Zine workshop on Thursday 24th October 2024 on the theme of immigration and detention in the UK.

This will include an introduction to the zine-making process and the political history of zines. Expect glitter, ribbons, interesting conversation, and lots of fun.

This creative-critical zine workshop is designed to start a group conversation about immigration and detention in the UK and to create a new archive of voices in zine format. The Refugee Tales Zine Workshop is part of 30 Windows, a series of events designed to foster a greater awareness of immigration and detention in the UK.

The workshop will be facilitated by Dr T. Pilgrim from the University of Surrey, on behalf of Refugee Tales, in partnership with the Centre for the History of People, Place and Community, Institute of Historical Research and the Refugee Law Initiative, School of Advanced Study. 

There has never been a more pressing time to talk about immigration and detention in the UK and to provide an alternative space of community away from the divisive rhetoric. Refugee Tales, in their charitable support of Gatwick Detainees Welfare Group (GDWG), now entering its thirtieth year, provides a space of welcome and a supportive community in which the voices of refugees can be heard and shared in volumes published by Comma Press. Together, members of Refugees Tales and GDWG have been walking, listening and sharing tales, and visiting those held in detention and supporting them through the immigration system in the UK. This workshop will explore zine-making as a creative mode of Knowledge Exchange between people with different experiences and stories of immigration and detention.

Zines have inherent freedoms from the usual social, cultural, political constraints of publishing and as a powerful (and empowering) free form mode of genre, they offer an expanse of creative possibility. For examples of zine archives held at the Glasgow Women’s Library and the British Library.

All are welcome to join our conversation, whatever your background and experience. This will be a relaxed and informal event. We are always especially happy to meet first-time visitors to the Institute of Historical Research: you will be made very welcome.

All materials and tea and coffee will be provided.