The Arts into Acts Digital Performance documented and amplified arts and acts of young people who met in Lesvos, Greece and migrated across Europe. It was organised in collaboration with PPLG, Open University, RAD Music International and The Boat Art Centre.
Since 2015, millions of people fleeing war, violence and political persecution have passed through the island of Lesvos seeking a better life in Europe. Thousands of people have lived in the Moria Refugee Camp, which Doctors Without Borders has called ‘the worst refugee camp in the world’. At the same time, Mytilene, the capital city of Lesvos, has become a crossroads of cultures, languages, lives, and dreams. There people have found ways to connect and create art and community, despite the difficulties and in response to them.
Responding to isolation through their art, they created collective power giving voice to what has been unspoken. Their arts became acts of solidarity and hope, continuing to grow across borders as many migrated to other European countries.
Hosting the event from UK, we joined the rhythms of the drums from Lesvos, mixed music and songs from Germany, witnessed a digital photographic journey from Afghanistan to France and continued to go back to the stories of the streets and the squares of Lesbos, where people met, imagined and created together.
The performers shared their creative projects and created new online performances inspired by the interviews of 27 young people from refugee and local backgrounds who lived in Lesvos during the years 2021-2023. As one of the artists of the project said: ‘The biggest art that we can make is with our daily life. Because the circumstances are not easy. We are making art to make life acceptable enough to pass it. That’s the main art I think and I am good at it’.
This collective initiative was inspired during the action research project Arts into Acts which included a series of interviews and an online creative group. Starting the group in Mytilene, at the time of the performance the members were based in Germany, France, UK and Greece, still connected, still creating art and life across borders.
Artists: Amir Ali, Elena Yaqubee, Joel Fabio Tunno, Lina Petrianou, Nazanin Foroghi, Rouddy Kimpioka, Yaser Akbari.
Community Organizers: Antzela Tzoure, Labrini Blatsiou
Digital Production: Lina Petrianou
Research: Elena Boukouvala
Organizers: Open University, PPLG, RAD Music International, The Boat Theatre.