Refugee Week 2025
Community as a superpower.
Join us at The Beacon for welcoming and inclusive programme of artworks, events and activities.
16-22 Jun 2025
Refugee Week is the world’s largest arts and culture festival celebrating the contributions, creativity and resilience of refugees and people seeking sanctuary. We’re delighted to be taking part in its 2025 edition, titled Community as a superpower.
The centrepiece is What Will We Do Without Exile?, a new artwork created by UK-based Palestinian artist Basel Zaraa and commissioned alongside Counterpoints Arts with the support of Moomin Characters – one of four new UK artworks celebrating 80 years of the Moomins.
Alongside it, we’re presenting a series of family activities in partnership with Stand & Be Counted, including Happy Baby!, free sensory play sessions for under-4s, and The Big Blue Bradford House, an invitation for young people and families to help create a Moomin-inspired cardboard house in Bowling Park. You can also join us at a Peace Picnic, enjoy family activities galore at the free Intercultured Festival and follow one man’s journey from Syria to England in Penguin.
What's on
What Will We Do Without Exile? is commissioned by Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture and Counterpoints Arts with the support of Moomin Characters for Refugee Week 2025.
The Big Blue Bradford House and Happy Baby! are co-produced by Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture and Stand & Be Counted, the Associate Company of Welcome and Sanctuary.