Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
Sanctuary Sounds: A student performance raising funds for refugees arriving in the UK
Third year BA (Hons) Performing Arts and BA (Hons) Music Industry Management students at Leeds School of Arts are putting on a Sanctuary Sounds performance to raise money for City of Sanctuary, a charity which supports people who have found safety in the UK after fleeing violence or persecution in another country.
The students are performing in collaboration with Stand and Be Counted Theatre, the UK's first Theatre Company of Sanctuary, an organisation committed to making work with, about and for people seeking sanctuary in the UK and internationally.
Sanctuary Sounds will be a performance of live music, a flurry of sound exploring and interacting with notions of sanctuary, connection and community. Students have been working on the performance as part of their Arts and Social Engagement and Music and Community modules. Here’s what they had to say about their involvement in the project:
Tina Yancheva said “I will be singing Bulgarian Folklore music. It's so exciting to be given the opportunity to share my culture alongside others in Sanctuary Sounds. Finding connections across cultures has been so valuable.” Demmie Morgan said “This experience has given us a brilliant opportunity to hear the stories and experiences of people who are building a new life in the UK.”
Molly Scholes shares what she’s taken from the experience “I have gained invaluable insight into how we can use creative practices to communicate how we understand the world around us from different cultural contexts” and student Tom Cox summaries “It's wonderful to be part of a project where everyone's voice can and will be heard.”
Associate Director at Stand and Be Counted and Lecturer in Performing Arts at Leeds School of Arts, Hannah Butterfield, said “It has been such a pleasure to see the students professional and enthusiastic approach to co-creation and working in a range of languages and contexts. A real highlight of the process was a drumming workshop led by Kadence Music's Mahandra Patel. Students were able to learn how drumming classes can develop confidence and wellbeing in participants and can facilitate learning when there are language barriers.”
The performance will form part of The Theatre in the Mill 45th anniversary party on Saturday 13th November. Further information and tickets can be found here.
