Shared Horizon is a programme initially supported by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation which welcomes and encourages people seeking sanctuary to participate in creative activities at YSP. The aim of Shared Horizon is to emphasise the need to involve and welcome new arrivals to the community, and to provide positive ways to help this happen through broadening skills and encouraging wider engagement. The name highlights the similarities that we share as human beings, and by using the word ‘Horizon’, we are focusing on the distance, the future, and what lies ahead.

Holiday Club

An exciting annual summer programme of sculpture, installation and movement workshops, working in partnership with Wakefield Family Services. The holiday club aims to encourage integration and build confidence between children and families in our local community.

Holiday Club 2010
In summer 2010 YSP hosted ‘The Elements’ Shared Horizon Holiday Club. For the sixth year running, YSP in partnership with Wakefield Family Services invited refugee families from Wakefield to enjoy three days of creative activities exploring the theme of ‘the elements’ taken from the David Nash exhibition at YSP. The group of thirty children and parents worked with a team of artists to learn movement, drama and sculpture building up to an interactive installation and performance on the final day.

This year artist Clare Charnley, shortlisted for the Northern Art Prize in 2009 interviewed some of the staff, volunteers, participants and their parents for her ongoing project work of ‘misunderstandings’. She is building up a body of work about misunderstandings; particularly interviewing people whose first language isn’t English. Watch a selection of the video clips on our Vimeo channel

The 2010 Holiday Club was sponsored by Sero, a Sheffield based education, skills and economic development consultancy specialising in IT and digital policy.

Refugee Week   
A UK-wide programme of arts, cultural and educational events that celebrate the contribution of refugees to the UK, and encourages a better understanding between communities. YSP runs an annual series of community workshops to celebrate the event for a wide range of groups, and the services which support them. Read more

Youth Projects with Separated Children

From October 2008 to February 2009 working in partnership with Wakefield asylum team, and Wakefield Youth Development and Support Services, YSP engaged 15 young people aged 14 to18 years old in positive creative activity. The group, from Afghanistan, Eritrea, Gambia, Kurdistan and Senegal spoke varying degrees of English and a wide variety of other languages. One of the main aims of the project was to use photography as a tool to improve language skills, as well as celebrating their own mother tongue.

As a culmination of the project Shared Horizon Photography Exhibition was displayed in the Visitor Centre Upper Space at YSP and then toured to Westgate Studios, Huddersfield Art Gallery, Bridge Arts and Ryedale Folk Museum. With support from CapeUK, and The Arts Council, members of the group achieved their Bronze level Arts Award qualification.

YSP continues to work with the group and other young people seeking sanctuary in Yorkshire.

Winter Solstice Experience

Each year the Friends of YSP support a Winter Solstice celebration for separated children in Wakefield. The young people come to YSP to experience sunset in Skyspace; a stunning artwork by James Turell. Following their trip to the Skyspace the group shares a festive meal in the YSP restaurant followed by an exchange of gifts donated by YSP staff. 

City of Sanctuary
City of Sanctuary is a movement to build a culture of hospitality for people seeking sanctuary in the UK. Their goal is to create a network of towns and cities throughout the country which are proud to be places of safety, and which include people seeking sanctuary fully in the life of their communities.