Barnsley Civic and Feels Like Home are proud to announce the arrival of The Welcome Mat to Barnsley, a 3-meter community textile artwork that was created over three years, by the hearts and hands of more than 250 participants nationwide.
The WELCOME MAT project is part of Migrant Action’s ‘ Healing Justice’ Project following the summer riots of 2024. It is a collaborative initiative with organisations and communities to offer a counter vision of Hope Not Hate.
The Welcome Mat was created in Brighton by asylum seekers and members from the local communities from different parts of the UK. Through the Healing Justice project, Migrant Action hopes that the Mat would inspire the same values in communities wherever it goes.
The purpose of the Healing Justice Project is – community cohesion, solidarity founded in the values of love, kindness, diversity & inclusion, humanity, Hope Not Hate. The project’s activities enable people to recognise the traumas caused by racial prejudice and hate of the ‘other’, by creating safe/brave spaces to cultivate love, kindness, hope, unity, solidarity and sense of welcome and belonging.
The artwork is now displayed in the new community space in Barnsley Civic, which is part of the newly refurbished Eldon Street wing of the arts centre, which reopened in September last year.
The Feels Like Home group will be running a series of workshops creating Barnsley’s own response to the Welcome Mat during July. These workshops will explore what it means to feel welcome, and what it means to welcome others. Supported by practitioners who have lived experience of seeking asylum, the workshops will make use of textiles, embroidery, and crafting to create a collaborative piece of artwork that will remain in Barnsley as a legacy of the project. Everyone is welcome to join the workshops.
Workshops
- 2nd July 4:00 – 6:00
- 9th July 4:00 – 6:00
Barnsley Civic Eldon St, Barnsley S70 2JL
To register a place, please contact Joanna on joannanewman@barnsley.gov.uk or call / message 07873 655035.
Feels Like Home is cultural sharing group that aims to make all newcomers to Barnsley feel at home through friendship, culture, and language. Feels Like Home is run by Barnsley Museums, and Barnsley Civic will be the group’s second home from July.
Barnsley Civic’s Community Engagement Manager Jason White says, “our venue is a place for using art as a way to share stories and to enrich lives. We are committed to creating more cultural equitable and developing spaces that can be used by any Barnsley resident, no matter their background or heritage. Hosting The Welcome Mat is us holding out a hand and saying you’re welcome here at Barnsley Civic. It also looks very beautiful and really adds new life to the space.”
Feels Like Home coordinator, Joanna Newman says, “We are delighted to be creating Barnsley’s own response to the Welcome Mat at Barnsley Civic. Barnsley has always been a warm and welcoming place where people can feel at home. Following the fear and tension brought about by last year’s riots, it’s important for us to come together as a community to reaffirm that sense of warmth and welcome to everyone, regardless of race, religion, colour or creed. We hope that everyone will enjoy both creating and visiting Barnsley’s response to the Welcome Mat at Barnsley Civic.”
