Sonder Studio Gallery in Cooroy is hosting an art exhibition to celebrate Refugee Week.
The exhibition, entitled The Global Need for Healing, will showcase artworks by refugees who have been, or are still, living in refugee camps around the world.
The free event will open at 6pm on Friday 18 June, with readings and music by former refugees, and the exhibition runs from 18 – 26 June.
Also featured is a message, made up of giant letters creatively decorated by around 30 community groups and individuals from across the Sunshine Coast, coordinated by the Sunshine Coast Refugee Action Network.
Two of the huge letters were decorated by participants at a recycled art and craft workshop in Cooran on 26 May as part of the Connecting Noosa program.
“The great thing about this community project is how many different groups jumped on board – from schools to climate action groups, artists to multicultural groups,” Sonder founder, Gabby Sutherland said.
“Everyone was very enthusiastic and took this opportunity to find out more about refugees.”
On 4 June, all the groups came together for the first time in Federation Park, Palmwoods to spell out the giant message of welcome, which was captured on film by drone.
Photos of the letters being created, and the drone footage, also form part of the exhibition, and feature on the SCRAN Facebook page.
“One of the aims of Refugee Week is to focus on how the community can provide a safe and welcoming environment for refugees. Recent events in Ukraine have brought home how people leading ordinary lives can become refugees overnight,” Ms Sutherland said.
Refugee Week, 19 to 25 June, is Australia’s peak annual activity to inform the public about refugees and celebrate the positive contributions made by refugees to Australian society. Information about the exhibition can be found at sondergallery.com
Sonder Gallery is open 10am – 4pm Thursday to Sunday.
The opening event is free, but bookings are essential.
More information about Refugee Week can be found at refugeeweek.org.au
