The Art of Belonging project was a partnership involving the University of Nottingham and Lund University, Sweden, as well as New Art Exchange, Nottingham. The project was funded by JPI Urban Europe: Urban Migration/ ESRC/ AHRC/ FORMAS.
The Art of Belonging project aims to understand how to lessen the impact of social isolation experienced by young, forced migrants who have newly arrived in cities in different European contexts. We are interested in understanding how to enable young refugees and migrants to build connections with their new place such that they can go on to lead lives of meaningful engagement in their city. This concern relates to identity formation, but is also coupled with the development of skills, social connections and cultural capital that young people are able to mobilise as they become cultural citizens in their new cities. The project is located in Nottingham, England and Lund, Sweden. Our main research question asked: How can place-specific arts and cultural initiatives help young refugees to develop a sense of belonging, and increase participation in the civic, social and cultural life of their new cities?
Project Team
Joanna McIntyre
Professor of Education at University of Nottingham, UK, whose particular interest is in how, through the field of Education, we can understand and improve the lives of those who are marginalised or disadvantaged by society.
Sinikka Neuhaus
Head of Teacher Education at Lund University since 2012.
Katarina Blennow
Researcher in the Department of Educational Sciences at Lund University, Sweden, whose research interests include emotions in education, the teaching and learning of Social Science, school cultures, teacher professionalism and ethnography.
Lara Sanna
Italian visual artist based in Sweden working as art consultant, exhibition curator and visual art teacher.
Ruth Lewis-Jones
Trained in the visual arts and based in Nottingham, UK, is passionately committed to the principle of arts for everyone and has been working in arts outreach and public engagement for over 30 years.
Shamila Chady
Artist and art workshop leader based in Nottingham, UK.
Art of Belonging 