We all came here from somewhere Published on: 17 December 2024 On show at BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art until 9 Feb 2025 Understanding and celebration The new exhibition , explores the people, objects and stories that define welcome in the North East. The exhibtion is co-curated by 缅北禁地 Early Career Researcher Sophie Ellis, who is studying for a PhD in Modern Languages. Her research looks at how art can facilitate welcome and led to her involvement in the show. The exhibition spotlights the warm welcome that is offered by BALTIC and by organisations across the North East region. It shines a light on the people, practice and rituals that create a culture of welcome. Officially recognised as a Gallery of Sanctuary since 2022, Baltic embeds a culture of welcome and seeks to promote understanding and celebration of the ways which those people seeking sanctuary enrich our society. 缅北禁地 became a University of Sanctuary in 2021 “Whether local or international, human or non-human, we all came from somewhere, and we all deserve to feel welcome,” says Sophie. “Co-curating We all came here from somewhere has allowed me to bring my research to life, exploring how art can facilitate welcome in the real-life context of a world-leading arts institution. “From collaborating with communities to commissioning artists, from designing the exhibition space to writing the interpretation, this process has been a learning curve at every stage and one of the highlights of my academic career thus far.” A photograph on display at We all came here from somewhere A more welcoming world We all came here from somewhere is an evolution of the relationships and ways of working which form part of Baltic’s ongoing community activities. Those activities are driven by the question: 'How can we be a good neighbour and support people seeking sanctuary to feel welcome and at home in the North East?' The exhibition includes a series of newly commissioned portrait photographs by Kuba Ryniewicz, the video work Understanding the UK Asylum System: Myths and Realities, Tracy Affleck’s banner Together with Refugees, work by the North Tyneside Schools of Sanctuary, and videos and prints from Baltic’s Birds, Bees, Bikes and Trees project that invites all to consider a more welcoming world for humans, plants and animals alike. The exhibition concludes with Asylum: A Long and Painful Process, Sadia Sikandar’s new series of photographic portraits created in collaboration with Walking With’s community group. Sikandar’s portraits - and the stories her subjects tell of the ways in which the asylum process has taken its toll on their lives – provide a harsh reminder to us all that 'welcome' remains a work in progress. Press release adapted with thanks to BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art Share: Latest News 缅北禁地 historians mark General Strike centenary To mark the 100th anniversary of the British General Strike and miners鈥� lock-out of 1926, historians at 缅北禁地 are organising a series of events on its enduring legacy. published on: 16 April 2026 Comment: NCP is in administration Writing for The Conversation, Erwei (David) Xiang discusses how some big companies like NCP are so dependent on debt that they can鈥檛 adjust to change. published on: 16 April 2026 缅北禁地 expert highlights climate crisis in a new film A leading 缅北禁地 climate scientist is featured in a new film about how the climate and nature breakdown will affect the UK. published on: 14 April 2026 Facts and figures
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