Sharing Stories
Gathering reflections from Bedford's migrant and refugee communities.
Artists & Associates
‘Sharing Stories’ is a multi-arts project for and with first-generation migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, that creatively explores their stories, narratives and reflections. Continuing our partnership with LegalAliens Theatre, this programme facilitates the sharing of stories through a range of artistic practices, bringing together workshop-based creation, community participation, and live performance.
Over the next few months, through a series of workshops, communities and individuals will collaborate with artists towards a performance event at The Place Theatre, Bedford, on 7th November 2026.
Stories of Belonging
‘Sharing Stories’ draws on the expertise of LegalAliens Theatre’s hugely successful, pioneering and award winning work with migrant communities and refugees in London. This programme is open to all regardless of their English language level.
The project sets out to celebrate Bedford’s migrant and refugee communities through the reciprocal act of story sharing. In collaboration with these communities, artists will work with narratives gathered through workshops, translating lived experience into performance, installation, and visual art.
Refugee Week 15th-21st June 2026
On Wednesday 17th June, LegalAliens Theatre ran a story gathering and origami workshop at Bedford Central Library.
Participants were invited to drop in and share a story in any form – written, drawn or in any language – and fold origami paper into a crane.
These stories and cranes will later become part of installations, performance material and visual artwork as the project progresses towards a final presentation.
Members of the Bedford migrant and refugee communities can still anonymously contribute a story to the project by using the ‘Sharing Stories’ boxes that are located at BRASS (27b Tavistock Street, Bedford) and The Higgins (Castle Lane, Bedford). Paper and pens are provided.
About LegalAliens Theatre
LegalAliens Theatre is a migrant-led, women-led theatre company and Theatre of Sanctuary based in Tottenham, North London.
Since 2012, they have created bold, visually striking theatre that challenges dominant narratives and centres the voices, creativity and leadership of migrants, refugees and international artists. Their work combines physical theatre, multimedia, storytelling and participation to create performances that are imaginative, politically engaged and deeply human.
Alongside their professional productions, they run the Tottenham Project, an award-winning programme of free weekly theatre training for refugees, migrants, asylum seekers and people with English as a second language. Through long-term creative engagement, participants develop confidence, artistic skills, community connections and pathways into the creative industries.
This project is produced by Bedford Creative Arts in partnership with LegalAliens Theatre.
It is made possible with funding from Garfield Weston Foundation, The Rayne Foundation, The Wixamtree Trust, The Southall Trust and The Gale Family Charity Trust. It is supported by our regular funders, The Harpur Trust and Arts Council England.
