Athens/June/2018
In the summer of June 2018, Artists In Transit travelled to Athens to volunteer and
run art workshops in refugee squats.
We spent 9 days altering between the self-organised 2nd school and the family run 5th school squats. With over 50 families in each squat, our workshops would run through the morning until the late afternoon. We would often be shifting between other volunteers running English and Maths lessons.
Our setup would start with a game of football and singing in the playground, while others prepare the classrooms for the exciting activities ahead. After warming up, the children would be led in to the rooms, ready to indulge in creative activities, be it colourful bracelet making or still life painting.
As time passes, incense burning and music playing aids an atmosphere of
calm as each child sinks into soothing concentration.
These workshops would run everyday up until the last, ending with warm goodbye parties in each squat. We chose a theme and amongst gulping juice and munching biscuits, the children created dazzling masks and enjoyed a fun round of singing and games. Using a polaroid camera, snaps of the masks were captured against a vibrant. On the very last day, 5th school took part in a playground water-fight!
Angelique
Volunteers
Elif
The water fight on the last day with all the kids.
The bracelets, canvas bags!
And little Polaroid’s of all the masks they made for the theme of the party.
