Sanctuary Seekers

Creative Lives was invited by Cardiff Council to establish a new creative group for refugees, asylum seekers and migrants in Cardiff Central Library, as part of Cardiff’s City of Sanctuary status.

Creative Lives has worked with a number of Welsh public libraries since 2018, supporting new and established creative groups, including a series of creative workshops for the Improving Conversational English group in Cardiff Central Library.

These new sessions were focused on providing a welcoming space for refugees, asylum seekers and migrants to take part in creative activity, while providing opportunities to make new friends and improve their English language skills, with refreshments and hot drinks.

This pilot work engaged with 137 participants, and linked with established events such as Welsh Refugee Week.

The additional benefit of hosting the sessions in the library was that we could link participants to other Council services co-located in the same building, including welfare and benefit advice, housing and homelessness support, digital and language skills, bus passes, as well as books in multiple languages - thereby helping them to integrate more fully into Welsh society.

Participants reported feeling happier and more positive after taking part.

“Thank you for such a wonderful session. Who would have thought I could be so creative?”
“I was so stressed out this morning, and this is making me feel so much better.”
“I feel so lucky to have found this group. And I will continue drawing when I’m back in China.”

The Sanctuary Seekers workshops were part of a project which was supported by a grant from National Lottery Awards for All Wales. We're very grateful to Cardiff Hubs and Libraries for providing the venue, publicity and refreshments.