For Our Communities

Baltic is a Gallery of Sanctuary

Since 2019 we have been developing strands of work which seek to support people with refugee and asylum seeking experience. Neighbourlyworks in collaboration with a local network of refugee support organisations and is informed by the Neighbourly Working Group, a group of people with lived experience of the UK asylum system, who meet every 2-3 months at Baltic and act as critical friends. Input from this group informs and guides our Neighbourly programme. 

The programme combines a range of one-off events and longer term projects which aim to deliver welcoming, enjoyable and useful activities; opportunities for friendship and solidarity, and practical actions to affect change within and across communities.

In early 2022 we became the first Gallery of Sanctuary in England, awarded by City of Sanctuary UK. City of Sanctuary Awards recognise and celebrate organisations that go above and beyond to welcome people seeking sanctuary. 

Through this work we aim not only to share the resources and facilities available at Baltic with people with refugee and asylum seeking experience in the North East, but also to work with artists and adopt creative processes to bring people together. We create opportunities for people to share skills and interests and explore trans-cultural ways of making, learning, eating and connecting. 

SkillsMatch Volunteering 

Delivered in partnership with the West End Refugee Service, SkillsMatch at Baltic offers a variety of volunteering opportunities for people seeking sanctuary in the North East. 

Volunteers for Baltic roles are recruited through the West End Refugee Service SkillsMatch portal. These are supported by the West End Refugee Service team to ensure that they speak to the skills, experiences and interests of asylum seekers and refugees, and offer valuable stepping-stones to rebuilding professional pursuits, building confidence, improving English and establishing friendships and networks.

To find out more about our available roles click here.

ESOL Visits 

ESOL Visits at Baltic are free, last around a half day and include: 

• A guided tour (choose from our Exhibition Spotlight Tour, Behind the Scenes Tour or a Quayside Tour exploring the local sights)
• An artist-led workshop – inspired by Baltic’s current exhibitions, or any topics/interests of the group

You don’t strictly have to be an ESOL group to visit. Any group seeking sanctuary in the North East is welcome. 

We also offer free room hire for group discussion and ESOL teaching (3 weeks’ notice required) 

ESOL group leaders can find out more information, or book a visit by e-mailing Annie Bedford on e-mail annieb@balticmill.com or calling 0191 440 4919.

Art Lab

Art Lab is an ongoing programme, launched in May 2019. It focuses on equitable access to high quality creative provision and encourages sustainable creative art, food and play practices for families. 

Families come together during school holidays to make art from recycled, found and natural materials with Art Lab artist in residence, Isabella Carreras. Activities focus on the environment and natural world, imagining sustainable futures and supporting youth voices for climate change advocacy.

Alongside this and core to Art Lab is the idea that food insecurity is a social and environmental justice issue, and that creativity has a role to play in combatting it.

We work with partners to cook together, grow together, eat together, try new things, and share creative approaches to reduce food waste. 

Activities are steered by the families who participate and by children in particular. Future activities are picked based on the feedback and ideas of the families who took part previously. 

As Art Lab is about equitable access to creative activity and food provision during the school holidays, we take a nuanced approach to who may find it useful to attend. Although we encourage families whose children usually access Free School Meals (FSM) to get involved we know that this is not a perfect metric and we encourage wider participation.

Art Lab was previously hosted specifically in Birtley but has recently moved to be hosted in Baltic to widen participation across local wards.