The Locus Project was the latest project managed by ArtRefuge. ArtRefuge supports refugees, asylum seekers and members of the local community in the Portsmouth area through creative art projects, aiming to reduce social isolation and exclusion. ArtRefuge provides the opportunity for professional artists to work collaboratively with the refugees and asylum seekers.
Evaluation was carried out throughout the project in partnership with the project’s artists.
I also contributed an article for the end of project publication celebrating the achievements of the project.
Evaluation can be a tedious task especially if it is not properly implemented and embedded in the project. Working with Sonia was different. It wasn’t only about gathering data and statistics but noticing little and hard to pin down changes in people’s attitudes and values. Ongoing evaluative conversation around the project progress, the work and responses from the people who were taking part was helping me to maintain critical distance to the process, my practise and the work produced. Invaluable.
Ania Bas, lead artist, Locus Project