This research is part of the Co-Creation for Inclusive Knowledges Lab
LIMBO is a workshop series centering queer refugee stories through creative practices. The period September 2024 until June 2025 is generously funded by ILGA Europe.
In collaboration, we aim to co-create meaningful knowledge on the challenges and resilience of queer refugees and the role of engaged scholarship. We are researching how engaged scholarship can be mutually beneficial in terms of knowledge and resources for those involved (the queer refugee community, (art and/or academic) institutions, community organizers and artists). Collectively we work to make the space a safer environment for queer refugee stories and perspectives. On March 27 2022, an exhibition was opened for the public and stayed on display until May 8, 2022.
Until June 2024, the workshops were held at our previous partner Framer Framed. From September 2024 onwards, we will be hosted by Makers Unite. During the workshops in 2022 and the beginning of 2023, Alaaddin Ammar was part of the organising team to provide social support, connecting mental health, social health and art practices. From June 2023 onwards, Alaaddin occasionally organises semi-public art & rave events inspired by the LIMBO philosophy centring and celebrating queer refugees under the name Q-LIMBO. For clarity, Q-LIMBO is distinct from our storytelling workshops. We have different organizers, facilitators, and intentions and are not responsible for Q-LIMBO activities.
The workshops are facilitated by:
- Rochita Loenen-Ruiz, creative writer, artist, workshop facilitator
- Lana Jelenjev, workshop facilitator on community care, holding space / safer spaces
- Grace, space holder
- Yohannes Biru, space holder
- MirMahyar Mousavi, space holder
If you are LGBTQIA+ and have a refugee experience, you can participate in any workshop for free. Questions about the project or train tickets, you can ask: Fabian Holle (PhD researcher in this project, initiator of LIMBO, artist). For questions about Q-LIMBO art and rave events outside of our monthly workshops, you can ask: Alaaddin Ammar (artist, space holder, community organizer).
Outside the workshops, Fabian may ask participants to engage in conversations about creativity, queerness, refugees, experiences within this project or similar engagements with Dutch institutions, and life in the Netherlands. These interviews will inform Fabian’s PhD research on the role of engaged scholarship in the lives of queer refugees in the Netherlands. We aim to take the co-creative aspect of this project seriously, so we are hoping that participants will share their ideas, visions and concerns with us at any time, also outside of the interview!
