Our annual free festival celebrates the art of refugee communities in the UK, with a profusion of new talent across its three stages, pulsating with the sounds of live music, the flow of the spoken word, the sizzle of food and the rhythms of dance.…. the cultural fruits of sanctuary.

Our SANCTUARY on the Riverside stage brings together:
* extraordinary legendary musical pioneers like amazing one man folk band, traveller troubador extraordinaire, Rory McLeod 
* collaborations such as the Celebrating Sanctuary Commissioned Home Is Where The Harp Is featuring harpists Cevanne Horrocks-Hopayian (Celtic Lever Harps-Armenia/UK) Temesgen Tareken (Krar- Ethiopia), Kadialy Kouyate Kora- Senegal) & Solveig Thoroddsen (Medieval Wire-Strung Clarsach Iceland)
* seasoned virtuosos we have nurtured over the last few years - Krar Collective , 
* as well as refugee talent currently detained in Colnbrook Immigration Removal Centre - Music in Detention ). 

Our ACOUSTIC YURT features a BookSlam meets Celebrating Sanctuary London mix of cutting-edge literature, spoken ] word and acoustic music from across the spectrum of the UK’s refugee communities.

Our HOTSHOE CAFE Stage in the Sunken Gardens features an afternoon that dishes up the tastiest talent you're going to find at any festival this year. Expect large portions of food, dance, theatre, music, cooking and more food from a lineup that includes: 
* Dan_Kira Dance Ensemble from London's Ethiopian Community
* Thanki Family, Pioneering Ugandan Asian chefs who have created the culinarey delight that is the Kastoori restaurant in Tooting
* and WOVEN GOLD, feat. refugees from extreme cruelty.

PLUS Away From the Stages:

REFUGEE VILLAGE Inside and around a UNHCR supplied Refugee Tent, Human Library where you can borrow a human ‘BOOK’- a unique opportunity to learn about the person behind that refugee label. (Organised by Refugee Council) For ‘Books’ brochure email 60years@refugeecouncil.org.uk

Amnesty International’s UMBRELLA DECORATING WORKSHOP in preparation for: World Refugee Day Umbrella Parade !!!! which will arriving at the festival during the afternoon

Celebrating Sanctuary London is part of the Coin Street Festival

Funded by ACE, Mayor of London, PRS Foundation, Media Partner FRoots Welcome to Refugee Week: 20 – 26 June 2011 http://www.refugeeweek.org.uk/ and http://www.simpleacts.org.uk www.myspace.com/celebratingsanctuary