in the language of their new badge!
Outcomes
- Participants created awesome ‘hello’ badges and took them home.
- There was a changing display of ‘hello’ badges created by participants in a range of different languages.
- Visitors to the event were connected and had a reason to say ‘hello’ to one another.
- Participants were able to share and celebrate different languages and alphabets with each other.
- People had lots of fun!
“I feel like a kid again!”
Parent participant
Becky Vincer 