Artwork celebrating the “collective resilience” of people living in asylum hotels has found a permanent home with a refugee charity in Aberdeen.
The mural, entitled Together We Rise, was a collaboration between a New Scot artist and hotel residents in the local area.
The artwork was first unveiled at Refugee Festival Scotland — an annual celebration of art, culture and community across Scotland — during an event in Banchory last year.
We commissioned Sadia Sikandar as part of the Festival’s Arts Open strand, which supports artists who are seeking refugee protection to share their work with new audiences.
Now, after showing at the Barn in the Banchory’s Plenty? exhibition, the artwork has found a new and permanent home at the premises of Asylum and Refugee Care (AARC) in Aberdeen.
Sadia, a visual artist and activist, worked with people seeking asylum in Aberdeen to come up with the concept for the artwork.
Drawing on her own experiences of the asylum system to support others with the help of art therapy, Sadia said the mural represents the “collective resilience and empowerment of asylum seekers living in hotels”.
She explained: “It explores how individuals rise above adversity by supporting one other. It highlights the importance of unity, creativity, and mutual understanding in overcoming the challenges faced by those in temporary accommodation.
“By fostering a sense of community and hope, I wanted to amplify their voices and showcase their strength, resilience and aspirations, despite the hardships they endure.”
Around 600 people seeking asylum are currently living across three hotels in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.
They are provided with meals but receive just £8.86 per week to cover travel, clothing, toiletries and other basic essentials.
Work on the mural began last year with a workshop at Grampian Regional Equality Council’s Language Café at Aberdeen Arts Centre, where Sadia met with a group of people living in local asylum hotels.
The artist wanted to learn what helped them reach a feeling of safety in their new homes in Scotland.
Sadia said: “I recognise the powerful role art can play as a source of therapy and healing, offering a means of expression and relief.
“Many of them demonstrated incredibly create and strong ideas, especially around sunflowers and nature. Their creative skills were a pleasant surprise and I can see deep emotions reflected in the artwork they produced.”
The mural was also worked on by New Scots groups in Glasgow, who helped paint the finished piece.
Much of Sadia’s artwork is rooted in her own activism. Last month she gave evidence in the Scottish Parliament on issues around hotel accommodation for people seeking asylum.
She is also planning a new photography exhibition to document the realities of living in temporary accommodation.
She said: “I remind charities and politicians of the ongoing suffering and challenges faced by asylum seekers living in hotels. It is crucial that we work collective to improve their situations and the quality of their basic living conditions.
“These individuals have been marginalised and abandoned by society, and their wellbeing has been overlooked for many years. Urgent action is needed to ensure they are treated with dignity and provided the support they deserve to rebuild their lives.”
Sadia said she is “deeply honoured” that the work has a new permanent home at AARC.
The organisation, which was founded in 2022, is a dedicated charity focused on supporting the growing number of refugees and people seeking asylum in north-east Scotland.
What started as a small group of passionate volunteers evolved into a fully registered charity last year.
The organisation provides advice, support and access to basic essentials for new arrivals in the area – including weather appropriate clothing and footwear for life in the UK’s coldest city.
Sadia said: “This is a space where many asylum seekers in Aberdeen go every day to access resources and information, so it will be seen every day by the community.
“For future asylum seekers who see this work, I want it to serve as a symbol of hope; showing that they too can have a positive impact on the community.”
