A heritage creative gathering as part of the Helix Arts Make It Happen programme, in collaboration with with HostNation in November 2024. The activity brought together an artist-led photography element and a creative workshop set-up within a shared community event at Helix Arts, creating space for international communities to come together and make new memories with loved ones. The activity explored heritage documentation while also addressing the impact of displacement, offering participants the opportunity to receive a professional printed photograph as a keepsake from the event, capturing shared experiences through joy and celebration.
The event included creative activities, including a personalised photo frame-making workshop, encouraging multi-national and cross-cultural engagement. HostNation brought their diverse community, strengthening community ties and creating opportunities for people to share new memories, while also supporting English language development. Students from Tyne Metropolitan College ESOL (English to Speakers of Other Languages) were invited, supporting wider community engagement, creating opportunities for HostNation to connect with potential new service users and strengthening engagement for the students. All participants received keepsake photographs taken by Ukrainian professional photographer Alla Maistrenko, who was commissioned as part of the activity.
Rachel Eleanor Brook 