This year The Roman Baths were delighted to work alongside Bath Welcomes Refugees (BWR) and the Bath & North East Somerset Council Resettlement Team on a collaborative project.
The resulting textile project will be touring Keynsham, Midsomer Norton and Bath Libraries and Information and Advice Services until early October, following its display at Victoria Art Gallery during Refugee Week in June 2026.
The theme for the week this year was ‘Courage’ and hanging alongside it is an extract from Mir Abdullah Miri’s poem A Collective Mosaic of Courage https://www.bathwelcomesrefugees.org.uk/a-collective-mosaic-of-courage/. You can read Mir’s guest article which describes how the poem was developed.
Sewing sessions took place across the city with refugees and people seeking sanctuary in BWR social groups, at the Roman Baths and even at home. These relaxed, welcoming sessions brought people together to connect, learn from one another and create something truly special.
Everyone was welcome to take part, from children to adults, from beginners to experts. Together the group learned new stitches and shared stories. The finished artwork embodies knowledge sharing, collaboration and community unity.
The textile piece will be on display at Keynsham Information and Advice Service until 28th August, Midsomer Norton Information and Advice Service 3-18 September and Bath Central Library late September to 9 October.
Public libraries are welcoming and inclusive spaces, so we’re delighted to host the textile piece in our locations. If you’ve recently moved or resettled in Bath & North East Somerset Council, you can benefit from free library membership, access to our services as well as partner services. https://baneslibraries.co.uk/about-us/resettlement/